MIDDLEBURY —
A local recreational vehicle start-up company celebrated big milestones Tuesday.
Grand Design RV, of Middlebury, celebrated its 100th unit being built, in addition to the hiring of the company’s 100th employee and the company’s 100th day of delivery to dealerships.
President and co-founder Don Clark addressed employees before a luncheon on the company’s factory floor, thanking them for their hard work and giving them a progress report of the company, as well a history of how it came to be.
Clark and co-founders Bill and Ron Fenech started the company after leaving their positions as brand presidents for Thor Industries. The company began with “a vision” Clark said, being born out of a conversation at a restaurant.
According to Clark, Grand Design is different because of company’s strategy with its product line.
“A lot of companies out there will attack markets five or six dealers at the same price point, but we decided that we would have one dealer in each market that sells our entire line,” he said. Eventually they will have six products at different price points. Currently the company is producing one product line called Solitude.
Bill Fenech said that the company launched on Oct. 1 of last year.
“Louisville (the National RV Trade Show) was really our coming out party,” Clark said.
At that show the company held an informal presentation for dealers, expecting around 30 or 40 dealerships to attend.
“Over 100 dealers ended up showing up,” Clark said.
Since then they have been busy keeping up with dealer demand, while serving their customers with a product the company feels is customer-friendly.
“We’re allowing the retail consumer to design our product,” he said. “If you just listen they’ll tell you what they want and then they’ll vote on it with their checkbooks.”
Addressing employees, Clark laid out the company’s achievements over the short time the company has been around.
“Here’s what you did: 100 units in 100 days, all the same model... one color, built one way, that really can’t happen in our industry, but you’re doing it,” he said.
Clark said the Solitude product has been a top seller in its price segment at nearly every show they have been to, while attracting the best dealers to sell their product.
“We wanted to thank you, our teammates, for what you’re doing with the Solitude line,” Clark said.
The company wants to grow at a healthy pace into its 67-acre, 500,000-square-foot manufacturing space north of Middlebury, Clark said.
Breaking News
Related Photos
-
President and co-founder of Grand Design RV, Don Clark, addresses employees Tuesday at the Middlebury company’s factory. The company was celebrating it’s 100th unit shipped, the hiring of their 100th employee and their 100th day of unit manufacturing. Sam Householder
New RV company has quick growth
- Breaking News
-
-
Treatment plant building, lift station fixes approved
GOSHEN — The Wastewater Treatment Plant’s Digester and Lab buildings have water leaking in and the plant’s Twelfth Street lift station has bricks falling off the building due to water damage.
-
Crashes rekindle seat belt debate
An Indiana lawmaker who sponsored a bill that would have required seat belts on school buses hopes two high-profile collisions in a span of a week that left more than 60 people injured will spur parents to urge the General Assembly to act.
-
THE DIRT ON GARDENING: Choose your pool plants wisely
Do you have a pool or a pond or do you plan on having one in the near future? Then you’ll want to choose your plants wisely that you’ll expect to have near or around the perimeter.
-
Handle poison hemlock carefully
Poison hemlock is a weed that seemed to burst onto the scene last year during the drought.
In the past, it could be found in waste areas like along railroad tracks and ditches, but in 2012, poison hemlock seemed to be everywhere, including backyards, gardens, fields, even along the river at Bonneyville Mill Park. -
Police: Teen arrested after firing gun in Goshen
A 16-year-old Goshen boy was arrested on multiple charges after allegedly firing a gun along Crescent Street Thursday night.
-
Jefferson students spend the day at Camp Amigo
On Tuesday, 450 Jefferson Elementary School students experienced “outdoor” school.
-
Bus driver’s condition upgraded after Wednesday wreck
A school bus driver injured in a four-bus crash Wednesday north of North Webster was hospitalized in fair condition Thursday.
-
ASK THE SHERIFF: Sheriff explains his job and the tasks of his deputies
Two weeks ago I indicated that I would write further on the controversy of the Second Amendment.
-
Goshen has growth spurt
Goshen Mayor Allan Kauffman doesn’t have the magic bullet as to why Goshen is over the 32,000 mark in population for the first time.
-
Sentence dealt for reckless homicide
GOSHEN — From the witness stand in Elkhart Circuit Court, Kristina Wolfinger could see the man who killed her brother. She described what she didn’t see.
- More Breaking News Headlines
-
Raw: Train Derails After Overpass Collapse
Raw: Rescues From San Antonio Flooding
Raw: French Soldier Stabbed in Throat Near Paris
Mayor: Person Killed in San Antonio Flooding
Raw: Apple 1 Computer Sells for More Than $650k
Hagel Urges Cadets to End Scourge of Sex Assault
Raw: Gay Rights Activists March in Ukraine
Bus Fire Kills 16 Children, Teacher in Pakistan
Raw: Pakistan Election Results Protested
Raw: Trucker Bumps I-5 Bridge Before Collapse
Raw: Texas Deputy Shot by Colo. Suspect Honored
Major Detours Following Wash. Bridge Collapse
American Held in Grisly Czech Murders
Raw: Jersey Shore Reopens for Summer
UK-bound Pakistan Plane Diverted, 2 Men Arrested
