2018 Four Wheel Camper Announcements (article in Truck Camper Magazine)

[Old Crow]

In Truck Camper Magazine's recent review of the 2018 Hawk, the author said he had visited the factory and met with Robert Vogl and the leadership team for the first time since the acquisition of Four Wheel Campers by Salt Creek Capital in September, 2016. He went on to say the team has been making a series of changes to improve product quality and increase production but didn't want to reveal the changes quite yet.

Last week, TCM posted the details in "TCM EXCLUSIVE: Four Wheel Campers 2018 Announcements" with the sub-head 'Significant Changes to the Campers, Headquarters, and Company Culture'.

The camper changes include:

- change to flexible rubber propane lines and a propane manifold

- change from PEX to polymer-braided plumbing lines (began in August 2017)

- change from water-testing to air-pressure testing of plumbing

- optional Bat 270 awning (Eezi-Awn Bat 270)

- Overland Solar 160-watt semi-flexible lightweight solar panel and MPPT controller

- optional 6v 225-amp-hour house batteries (the photo appears to be of two US Battery AGM 2000s)

Manufacturing plant changes include:

- new signage, landscaping, and furniture

- 5S workplace organization methodology (Wikipedia definition)

- Kaizen (continuous improvement) (Wikipedia definition)

- cabinet construction now done in-house

- fabric-cutting to (possibly) transition from by-hand method to CNC machine

I'd be interested in any comments on the changes. I, for one, really appreciate these announcement articles as they help us understand and date changes to the campers over the years.

Here are some older ones:

2015 Four Wheel Camper Announcements

2013 Four Wheel Camper Announcements

.

 

[klahanie]

- cabinet construction now done in-house

...

I'd be interested in any comments on the changes.

This one stands out. I remember Bryan at Alaskan telling the story of chatting years ago with the PO of FWC and being asked just how does AK get such nice customized interiors made. And the owner's surprise at hearing AK has their own complete wood shop. I guess FWC was farming out cabinets up until recently. ??

Perhaps going forward they might be more able/willing to make some small accommodations to their standard version. For eg like the kind of alterations made possible in the absence of certain options, as posted recently by Zirdu to his new Granby. Even as an option delete default (to prevent possible financial loss from customization) it could be a win for users.

http://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/topic/16334-new-cubby-made-from-wasted-space/

 

[ProfessorChaos]

Most management companies that take over a business like to make changes just so they can have their fingerprints on it. I use to work at a resort hotel in New Hampshire and Delaware North took over management and they began changing where the furniture was, changing events and the menu in the restaurant and the guests hated it. I know it's not exactly the same thing but if something is working then management needs to leave it alone.

 

[LiveLifeNow]

I have noticed a change in the FWC cabinets (don't know when it started) which I regard as a decline in quality. Older FWCs, like mine, have large cabinets sealed with sliding doors located high up, to the right of the entrance. These cabinets are spacious, hide any clutter and are mouseproof.

Newer FWCs have smaller cabinets in the same location. They are open at the top, which I think is untidy and allows contents to possibly be ejected while driving on rough roads.

 

[billharr]

I have noticed a change in the FWC cabinets (don't know when it started) which I regard as a decline in quality. Older FWCs, like mine, have large cabinets sealed with sliding doors located high up, to the right of the entrance. These cabinets are spacious, hide any clutter and are mouseproof.

Newer FWCs have smaller cabinets in the same location. They are open at the top, which I think is untidy and allows contents to possibly be ejected while driving on rough roads.

Was not sure what you were talking about so I looked. My 2013 Hawk has a hinged open-down door. Looked on the website and saw a bin and not a cabinet. Is this the new normal?

 

[Sharx]

From last year's rally at Sugarloaf, we heard much more details about the management changes at FWC. The one thing I remember well was how it is was explained that the changes that would be happening would be mostly to improve production and costs first and then improvement to the final product (campers). We were told how the company that came in was there for the "long haul" and would be making a sizable investment in time and adding their management experience to make FWC even better. They explained how they liked the product that was made and even more, the customers that had them. They said they wanted to take FWC to the "next level" and I believe them.

So far it seems that what they said is true. At the rally at Chanslor Ranch (and the TCM article) they explained the changes to the factory in the last few months as far as production efficiency and getting employees more involved in the process of making the camper better and their individual jobs more important with teamwork a top priority. The use of tried and true methods that work will provide the success they are seeking. The new propane lines, solar panel, and in-house cabinetry are just a few of the updates that we are beginning to see.

I have seen and worked for a few Fortune 500 companies that did not do the things they are. I would think most of us have worked for a large or medium size company that made you feel like you were not very important in what was made or the service that was provided. I fully believe that these changes will allow the company to drive down costs, improve the product and that will eventually make them even more competitive and eventually lower the cost(s) to us end users. But probably most important, employees will become more productive because they will care more than ever about what goes "out the door".

 

[LiveLifeNow]

Was not sure what you were talking about so I looked. My 2013 Hawk has a hinged open-down door. Looked on the website and saw a bin and not a cabinet. Is this the new normal?

Yes, the open bins pictured above are new, as opposed to the older, larger (& IMHO better) cabinets with sliding doors.

 

[billharr]

Yes, the open bins pictured above are new, as opposed to the older, larger (& IMHO better) cabinets with sliding doors.

FWC has not used sliding doors for some time. The first hinged doors went up and then down as mine in the picture below. Agree the bins are not good storage.