Calgary Trillium in business or not?

[travelbug63]

We have been in contact last week with Joe at Trillium in Calgary about getting some modifications done on our newly purchased 2008 Outback. for the last 5 days their phone and fax has said "this number no longer in service" and we have had no email replies. Joe was incredibly helpful on the phone and we are a bit surprised by this. Does anyone out there know anything or how we can get hold of Joe?! (we are not from Calgary) Thanks!

[David Tilston]

Hmmm. I get the same results. I will swing by there after work and see what I can see.

[travelbug63]

Hope they are fine

[David Tilston]

It's O.K.
They just had melt down of their phone system. Trillium is still very much in business. In fact, Jo looks run off his feet, lots of trailers there. He probably appreciates the break from the phone.
He still has the 5500 in the parking lot, and 13-66. The 66th Trillium every built, is in the lot as well. They pulled off all the Ensolite. This one is most likely getting rat fur. I thought the Ensolite was fixable. The front and back windows are out as well. They needed replacing. It's nice to see it being restored. The glass was in good shape, mostly.
I wish I had my camera there.

[travelbug49]

Thanks for feedback Dave. Did Joe mention when phones may be running again or how to contact him...
Good luck with your rebuild,
Cheers, Phil

[David Tilston]

Did I mention I live about 5 minutes from the factory?

I went and took pictures of 13-66.

[travelbug49]

Hi again Dave,
Restoration in progress of your latest trailer looks awesome.

I still cant get in touch with Joe so if you are by that way again could you get him to give us a phone - he has our Edmonton #
We just want to know if its still ok to drop in (next Tuesday) our 2008 outback for some additions and if the awnings have turned up yet.

Cheers, Phil

[David Tilston]

Phil, I am sure the phone at Trillium / Outback will be operational shortly.

[travelbug49]

Thanks for your reply David.

[David Tilston]

Originally Posted by travelbug49

Hi again Dave,
Restoration in progress of your latest trailer looks awesome.

Dude, I have done nothing, trailer wise, this season. I have been busy with other stuff. I will be heading out to Ontario to to retrieve the trailer we use, 45-1101043. I have been studying the service manual for the van in this story: http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...ver-60777.html . Specifically the parts about the ignition system. I am also heading to the wedding of my nice in Chilliwack. I think I will stop in at the Escape factory while I am there.

[Roger C H]

Dave,
Did you notice that Trillium is no more?

They are now Side Kick

They are made in Alabama, not Winnepeg.

trilliumrv.com

[David Tilston]

I have seen the side kick trailers in advertisements. But it feels like Tom Young is still keeping Trillium alive as well. I could be wrong.

[TraillerSquirrel]

Hey David Did Joe tell you when the phone will be up and running! We talk to Joe last week about bringing our trailer in for a few touchups and been trying to get a hold of him today (monday June 23rd and we cant get a hold of them! We wanted to bring it by tonight!

[TraillerSquirrel]

Did u get a hold of Joe yet?

[MSHYYC]

Hey Roger,

Originally Posted by Roger C H

Dave,
Did you notice that Trillium is no more?

I noticed in another discussion yes, but the business of concern here is not Trillium RV of Arizona, US, but rather "Outback Lightweights" of Alberta, Canada.

Originally Posted by Roger C H

They are now Side Kick

They are made in Alabama, not Winnepeg.

trilliumrv.com

Interestingly the "Factory" is shown as in Alabama, but the "Head Office" is in Winnipeg. The company that has taken over Trillium RV is Winnipeg-based "Great West Vans", and the new management has consolidated manufacturing operations in Alabama.

The "Classic" Trillium comapny started in Ontario (The Trillium flower is the official provincial flower of Ontario-- see Critics stomp on new trillium logo - Toronto - CBC News which shows the old and new versions). That company also had operations or partners in Alberta and Manitoba until they became a casualty of severe recession in late 70s/early 80s.

The manufacturing assets ended up in the hands of two different operations. I think Joe in Calgary launched first bu I am not positive (he had been in business servicing Trilliums for some time before that as well if I recall). An ex employee/associate of "classic" Trillium in Winnipeg set up shop as well, but in the US (California, then Arizona I think). There has been dispute over the use of the Trillium name and logo over the years since then (and maybe the Ontario government took exception as well?), even though I think the two operations have actually cooperated at times in the past (bodies were sometimes cast in Calgary, then shipped to the US to be fixed to chassis and assembled/finished).

Curiously the only difference in the fibreglass components is that Joe had to fill in the Trillium logo on his molds as a result of the legal ruling on use of th logo, otherwise the fibreglass parts are completely interchangeable.

To differentiate, the Calgary operation, and the product is called "Outback". "Trillium RV" is the now defunct US operation. "Great West/Sterling" are the new company owning the US trailer operation.

Perhaps it would help to think of Trillium as no longer being a brand, but rather a particular type of fibreglass RV, since there are two different brands/makes: the "Outback Trillium" made in Canada and the "Sidekick Trillium" made in USA.

[TraillerSquirrel]

Wow still cant get a hold of him! Might go and stop by tomorrow to drop the trailer off for him! Wish i can call and let him know!

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by MSHYYC

The manufacturing assets ended up in the hands of two different operations. I think Joe in Calgary launched first bu I am not positive (he had been in business servicing Trilliums for some time before that as well if I recall). An ex employee/associate of "classic" Trillium in Winnipeg set up shop as well, but in the US (California, then Arizona I think). There has been dispute over the use of the Trillium name and logo over the years since then (and maybe the Ontario government took exception as well?), even though I think the two operations have actually cooperated at times in the past (bodies were sometimes cast in Calgary, then shipped to the US to be fixed to chassis and assembled/finished).

the "Outback Trillium" made in Canada and the "Sidekick Trillium" made in USA.

The two parts were actually working/building the trailers together for a number of years as Team Trillium here in Canada before they parted ways with one heading to the US & taking the use of the name trillium with him but not much else.

The Sidekick as it is/was called the first year of production (and still the name Trillium does not appear anywhere on it) has been entirely made in Canada for almost two years now but the company Great West Vans will be moving to the US later this summer. Prior to that the USA Trillium folks also had a Escape trailers here in Canada building them for a year or so before they started farming out the production of them to other US trailer manufactures.

[TraillerSquirrel]

The phones lines are still down!

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by TraillerSquirrel

The phones lines are still down!

Do they have email that works?

[TraillerSquirrel]

Try to email and nothing?? I want to know if we can take our trailer in to get it fix! We just bought it and used it once last week and we called last week and they said to bring it in so i wanted to call them to make sure its ok! But i cant get them and i don't want to drive the trailer down there just in case they are not there anymore!