NuWa Halts Production

[HBarlow]

And now, my favorite brand shuts down production. I think the warranty on my HitchHiker expires this month but I'm not worried about the warranty. I think all the new trailer bugs are worked out and it is fine.

I am grateful that the owner, Mike Mitchell, has apparently decided to keep the service and parts department open as well as the sales staff and probably a skeleton office staff.

NuWa has the best RV service department I've ever experienced. The trip to Chanute, KS is well worth the service and prices I receive there.

Harvey

BREAKING NEWS
NuWa to Stop Production, Firm Remains Open
Bob Ashley
RV Business
Friday, November 7, 2008

NuWa Industries Inc. , Chanute, Kan. , will stop production of its high-end fifth-wheels on Christmas Eve, but is keeping its sales staff and parts and service departments open after the first of the year.

"We want to take a look to see what kind of sales are going to come in 2009," NuWa President Neil Ford told RVBusiness. "We will never close our parts, warranty and service departments. Those will remain open. "

About 100 workers will be laid off as part of the move, he said. NuWa also canceled the space it had reserved at the 46th Annual National RV Trade Show, Dec. 2-4, in Louisville, Ky.

"The problem is the whole economy," Ford said. "Most of our customers are retired, and the price range of our units is not inexpensive. People can't get financed or they fear what the economy is going to do. "

As recently as 2006, NuWa operated two factories in the Chanute area and employed about 500 people. After the production shutdown, about 40 employees will remain.

"We are not slamming the doors shut and saying 'We're, through,' " Ford said. "We're definitely coming back if there's business there. "

 

[CUMMINZ]

Looks like the Obama "Spread the wealth" is already taking its toll.

 

[FFeiller]

i'm not an RV'r but in this day and age it sure is refreshing to read of a company that really cares about their customers.



Cumminz if we could only find the "one" individual that has caused all of these problems we face today. just think we could give him an early retirement in the Cayman Islands where he could enjoy the fruits of his labor. He's been one busy fellow.

And then once he is retired; everything would return to the way it was in the '50's or was it 1913 and the Federal Reserve Bank (nothing federal about it by the way)

 

[CUMMINZ]

There is no one person, bank, policy, party that has caused all these problems except greed. We see ads on TV for persons who owe a great tax debt... Just hire this lawyer and he can get rid of that debt. This person is stealing from us tax payers. Ads to get rid of your credit card debt... This is stealing from us who pay our card debt. All in congress and all the way to the bottom are at fault. We are at fault by living above our means.

 

[george]

oh good, for a second I thought it was all Obama's fault even before he takes office.

 

[FFeiller]

cumminz, i gotta admit i took advantage of the easy credit. however, like you, i pay my bills.



i also resent those that do not pay their's.



i appreciate you comments

 

[ACerf]

When companies stop production or go out of business. It is because they are not competetive in there market place. NuWa is an exsample of this, along with the other RV companies that are failing. This has happened before in this industry when the field gets to large. It is the survival of the fittest in this economy!

 

[fox]

Or, the market for that product colapses.

 

[georgej]

Harvey



I felt that way when Alpenlite closed. They had the best service dept for body repairs(my fault) and re-redoing the dealer warrantee issues. I'm still hopeful that some of the techs can startup a repair facility in Yakima.



George

 

[Russknh]

mister acerf, if you knew Mike and the quality his company has made for many decades and how much care and personnel service they have spent making sure their customers had nothing less than the upmost quality in their product and after sale support you would not make a statement about NUWA like that, when was the last time you could go on the users website or call the owner of the trailer you chose to buy, Mike M responds every day personally to anyone who wants to talk to him and his sister always gave unbelievable support in the parts area, and any customer who ever called the factory and spoke to RV would have to hang up feeling that they had just to a wonderful and caring individual who would go out of their way to make sure you were taken care of whether you were under warranty or not. I find what is going on in this country of our more of a result of the kind of thinking that has all of the parking lots full of jap **** and the kind thinking that has the big three asking for bailouts while awarding thru the roof bonuses at the same time!!!

 

[HBarlow]

When companies stop production or go out of business. It is because they are not competetive in there market place. NuWa is an exsample of this, along with the other RV companies that are failing. This has happened before in this industry when the field gets to large. It is the survival of the fittest in this economy!

As a general statement about a generic manufacturer I might agree with you but you are mistaken about NuWa in particular and the RV industry in general. RVs are a luxury item, not a necessity. When home values are down, the stock market is down, some people's jobs are uncertain, discretionary purchases like boats, RVs, sports cars, and other non-essential items are postponed.

NuWa is a great company that builds excellent products and provides exceptional service, before and after the sale. Each and every member of the company treats potential buyers and owners like a family friend. Anyone on the staff will answer phone calls or e-mails. CEO Mike Mitchell participates daily on the NuWa owner's forum (not NuWa's) and often answers sticky questions frankly and openly. NuWa is also financially solid, owned outright by Mike. He simply cannot afford to continue paying payroll and fixed and variable expenses indefinitely when a small number of dealer orders won't keep his production running efficiently.

NuWa and most of the other manufacturers who have closed their doors are (were) the top of the line manufacturers. Teton, Travel Supreme, NuWa(not out of business yet) Alfa, Alpenlite, and others were makers of the premier units. Essentially the only brands remaining now are the cheap products made by Keystone, Forest River, and Thor.

 

[HBarlow]

Harvey

I felt that way when Alpenlite closed. They had the best service dept for body repairs(my fault) and re-redoing the dealer warrantee issues. I'm still hopeful that some of the techs can startup a repair facility in Yakima.

George

George,

They probably will as you hope. Former Travel Supreme employees started a repair facility in Elkhart when TS shut down. I think other brands have done the same.

How's the new cab and chassis? Mine has 32,000 miles on it now, still troublefree with exception of one mystery CEL that cleared itself.

 

[georgej]

Harvey



Thats the other George... . the rich one My ride's a 01QC.



GeorgeJ

 

[HBarlow]

Harvey

Thats the other George... . the rich one My ride's a 01QC.

GeorgeJ

Oops, sorry. I guess I made an incorrect assumption.

 

[Grizzly]

And now, my favorite brand shuts down production. I think the warranty on my HitchHiker expires this month but I'm not worried about the warranty. I think all the new trailer bugs are worked out and it is fine.



I am grateful that the owner, Mike Mitchell, has apparently decided to keep the service and parts department open as well as the sales staff and probably a skeleton office staff.



NuWa has the best RV service department I've ever experienced. The trip to Chanute, KS is well worth the service and prices I receive there.



Harvey



BREAKING NEWS

NuWa to Stop Production, Firm Remains Open

Bob Ashley

RV Business

Friday, November 7, 2008



NuWa Industries Inc. , Chanute, Kan. , will stop production of its high-end fifth-wheels on Christmas Eve, but is keeping its sales staff and parts and service departments open after the first of the year.



"We want to take a look to see what kind of sales are going to come in 2009," NuWa President Neil Ford told RVBusiness. "We will never close our parts, warranty and service departments. Those will remain open. "



About 100 workers will be laid off as part of the move, he said. NuWa also canceled the space it had reserved at the 46th Annual National RV Trade Show, Dec. 2-4, in Louisville, Ky.



"The problem is the whole economy," Ford said. "Most of our customers are retired, and the price range of our units is not inexpensive. People can't get financed or they fear what the economy is going to do. "



As recently as 2006, NuWa operated two factories in the Chanute area and employed about 500 people. After the production shutdown, about 40 employees will remain.



"We are not slamming the doors shut and saying 'We're, through,' " Ford said. "We're definitely coming back if there's business there. "

Wow, that's shocking news. Hitchhiker is one of the very best 5er made. They invented the 5th wheel concept and I belive the Slideout as well.

 

[ACerf]

I have to say that NuWa makes a nice product. But when it came down purchasing a fifth wheel. I bought a Holiday Rambler! Why because the dealer that sold them in the area where we lived sucked! And I knew that if I had a problem it would never get corrected. I think that my Holiday Ramlber is as well built has any NuWa product. They did not have any more features or construction differances then my HR. I have a dealer that has taken good care of me, for the very few minor items I have had to get fixed. And by the way they are still in production! I have never personally had any problems with Holiday Rambler/Monaco customer service answering my questions. They have been helpful, and in some cases gone above and beyond what they needed to do to make me happy! But this kind of discussion is like; who likes what, a Chevy, Ford or Dodge truck. What is interesting is that I see more NuWa trailers being towed by Fords. More HR being towed by Dodges... um what does that say about the owners?

 

[HBarlow]

I have to say that NuWa makes a nice product. But when it came down purchasing a fifth wheel. I bought a Holiday Rambler! Why because the dealer that sold them in the area where we lived sucked! And I knew that if I had a problem it would never get corrected. I think that my Holiday Ramlber is as well built has any NuWa product. They did not have any more features or construction differances then my HR. I have a dealer that has taken good care of me, for the very few minor items I have had to get fixed. And by the way they are still in production! I have never personally had any problems with Holiday Rambler/Monaco customer service answering my questions. They have been helpful, and in some cases gone above and beyond what they needed to do to make me happy! But this kind of discussion is like; who likes what, a Chevy, Ford or Dodge truck. What is interesting is that I see more NuWa trailers being towed by Fords. More HR being towed by Dodges... um what does that say about the owners?

It may not matter much except for someone wanting to buy a good used one since it is unsure if NuWa will restart production next year but actually there is a very significant difference in the way NuWa products are built, different from all others except Teton which is now gone.

NuWa sidewalls are built of very dense, very strong blue Dow-Corning foam core products with the inner walls and the external walls vacuum bonded to the foam core. The insulation in a NuWa product is extremely effective compoared to all other brands. Anyone who disbelieves me should walk into a NuWa fifth wheel on a dealer's lot (or a friend's) on a very hot day. You will instantly notice a ten or twenty degree difference inside if the previous night was cool. Likewise, if the trailer sat in the heat and then the ambient temperature dropped the trailer will stay warm for hours. My HitchHiker is significantly better insulated than the Travel Supreme I previously owned.

I have a friend who owns a Holiday Rambler product. His trailer is not as well insulated as my HH.

And by the way, Monaco, parent company of Holiday Rambler, has closed plants, laid off hundreds of employees, and is struggling right now to refinanace their huge debt load in order to survive. They may be the next to close.

 

[Grizzly]

I have to say that NuWa makes a nice product. But when it came down purchasing a fifth wheel. I bought a Holiday Rambler! Why because the dealer that sold them in the area where we lived sucked!* And I knew that if I had a problem it would never get corrected. * I think that my Holiday Ramlber is as well built has any NuWa product. They did not have any more features or construction differances then my HR. I have a dealer that has taken good care of me, for the very few minor items I have had to get fixed. * And by the way they are still in production!* I have never personally had any problems with Holiday Rambler/Monaco customer service answering my questions. They have been helpful, and in some cases gone above and beyond what they needed to do to make me happy! * But this kind of discussion is like; who likes what, a Chevy, Ford or Dodge truck. * What is interesting is that I see more NuWa trailers being towed by Fords. More HR being towed by Dodges... um what does that say about the owners?

If you think for a minute that a Holiday Rambler is in the same league with a Hitchhiker, you're a fool. A Holiday Rambler is rated from 1 to 3 stars in the RV Consumer Group Guide. A Hitchhiker is a solid 4 star rated 5th wheel.



I purchased a new 29' Holiday Rambler 5th wheel in 1988 and made a trip to Alaska with it and my 95 Dodge in 1995. We made it to Fairbanks limping and almost didn't make back home. It required major repairs four time on the trip and one time we had to get it towed many miles to a repair shop where it sat for a week getting worked on. As soon as we got it home I had to replace the entire running gear. After it was repaired, I sold it and purchased a Lance camper.



If the first NuWa dealer didn't work for you, you should have gone to another dealer. I don't believe you can get a better 5er then a Hitchhiker.