Jayco: Difference between revisions
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[[File:Jayco fold-down travel trailer in tow.jpg|thumb|right|Jayco "pop-up" travel trailer]] |
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== Philosophy == |
== "Philosophy" == |
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Bontrager believed in and wished to convey to his employees the concepts of good work ethics, inspiration, and a ''family'' atmosphere.<ref> [http://www.haylettnorthcountry.com/pages/jaycorvs.htm Jayco, America's most livable RVs] </ref> With his wife they started an all-you-can-eat chicken dinner for their employees as an annual company family picnic. The picnic not only comes with plenty of food, but there is games for the children as well as a greased pig contest. The idea behind this is that it encourges production quotas.<ref name ="jaycobio"/> |
Bontrager believed in and wished to convey to his employees the concepts of good work ethics, inspiration, and a ''family'' atmosphere.<ref> [http://www.haylettnorthcountry.com/pages/jaycorvs.htm Jayco, America's most livable RVs] </ref> With his wife they started an all-you-can-eat chicken dinner for their employees as an annual company family picnic. The picnic not only comes with plenty of food, but there is games for the children as well as a greased pig contest. The idea behind this is that it encourges production quotas.<ref name ="jaycobio"/> |
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Revision as of 23:21, 9 June 2009
| File:Jayco logo.jpg | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | travel trailers |
| Headquarters | Middlebury, Indiana , USA |
| Website | http://www.jayco.com/ |
Lloyd Jay Bontrager 1967
Jayco, Inc. is a manufacturer of recreational vehicles. They make fold-down (aka "pop-up") travel trailers, "fifth-wheelers", truck campers and motorhomes.[1][2]
Corporate history
Jayco is based in Middlebury, Indiana. The company was founded in 1967 by inventor and entrepreneur Lloyd Jay Bontrager. The company name is from his middle name. Bontrager played a major role in the developement and innovations of several types of unique lifter systems for their travel trailers.[1] Bontrager invented a trailer fold-down system in 1967 and started the business of making travel trailers in two chicken houses and a barn.[2] In the first year of operations the company sold 132 trailers and had 15 employees at the end of 1968.[1] Because of the large demand for the unique product of the camper they moved out of Bontrager's farm buildings in 1969 to a new factory site nearby. The company immediately became quite successful and in 1970 built another plant in Harper, Kansas. In 1970 the company built some 2,000 fold-down travel trailers and sold them throughout the United States and Canada. In 1971 they produced about 3,500 camper trailers.[1]
Jayco introduced the first fold-down camper with full size countertops, known as the JayKing. Another model that was unique in design was the Sportster, designed to fit on a pick-up truck bed. The company also introduced the first fold-down camper with dual axles.[1] Their JayWren brand was innovative because it was small enought to fit in a standard garage - however was not a fold-down model. Jayco also makes fishing boats under the brand name of Pioneer Boat Company. They even have a model that has a Bike Port deck that holds six bikes.[3]
Jayco employment is mostly Amish and Mennonite with a ratio of 70 to 30 for every 100 employees.[1][2] Jayco is the largest privately held manufacturer of recreational vehicles in the United States.[4] Presently Jayco sells about 25,000 vehicles per year, including camping travel trailers, Class C motor homes and "toy haulers."[3] There are about 300 dealers that sell the Jayco products in the United States as well as International dealerships in Canada, Australia, and Europe.[3]
"Philosophy"
Bontrager believed in and wished to convey to his employees the concepts of good work ethics, inspiration, and a family atmosphere.[5] With his wife they started an all-you-can-eat chicken dinner for their employees as an annual company family picnic. The picnic not only comes with plenty of food, but there is games for the children as well as a greased pig contest. The idea behind this is that it encourges production quotas.[1]
Just before Bontrager was killed in a plane accident on Easter in 1985, he wrote his philosophy he hoped Jayco would follow.
Here at Jayco we try to provide a pleasant Christian atmosphere where we can all work together in harmony. We believe we are all God's children, and as such we deserve mutual respect, honor, and fair treatment. This is as true for our dealers and customers as it is for those of us who work in the offices or the manufacturing plants.[1]
The 57-year-old Al Yoder, Jr., served as president of the still privately held company after Bontrager's death. He was a partner from the beginnings of the company. Yoder immediately started an aggressive drive to improve quality of the products they produced. His philosophy was that all employees were to be informed of all the other phases of production even if they were not in those other departments.[1]
Building materials and techniques
Jayco camper trailers are made of tongue-and-groove plywood, insulated with fiberglass, and use Polyflex fabric. They have their own cabinet shops in the factory for cabinetry of the various models. At the factory they install all the custom-made upholstered chairs and couches. They also install the various appliances and water tanks needed. These operations can be seen at their free tour of their 500,000 square foot in factory at Middlebury, Indiana.[2]
International
Jayco was sold in Australia under a plant run by Charles Motely. This relationship started around 1972 and went into the 1990s. Jayco camper parts were sent to the Australian plant where they are assembled.[1]
Jayco parternered with a British based company in the late 1970s and produced a tent-camper called Conway Cottage Camper for the European market.[1]
Jayco campers are sold in Canada.[1]
Energy crisis
The company was hard hit in the energy crunch of the 1970s and several of their plants were closed temporarly, including their Kansas and Canadian plants.[1] In the late 1980s and early 1990s they also suffered another slowdown due to the high price of gasoline, however not as serious as that of the 1970s.[1] In spite of this they increased their plants and production output. They went from the fourth largest manufacturer of towable products to the second largest by 1995.[1] Their work force then was 1300 and has since increased to about 1500 employees. [2]
Unsuccessful campers
Jayco once built a fold-down style camper onto a pontoon boat called Camp-n-Cruise, however it was not successful. Jayco also produced a 4 wheel camper trailer that resembled a motorhome without a cab, however it also failed to sell. Jayco also produced for awhile a fold-down trailer camper version called the JayTiki, where the living area flipped out directly onto the ground. Customers were not interested in this concept.[1]
Jayco Travel Club
Jayco developed a special travel club called "Jayco Travel Club" that has yearly vacation plans. It has over 100 chapters in the United States and Canada for loyal Jayco customers.[3]
Factory tour
Jayco has a free factory tour year-round with extra tours during the summer months. This starts at the ""Griner House," an old restored farmhouse originally built in 1880. This is their Visitor Center where is available a 15-minute video on the company’s history and production methods they show. The factory tour takes about one and a half hours.[2]
Notes
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Jayco, Inc. company history
- ^ a b c d e f Jayco Factory Tour in Middlebury, IN
- ^ a b c d Jayco, Inc company bio in Cemeterians (automobile industry market researcher)
- ^ Axelrod, p. 30 Jayco is the largest privately held RV manufacturer in the country.
- ^ Jayco, America's most livable RVs
References
- Axelrod, Karen, Watch It Made in the U.S.A.: A Visitor's Guide to the Best Factory Tours and Company Museums, Avalon Travel Publishing, 2006, ISBN 1-5988000-0-0