Airstream production temporarily halted

[Nuvite-F]

Originally Posted by overlander63

I've changed the title to something a little less ominous...

Thanks!

[osolow]

what about the employees? there probably going to be stuck on unemployment.
your going to tell me that the plaint in JC is in perfect shape and needs No maintenance what's so ever? or cleaning?
instead of keeping 1/2 to 3/4 of there employees busy buy putting a broom or a wrench in there hand the company would rather let there employees draw unemployment.

[Diesel1]

They most likely will do maintanence,just not with a full crew. lots of company's do a yearly shut down.

[richinny]

i would hope that companies in this situation would use the slowdown to improve quality control. a better product is the best way to increase long term sales.

[85MH325]

Originally Posted by Gen Disarray

So I did it?

Yes, Rodney. Although Terry has sounded the general cautionary note against political finger-pointing in this thread, I have come to believe that the blame lies entirely with you.



Rog

[xonvldz]

not surprised,but the last time i was out at jc they were producing alot of units for overseas deliveries.i suspect that the dealers are having a hard time getting funding sources for customers to buy since the credit markets started to freeze up.alot of lenders in this market are not buying anyone with less than a 700 credit score.i asked my ad about this and he said that most airstream buyers usually put down a decent downpayment and have pretty good credit.i suspect until this election is over and the markets start to settle down,peoples confidence will not be regained with this economy.i dont see how high taxes is the answer.we need to put people back to work in this country and make these politicians accountable.integrity throughout the entire system in the public and private sector has totally disintegrated.i just dont understand while smart hardworking americans arent more furious about this whole mess.

[dufferin]

Originally Posted by Airhog1

It is just the production part of the plant that is shutting down for a few weeks...customer service, parts, service, etc. will remain open.

G

they shut down the quality control a while ago...

[flyfisher]

Originally Posted by dufferin

they shut down the quality control a while ago...

A looooooooooooong while ago.

[ZoominC6]

For the first time in history, GM will shut down production of the Corvette for two weeks in the near future. A sign of the times.

[jglabrown]

There could also be a little "supply-and-demand" economics involved here: as the credit markets stabilize, demand should also return and with supply interrupted, prices will probably stay up. This might explain why we're having trouble finding a "deal" on a new (or newish) 23' Intl. No one really seems to want to come down much in price.

[TUDO BEM]

I was at a Colorado Springs Dealer today when a 18 wheel Driver with two new 25' Airstreams on his rig pulled in. He lives near the factory and delivers new Airstreams to Dealers around the country. He had just left the factory 2 days ago and he said that the New Manufacture will be shut down for 1 week each month for the next several months.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by TUDO BEM

We are fine, great having you with us.

[RedSHED]

For giggles, go to your favorite financial site and look up Thor, Fleetwood, Coachmen, and Winnebago. Thor's actually in a very good position comparatively, and when Fleetwood, (which was trading at something like twenty five cents per share) and one or two others get shook out, Thor ought to be in a good position to take advantage of increased share of a somewhat smaller market.

They seem to be doing the right sorts of things. For instance, their CEO's compensation is considerably less than that of many of his peers. This is significant, as even though they were profitable in the most recent quarter, the bonus fairy took a bye.

I don't know about all of their competitors, but if they pulled a profit in the 3 months ending 31 July, they're doing something right.

I know of a company that had a bad spell about 6-8 years ago, and went through many of the things GM appears to be trying now. Layoffs, renegotiating with the union, streamlining product, and a fundamental change in the business model. It worked for them, in no small part because the union wasn't particularly strong. Had it been the UAW, I've no doubt the company would have folded. Not making a statement about the UAW in particular, or unions in general, but Honda built a plant in Indiana and had 10x the number of applicants as positions, starting at around $10/hr. That's the competition for GM, Ford, and that Home Depot guy running a car office (Nardelli). I think Mullaly and Wagoner realize this, but cannot do much about it. I only hope the labor representatives accept it before it's too late.
(sorry for the rant)
Personally, I half expect one of the big three to go chapter whatsit and leverage the snot out of their labor agreements. If it works, the other two are going to get a similar deal. If it doesn't a second of the big three files bankruptcy and tries it too. There isn't much bluffing this time around.


Keep your fingers crossed; it's going to be close.

And if gas prices stay low (paid $2.03 today) next year... that will likely kill one of them.

[huskyfan]

we brought our airstream in for service today and were told the factory has shut down until January

[lynn]

Production is scheduled to start up on December 1st.Things can always change it is not January at this time.

[Frank's Trailer Works]

Just curious... why is this such a catastrophe? Factories do this sort of thing all the time. It is kind of the life of a blue collar worker to feast or famine. I experience this sort of thing all the time as a carpenter. Work gets slow, take a day or two off. Work picks up, and there are not enough hours in the day. Some out there drive a desk and forget that this is the way it is for the working men and women all across the USA. Most salary jobs are you are employed or you are not. With the blue collar people it is not always steady. Some trades actually look forward to being laid off, it is the unofficial paid vacation. In a previous life I was a construction foreman for a landscaping contractor. I looked forward to being laid off every January and February. That was my opportunity to go to Mexico for three or four weeks and not be cold.

Do some look at this as the end of Airstream? Would not winter be a slow RV sales time anyhow?

[mrchinup1]

This down turn is going to be much worse than any of us alive now have seen. I'm expecting 9% unemployment and over 10% won't shock me. Between the housing market, huge debt that americans are in, The banks actually want down payments, great credit history and a job to pay for whatever you buy. This mess gets real bad in another month or two, Dow 5000 is a real posibility before this is over. This gets much worse from here. Let the bail outs begin, starting soon. The housing market will crash for another 2 years at least, they can't stop it, it's still way over priced.

IMO, airstreams are way over priced, and the quality is pretty bad for what you pay. Now that fuel,steel,aluminum and every other commodity is half price compared to a few months ago, they should lower their prices too. But can they afford to with this down turn? I hope the company saved a bunch of the money they made, they will need it. JMO

[mrchinup1]

"I know of a company that had a bad spell about 6-8 years ago, and went through many of the things GM appears to be trying now. Layoffs, renegotiating with the union, streamlining product, and a fundamental change in the business model. It worked for them, in no small part because the union wasn't particularly strong.'

GM and Dodge have 625 thousand retired workers getting great pensions and healthcare, They will get bailed out but unless you do something about this, how is it possible they make a profit? Just watch our National Debt grow in 2009, who is going to pay this money back? We are in trouble this time, thanks to Greenspan, banks, and our lovely, highly educated, government employees.

[StreamNTyme]

We have now subsidized CEOs making great bonuses while the little people can barely survive.

My neighbor went to his bank (which was bailed out) to renegotiate his loan to a lower rate to prevent forclosure and they would not even talk to him.

So what are they doing with all the money we have given them? Feeding their fat faces, it seems. I do not understand why there were no regulation put on these bailouts. The banks should be required to disburse these funds through reasonable loans to the American people. This would be the beginning of revitalizing the economy. None of the funds should be for bonuses to the fat cats. They are already way over paid and do not deserve a "bonus".

[Larry in MO]

Originally Posted by mrchinup1

The banks actually want down payments, great credit history and a job to pay for whatever you buy.

You mean to tell me that financial institutions are now making sure people can afford to repay the loans for which they are applying? The dirty rat bas****s! Where will it end, indeed?