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Featherlite Factory Tour,
Ahead of the Curve
  Acres
of trailers, you could run across the rooftops for miles and end up
in a corn field. Featherlite can pump out thousands of trailers a
year, from horse trailers, cargo trailers, car haulers, NASCAR race
trailers, specialty semi trailers, helicopter pads and portable
emergency rooms for events like Katrina. Featherlite was the first
aluminum specialty trailer born in 1973 when I was sophomore in high
school. It will surprise you just how dominate Featherlite is in big event trailers.
The
new transferrable warranty program also
showcases Featherlite’s commitment to the customer. Featherlite’s
eight-year limited warranty now stays with trailers when traded in
at a Featherlite dealer for a new Featherlite trailer.
  Traveled
North of John Deere to Cresco Iowa, in the middle of corn country to
see one of the most efficient trailer factories. Everything is
streamlined, coordinated and innovative with employees that have
stayed with the company for decades. Complex and professional
manufacturing, helps
with uniformity, trailers built by the same workers for 10-20 and
beyond years. Small town values with work ethic. Driving past the
corn fields, out of the small town of Cresco, you see world class
manufacturing that reminds me of Detroit and the big 3 auto makers
computer based efficient plants. I've toured many truck plants with their robot
welders and sophisticated assembly lines, Featherlite is the most
impressive trailer factory I've toured. Smooth flowing professional
production is the best way I can describe it.
http://www.fthr.com/
 Randy Lewis gave me the tour and history
lesson of Featherlite from it's creation in Oklahoma to the move to
Iowa and now Featherlite is a division of UTC. Being a valuable part
of a larger corporation, adds stability in tough economic times.
Featherlite’s
parent, Universal Trailer, is the largest trailer company in America
and offers Featherlite advantages other companies don’t have. While
many trailer companies have gone out of business, Featherlite has
increased its commitment to customers, offering them an exciting
launch of new trailer models, trailer enhancements and a new
generation of “lite-priced” trailers just in the last year.
Featherlite is the oldest aluminum trailer manufacturer in the
nation.
Trailer manufacturing starts at the
bottom. Featherlite is the smoothest blend joining axle sub-frame
and aluminum floor frame. This is engineering, every piece has a
purpose that connects like fine woodwork. Most trailer companies add
axle frames to the floor so they stand out separately. Featherlite
axle frames have the same floor I-beams inside and out
in a streamlined
axle trolley with aluminum stringers in the axle trolley below. Featherlite
started the trend in1985 with torsion axles, ahead of the
crowd. Better ride than leaf springs and safer.
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Acres of axles,
ready for the thousands of trailers |
Axle jig keeps them straight |
Steel axle sub-frame starts
on a trolley upside down just like truck manufacturing
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One of the few trailer
manufactures that blend the floor and axle sub-frame |
Takes a big machine to flip
over the floor. Better welds when you can move the work |
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Floor frame on rails, you can see the floor ribs that
channel urine out the rear |
Rolling to the next rail |
then the bulkhead squares up
the front |
It's fun to watch the
trailers evolve down the line |
Corrugated floor
with grooves for holding mats in place and channeling urine |
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| Wall jigs keeps the
uniformity going |
Walls fit like a puzzle to
the floor |
Car trailer on the rail |
Efficiently producing small
cargo trailers as well |
Grommets protect the wire
harness running thru the frame |
New
Model 9405: Compact 1 or 2-horse Featherlite trailer with flip-up
rear door and a ramp is just a good looking trailer. Futuristic look
with windows up front where they do the most good, wrap
around tail lights. A real looker that will get noticed on
the road.
Watching small aluminum trailers being
built as they go together is a piece of streamlined flowing
art.
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Unique Goosenecks, with
Industry Exclusive Robot Welder
It's fun to
watch, like a Star Wars movie. Lights flashing, sparks
flying, a robot arm that spins all around the gooseneck
frame. Welding the fitted metal in it's own jig platform,
it's fast and again, the theme is efficiency. For robots to
work, tight tolerances for proper fit are the norm with 1/100 of inch tolerance for robot to
weld the gooseneck. An accurate metal saw fits the gooseneck pieces.
CNC, plasma cutting machines make holes
with precession making easier to repair
when parts fit, big difference when you change lights, having a nice
smooth hole that fits as well as doors and windows.
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| Welding robot just like the
big boys in Detroit |
The steel frame is in a
close tolerance jig |
Welding sparks flying like a
Terminator movie |
Final product, identical
gooseneck frames |
and of course it fits the
trailer like a glove |
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| Neck platform on it's way to the bulkhead |
Neck gussets are engineered and welded right
to blend in with walls |
Big overhead cranes move the heavy stuff down the
multiple assembly lanes |
Framing extrusions |
Gates and windows roll to
assembly line |
Model 8415: 8 ft. wide combo
trailer perfect for hauling livestock or horses. Shown with new
brandywine color.
Your
trailer won't blend in with the common trailers at events.
Featherlite new wave siding can be
aluminum, painted or
polished. |
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| Gate posts, with CNC
precision cut holes.
Having everything fit the same makes future repairs
easier for the trailer dealer |
Heavy duty livestock tailgate, nice light cutout for
you, won't cut your finger on when you change lights |
Here is the corner LED
lights install, such a slick look. Five hinges on this
heavy duty livestock gate |
Beefy side door so you
don't ask "where's the beef" |
Still on rails, several rows of
trailers make their way through the massive plant |
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| Door and gate jigs keep
it uniform |
then doors come to the
line, keeping it behind the yellow line |
Parts are on lined up
for the assembly line |
Close up of how smooth
CNC cutting is |
Dividers ready between
lines |
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| Bumper pull trailers on a rail
staying level |
Aluminum floor grooves together |
Framing conventional trailer,
yellow lines again |
Stall divider latches |
Nose frames waiting by the
rail |
 Left: Model 8117: New
2010 Featherlite
livestock trailer with wood floor.
Right: Among Featherlite’s biggest innovations are the
new “Step-Safe” rear gates, featured in their livestock
trailers. Featherlite is offering this popular option for
their rear gates in addition to the center gates.
“Step-Safe” gates help prevent livestock slippage,
convenient for farmers and ranchers too. Rollup rear
gate on Model 8127 |
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Roof, You Know How
Important It Is |
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| The machine that attaches
the roof skin to the cove extrusion |
roof seam sealed with pierce
and roll, same technique used by aircraft manufacturers |
Roof is formed including
lights |
The roof ladies are fast,
they swing completed roof over a row to the trailer to be
fitted |
On goes the top with ease
several times a day |
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| The gooseneck machine lines
up the nose and roof |
It's skill sliding the wall
skin under the roof |
Roof drops into place |
Goes together like a puzzle
with reinforced rear gate corners sliding into the extruded
roof cove |
Nose sheets riveted |
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| Nicely fit walls and roof |
Reinforced corners |
Reinforced at the bulkhead neck
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Double walled |
New wave siding, all the bling bling |
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| The bulkhead gusset is
covered with wall sheet metal for a refined look |
Featherlite makes some big
horse trailers |
Triple rack and pinion
slides out go smooooth |
Plenty of room in the
managers |
Insulated, ventilated and
fans, ready for southern summers |
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load, one of the many specialty trailers Featherlite produces. A
comfortable configuration for your horse, allowing them to brace
with their hip instead of shoulder on sudden stops. This allows more
of the rear of the trailer to become a gigantic tack room.
Featherlite streamlined
engineering for thousands of uniform trailers a year. Unlimited
configurations and options. |
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Model 4926: Featherlite’s
trailers, including this car hauler, are available with up to 3
different colors. Featherlite’s newest colors include green, orange,
yellow and brandywine.
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Featherlite dealers, (200
across the US and Canada) have taken
delivery on almost all the trailers on the Featherlite corporate
lot; dealer inventory in locations all over the U.S. and Canada now
offers customers bigger and better selection in horse, car,
livestock and recreational trailers.
  
Featherlite knows how to ship
trailers across the country in a big way. |
Variety of trailer types give
Featherlite dealers more options that customers need. So many new options and features makes
the slogan "Ahead of the Curve" fit well, which is the theme of
having Featherlite trailers that fit you, your horses, your business
and your hobbies. What I don't hear much about in the trailer
business is parts and service. It's a big part of the auto business.
When you have a dealer network the size of Featherlite, parts and
service is important for healthy business and customer relations.
Featherlite also has a fleet of delivery trucks and trolley doubles
to keep their dealers supplied.
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| Featherlite has large
selection of auto and cargo trailers |
Trailers have their build
list on them |
Aluminum flatbeds of course |
Bull hauler straight deck |
Enclosed baby pig haulers |
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| Drop down people haulers,
seen these at The All American Quarter Horse Congress |
Special purpose trailers,
probably top secret |
Featherlite makes one of the
premiere open car trailers |
Rancher style, can't get
better aerodynamic nose |
An easier way to reach
inside |
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Featherlite
Specialty Trailers, in a Class of Their Own. Mobile ER to NASCAR
From USDA mobile labs, mobile x-ray for
port security, mobile medical and disaster support trailers to mobile stages
for music and theater. Featherlite is well known in NASCAR
racing circuit. Next time you are at public event, look at
the big trailers and see the Feather logo. |
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| Emergency Room on the go,
miles of wiring |
Now
that's a real slide out |
the slide out even has it's
own door |
Mobile stage |
Race car trailer with car
lift |
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| Massive car trailer, staircase to neck |
Starts with heavy duty axle trolley
bridge |
This one has to be the elephant bus |
Even a trailer to land helicopters |
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Model 1651: In addition to
trailers, Featherlite makes truck beds for pickups redesigned radius-style
pickup truck bed. The bed offers a “headache rack”,
stake pockets and a trap door to install a gooseneck or
fifth wheel connection. |
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Featherlite has
Innovative Manufacturing Systems and Machines.
Featherlite has pioneered innovative new manufacturing
techniques in the trailer industry. Not your
typical plant, parts come to the assembly line, all
tools have a specific place, welders are overhead.
Several lines of trailers come through the plants side
by side. Dedicated interiors building keeps the
specialty trailers rolling out. Designers and engineers
make the magic with art and science. This is reflected
in the awesome graphics and refined look of Featherlite
trailers. Look at the Medalist horse trailer to see
trailer beauty. The current build is 40% horse trailers, 25%
stock trailers, cargo, specialty and auto make up the balance.
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| Big trailer take big floor frames |
Custom counters for the
specialty trailers |
Woodworking shop |
Specialized metal works |
Everything in it's place, I
need to send my teenagers to work here |
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| Big sophisticated saws |
Shaping metal |
Sodium hydroxide acid wash and steam
cleaners make the trailers shine when they leave |
Featherlite is a green company, returning water
with a lower ph
level and acid |
Million gallons of water a month flows
through the plants, environmentally friendly and responsible |
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Featherlite Announces Aggressive Product
Launch Despite Tough Market
“At
Featherlite, we think the proper response to an
underperforming economy is to over-perform,” Randy
Lewis, Featherlite’s national sales manager, said. “We
wanted to outdo ourselves with both product innovation
and customer benefit.”
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  Ice fishing,
Featherlite
is aggressively targeting niche markets with their new
releases. North American residents above the Mason-Dixon
Line will love the “Freedom” trailer for ice fishermen.
This comfortable trailer boasts sofa and swing-down
beds, a kitchenette, bath and a flat screen TV. It also
has fresh water and electricity inputs, and a hydraulic
lift lets the trailer sit flush against the ice. Why get
bored waiting for the fish to bite? The Freedom
serves double duty in the summertime as a toy hauler,
perfect for ATVs, motorcycles or bicycles. It also makes a
wonderful trailer to take on extended camping or hunting
trips. |
 Another trailer well-suited to outdoor activities is the
1609 “Mod Pod,” especially with its new camper package.
The “Mod Pod” transforms from trailer to camper in
minutes and is tough enough to take off the beaten path.
This is a trailer for cyclists, hikers and other
explorers. |
 Featherlite Model 4926 with optional
living quarters is great for hauling all types of toys -
ATVs, motorcycles, dune buggies and more! |
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Featherlite has a
new hitch option from Quick Bite more at
http://www.mrtrailer.com/quickbite.htm
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WERM flooring eliminates the need for rubber mats, yet
still offers a padded ride for horses. All you need is a
garden hose, not the vice grips for tugging out the rubber
mats.
http://wermflooring.com/
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Featherlite is as close to auto manufacturing as you
can get. It's a lesson in engineering, efficiency and practical
design. Starting the aluminum trailer craze, Featherlite leading the
way as we see more companies switch to aluminum. It's nice to see
the vision become the trend.
Efficient manufacturing, no waste, built
more like trucks with strength, built to be light for easy pulling
and less fuel.
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Brought to you
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September 2009 |
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