Shorter delivery and production times are the target with Aluminum Trailer Company (ATC)’s new Limited series trailer line.
Spiking consumer demand and supply chain issues are impacting the entire RV industry, causing companies such as ATC to see delivery times stretch from a few weeks to nearly eight months.
However, the company’s VP of marketing, Kathy Adams, said its new pre-set hauler packages are getting units to dealers faster and boosting production by 30-40%.
“The biggest things are availability of product, the size of trailers and elements on the inside,” Adams said regarding Limited design considerations. “It varies by cargo trailer and car trailer, but we tried to build in the basics with the most popular ATC add-ons.”
ATC builds travel trailer and fifth wheel toy haulers under the Game Changer and Game Changer PRO Series brands.
ATC reached out to its dealers, gathered consumer feedback and analyzed historical data to help choose features for its Limited cargo hauler and two car haulers. The models give customers an option to order outfitted trailers with quicker delivery, compared to longer timeframes when ordering a customized ATC unit.
“[The Limited series] helped us increase our efficiency when going through the plant with a standard approach,” she said. “Most production lines were unique. With some standardization, we can run things in batches and increase capacity.”
While Limited trailers have pre-set features, several packages offer diversity within each of the line’s initial haulers. Adams touted expanding the line with additional units, including an anticipated Limited stacker trailer.
“Dealers are loving it right now, because we can get them product,” Adams said. “When you custom order something, it has to go through a whole other lengthy manufacturing process.”
Supply shortages and spiking inflation costs are shifting on a daily basis, she said. ATC started conversations to find a solution last November, with a new business model emerging around January this year. The company is stacking its order books with Limited pre-orders, and hundreds are rolling off production lines each week.
Adams said 500 units are already on dealer lots, and ATC is aiming for another 1,000 deliveries by mid-July. The manufacturer’s network includes 50-60 dealers throughout the U.S.
“We know that customers want great trailers that they can depend upon and trust to haul precious items, but they also want to take possession of great trailers for use this summer – not in months or even next year,” she said.
