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Old 07-03-2015, 07:53 AM   #41
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I've just sent chandler a text with a link to his thread inviting him to tell the story. So I guess we'll see.....
LOL Someone who has his secret phone number

Your next text to him should be with the suggestion that he at the very least update his website to reflect his new location IF he is still in fact in business.
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Old 07-03-2015, 08:15 AM   #42
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While it may or may not make any difference to some of the parties, a small RV company behaving in such an indifferent manner can also effect the interest shown in other FGRV start-ups, of which there are at least 4 this year alone, sending business that they might have gotten, to more established builders.


Good for the big (?) guys, bad for the small ones.



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Old 07-03-2015, 08:28 AM   #43
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I guess Sterling is also effectively out of business. So there goes the Trillium.

I scratch my head as to why anyone would have issues making RV's right now. They market is at peak and there is easy financing again. Everyone should be humming along and even having workers on overtime to pump them out.

They guys fooling around getting into production are going to be on the downward end of the curve by the time they ramp up if they don't get their act together.
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Old 07-03-2015, 09:10 AM   #44
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I guess Sterling is also effectively out of business. So there goes the Trillium.

Whats the Scoop on that story Ron?

Seems to me that every time someone takes the production of the Trillium out of its place of birth, Canada it goes sideways! Perhaps it just likes being in Canada more Either way the Trillium is not gone as one can still buy one (well except for the logo & Name) from Trilliumtrailers.com in Calgary.


Did Sterling own Great West Vans the manufacturer of the Trillium Sidekick or was it the other way around? Has Great West closed its doors (I know they relocated from Canada to the US not long ago) are is it Sterling RV that was their primary dealer? which company has closed their doors. Any links to information pertaining to the closer?
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Old 07-03-2015, 09:21 AM   #45
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Originally Posted by Ron Merritt View Post
I guess Sterling is also effectively out of business. So there goes the Trillium.

I scratch my head as to why anyone would have issues making RV's right now. They market is at peak and there is easy financing again. Everyone should be humming along and even having workers on overtime to pump them out.

They guys fooling around getting into production are going to be on the downward end of the curve by the time they ramp up if they don't get their act together.
I thought there used to be two Trilliums, a US one and the Canadian one. I saw that Sterling is keeping their website up to date with 2016 units although, when I went and read their FB page and the family responding about their business and anyone considering working with them should go to their FB page and read through it. You can just click on the link for FB on their website and don' have to sign up to read the comments.

Start-up costs can be pretty high and you have to have money to pay expenses until you start actually selling trailers. Loans aren't that easy to get for everyone. The economy is still shaky in many areas too.
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Old 07-03-2015, 09:45 AM   #46
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I thought there used to be two Trilliums, a US one and the Canadian one. .
Yes basically the same trailer with two different names due to a name copyright issue due to a split in partnership that took place a number of years ago now. Great West Vans was making it here in Canada for a couple of years branding it with the name Trillium Sidekick - the production of the trailers was moved to the US last year. In Canada the trailer is still made in Calgary with the name branding of the Outback (due to the ownership issue with name Trillium & its associated logo)- more info on them can be found at the website Trilliumtrailers.com
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Old 07-03-2015, 09:47 AM   #47
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Maybe...

In Newfoundland in 1929 tremors were felt as the result of an earthquake of magnitude 7.2 almost 200 miles off the coast. The tremors lasted for 5 minutes but ceased without local damage.

No one there had ever experienced an earthquake, earthquakes are extremely rare in Newfoundland. They returned to their daily lives.

Of course in 1929 most Newfoundlander's were fishermans or worked in related businesses, there homes were built near the sea, vehicles were rare as were connecting roads. The ocean began to recede they could see the sea floor like never before. In one town a visiting seafarer screamed run for high ground having experienced this precursor to a tsunami.

Everyone along the Burin coast was not so lucky. Twenty five people died. Some of the inlets on Burin's west coast are long and taper as they go inland. Some of the inlets saw 100 foot waves moving at 30 miles and hour.

We visited one of the inlets in La Manche Provincial Park. The people used a small suspension bridge to cross the end of the inlet to the next community. We visited that state park and hiked out to the 'wave swept away community'. The rebuilt bridge sits at least 50 feet above the water. It was washed away with most of the homes in 1929.

Sometimes there are rumblings and no one pays attention. Sometimes some one warns and no one listens.

Just a story...
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Old 07-03-2015, 09:58 AM   #48
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You can read all about their drama on the Facebook page and the ClassBForums.com

I've been involved with a business that relocated from Canada to the US South. I think (and it's only my opinion here) that they thought it would be easy to come down there and build on the cheap. All us stupid hicks would be glad to have jobs that pay less than a living wage and they would have the run of the place. The one I was involved with found out differntly and went out of business. Luckily, I wasn't one of the dumb yokels that got screwed out of what was owed him.

What they find out is that we're not so stupid down South. There are alot of parties with their hands out and it costs a TON of money to set up a business and expertise in dealing with the locals without getting royally screwed.

You really must have deep pockets to relocate a business like this. Whether it's Alabama, or Mexico or China. It takes alot of know-how and a big investment and enough time to make it work.
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Old 07-03-2015, 10:02 AM   #49
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You can read all about their drama on the Facebook page and the ClassBForums.com


Thanks Ron, I have since discovered that Sterling was a Div. of Great West Vans both owned by the same party. If they have closed thats a shame as they were pretty well respected in the Van conversion sector in these parts prior to their move.
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Old 07-03-2015, 10:26 AM   #50
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Originally Posted by Bob Miller View Post
Without any of the mentioned "clues", a reasonable person would have to think that they have either:
a) Moved into a witness protection program
b) Were abducted by aliens who thought that they were building secret escape pods for earthlings.
c) Prefer to work in a secret location so as to not be interrupted by customers
d) Are hiding from creditors
or
e) They are out of business
To give Chandler the benefit of the doubt I will go with B until more information is available.
I see no evidence that "B" is any more likely than "A". I've got it! They are building trailers for the witness protection program. Each participant gets a new PL and tug to start their new life.

I do hope that maybe this is a chance to get things together for them. Maybe outsourcing the mold storage and shell fabrication was the right move and they will make it as a niche builder for now. Sure seems like with the bugs maybe finally worked out of the design that with some financing a real businessperson could come in and PL would be a going, growing concern.
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Old 07-03-2015, 10:35 AM   #51
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Yep, they have a good product, now all they need is: A) A real business person, b) A lot of cash and, C) A viable business plan.



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Old 07-03-2015, 01:56 PM   #52
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Originally Posted by Carol H View Post
LOL Someone who has his secret phone number

Your next text to him should be with the suggestion that he at the very least update his website to reflect his new location IF he is still in fact in business.
Ahh well Carol.... I'm not sure his number is a secret, but I do have it. He delivered my PL to my home and needed directions. I've spoken to him via cell several times since I purchased my PL.
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Old 07-03-2015, 03:56 PM   #53
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Bob...did you leave D) out on purpose...the most important one?

D) CUSTOMERS

May be too late....

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob Miller View Post
Yep, they have a good product, now all they need is: A) A real business person, b) A lot of cash and, C) A viable business plan.
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Old 07-03-2015, 04:18 PM   #54
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Roadie..... I can understand your concern and feel like you're being stomped on here a bit. It's not you but the owner that's the concern. AND, what we have concern about is, that someone else would purchase one without knowing what COULD be happening.

My suggestion to you would be, SINCE you say you have his number, would be to call and let him know what's going on rumor-wise. If he doesnt care, then he SHOULD go out of business if he hasnt already.

But IF he really exists and is building trailers, the public- including you- should be informed professionally. Otherwise, the rumor mill will continue and I for one will continue to discourage anyone from pursuing the purchase of a Parkliner (not that it would matter). I hope I dont/didnt offend with this post. I'm just trying to be realistic and hope you can see it from our point of view.

A quick story here..I had $200 down on a Hi-Lo 15'. The next morning, I was sick over it...called and canceled and yes, lost the $200. BUT, Hi-Lo went out of business the following year. I bought the Scamp.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Roadie1 View Post
Ahh well Carol.... I'm not sure his number is a secret, but I do have it. He delivered my PL to my home and needed directions. I've spoken to him via cell several times since I purchased my PL.
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Old 07-03-2015, 04:56 PM   #55
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I believe that this is the 2nd thread in as many months rehashing the same topic. In each thread the same things are being said by the same people. In one camp you have Parkliner owners who seem to love the design and believe it or not the quality of the product. In the other camp is everyone else who does not own one but have very strong opinions about the company.
The owners have reported on direct communications with the company yet it is apparently not believed or judged insufficient.
I wouldn't hold your breath for Chandler to respond to your demands. It's just not his way.
FYI
I am on a 4 day camping trip in Wisconsin and we have been getting about 2 couples a day stopping us or stoping by to ask questions about our trailer. I'm happy to oblige and they do ooh and aah. Once that's done I give them a rundown of recent events and wish them luck. They leave fully aware of the communication issues with Parkliner and also of how fairly I was treated and how happy I am.
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Old 07-03-2015, 05:08 PM   #56
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I'm not sure if Parkliner is dead or just wounded and it hardly matters unless someone has a deposit down on one. I wish them well. If running a small fiberglass trailer manufacturing company was easy, there would not be a long, long list of defunct brands on this site.

What strikes me about the newbie startups that we keep encountering here is how they spend all their time concentrating on the design. And I have to admit, some of them are quite awesome. But like Darral pints out, the success of any business depends on having customers. And anybody who thinks that just having a great product is sufficient to guarantee business success is fooling themselves. How many restaurants with great food have you known that have gone out of business? Everybody I hike with absolutely loved golight clothing but the company just closed all their stores. Studebaker made very reliable cars. I could go on and on.

Marketing is important but even if that hurdle is solved, I believe that anyone getting into the FG trailer business had better plan on having enough funding to go two, three, maybe even four years before the income from sales will support the enterprise. Anything less, and there will be pictures in our gallery and not much else.
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Old 07-03-2015, 05:13 PM   #57
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If running a small fiberglass trailer manufacturing company was easy, there would not be a long, long list of defunct brands on this site.
Only a small handful of these are still in business
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Old 07-03-2015, 05:40 PM   #58
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob Miller View Post
Without any of the mentioned "clues", a reasonable person would have to think that they have either:
a) Moved into a witness protection program
b) Were abducted by aliens who thought that they were building secret escape pods for earthlings.
c) Prefer to work in a secret location so as to not be interrupted by customers
d) Are hiding from creditors
or
e) They are out of business

To give Chandler the benefit of the doubt I will go with B until more information is available.

I am actually going with option F) Norm bought their molds and is currently working on bring his dream trailer design to life.
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Old 07-03-2015, 06:03 PM   #59
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Originally Posted by Darral T. View Post
Roadie..... I can understand your concern and feel like you're being stomped on here a bit. It's not you but the owner that's the concern. AND, what we have concern about is, that someone else would purchase one without knowing what COULD be happening.

My suggestion to you would be, SINCE you say you have his number, would be to call and let him know what's going on rumor-wise. If he doesnt care, then he SHOULD go out of business if he hasnt already.

But IF he really exists and is building trailers, the public- including you- should be informed professionally. Otherwise, the rumor mill will continue and I for one will continue to discourage anyone from pursuing the purchase of a Parkliner (not that it would matter). I hope I dont/didnt offend with this post. I'm just trying to be realistic and hope you can see it from our point of view.

A quick story here..I had $200 down on a Hi-Lo 15'. The next morning, I was sick over it...called and canceled and yes, lost the $200. BUT, Hi-Lo went out of business the following year. I bought the Scamp.
Darrel- I did. This was the text I sent Chandler:

Hello chandler, I hope your well. There is a Post in the FRV forum stating y'all are out of business. I sure hope not. Anyway here's the link. You may want to chime in and tell them the whole story if your going to continue to make PL's. Happy 4th!

http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f51/parkliner-is-out-of-business-70343.html
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Old 07-03-2015, 06:09 PM   #60
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Eggcamper is another very small operation. But it keeps on going.
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