It's not all doom and gloom in the Rv industry. Some folks are making success out of disaster too.
While others in the industry are closing down and giving up, Goshen Indiana's Specialty Window Coverings, which makes window coverings for RVs, is digging its way out by making something totally different with millions of dollars worth of fabric they had in stock.
"Well, we lost a couple large customers and we sat around and tried to think of different ideas how to keep people working. "What can we do?" And one of the ideas was to make these bags," said Randy Ferrie, of Specialty Window Coverings.
Donna Gould, the company's sales manager said, "I had a carpet bag that a vendor had given me for a Christmas present and I had it on airplanes before and 'Where did you get that bag? I'd love to have that bag!' And so, it just started evolving from there."
With 200 employees laid off, some of the 30 employees left at Specialty Window Coverings started designing bags and making samples. They attach tags that say "Made in the USA" and "putting America back to work."
The company says they're selling great too. "They love the bags," said Woods. "The bags sell themselves when they see the quality of the product. But when they find out the plight of this company and the need, everybody knows we're the RV industry, they are just willing to help and get on board."
Meanwhile, the company has been able to hire back 6 former employees just to make the fast-selling bags, they report.
And they aren't a bad deal, either. The bags retail between $30 and $35. For more information, call 574.533.8641 or e-mail dibag.sales@decind.com.
At least the people haven't given up.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Known nationwide as a leading Lemon Law attorney, Ronald L. Burdge has represented literally thousands of consumers in "lemon" lawsuits and actively co-counsels and coaches other Consumer Law attorneys. From 2005 through 2018, attorney Ronald L. Burdge has been named as the only Lemon Law Ohio Super Lawyer by Law and Politics magazine and Thomson Reuters Corp., Professional Division. Burdge restricts his practice to Lemon Law and Consumer Law cases. The Ohio Super Lawyer results are published annually in the January issue of Cincinnati Magazine. Ronald L. Burdge was named Consumer Law Trial Lawyer of the Year 2004 by the National Association of Consumer Advocates, the nation's largest organization of consumer law private and government attorneys. "Your impact on the auto industry has been magnified many times over because of the trail you blazed for others," stated NACA's Executive Director, Will Ogburn. Burdge has represented thousands of consumers in Ohio, Kentucky and elsewhere since 1978 and is a frequent lecturer to national, state and local Bar Associations and Judicial organizations. Burdge is admitted to Ohio's state and federal courts, Kentucky's state courts, and Indiana's federal courts. Other court admissions are on a "pro hac" temporary, case by cases basis.