Marathon Plans To Increase Production
Thanks to strong sales in 2014, luxury bus converter Marathon Coach plans to increase production by 50 percent in 2015, with further growth expected in 2016, president and owner Steve Schoellhorn said.
The privately held company delivered approximately 50 new and preowned coaches in 2014. In addition, Marathon service centers in Texas, Oregon, and Florida have seen increased revenues in the wake of ongoing demand for coach remodels, service, and routine maintenance, according to company officials. Plans for 2015 call for hiring more than 50 people (mostly in the first quarter) and producing at least 18 new coaches. Marathon projects overall 2015 revenue to exceed $50 million.
For more information, visit www.marathoncoach.com or call (800) 234-9991.
Fleetwood Unveils New Floor Plan For Storm
Fleetwood RV has introduced the Storm 26P, the latest floor plan for this crossover motorhome model that is said to combine the size efficiency of a Type C with the amenities and living and storage space of a Type A.
The rear queen bed in the Storm 26P raises to the ceiling with the touch of a button, revealing a walk-in closet. Raising the bed creates storage space at the rear of the motorhome, where gear such as bicycles and lawn chairs can be stowed. Once owners arrive at a destination and unpack the storage area, the bed can be lowered for sleeping.
The Storm 26P also incorporates many aspects of Fleetwood RV’s F-21 Advantage approach to modern motorhome engineering, manufacturing, and materials. For information about F-21, visit www.fleetwoodrv.com/F-21; for information about the Storm 26P, visit www.fleetwoodrv.com or call (800) 322-8216.
Online Guide Features World Heritage Sites
Grand Canyon National Park, the Statue of Liberty, and Yellowstone National Park are among the 22 World Heritage Sites in the United States, all of which are highlighted in the National Park Service’s newest online travel itinerary.
The itinerary, at www.nps.gov/nr/travel/worldheritagesites, offers facts, maps, and interesting background about the sites. It is the 60th online guide in the Discover Our Shared Heritage Travel Itinerary Series, which supports historic preservation, promotes public awareness of history, and encourages people to visit historic places throughout the nation.
World Heritage Sites have been determined by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to have outstanding global value because of their exceptional cultural and national importance. Most such sites in the United States are administered by the National Park Service. Worldwide, 1,007 sites are listed.
Website Offers Savings On Attractions
Discount coupons to about 400 family and cultural attractions in 21 states can be downloaded and printed from www.couponsforfun.com.
Since it launched six years ago, the website has seen its number of visitors increase at least 21 percent a year. Participating attractions, which can be searched by theme or by state, include theme parks, museums, zoos, aquariums, historic homes, and outdoor adventures.
Forest River Plans To Expand In Michigan
Forest River Inc., based in Elkhart, Indiana, plans to spend $7 million over the next three years to build its first recreation vehicle production site in Michigan.
The expansion involves the construction of three buildings in the southwestern Michigan village of White Pigeon, approximately 20 miles north of Elkhart. It is expected to create nearly 400 new jobs, according to the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. The facilities will be built on what is now green space. Hiring is expected to begin in October.
Ron Kitchens is CEO of Southwest Michigan First, which helped bring the company to Michigan. He told MLive.com that Forest River chose the state for its expansion because of the pool of skilled labor. Forest River is expected to introduce some new product lines in White Pigeon, Mr. Kitchens said, but company managers had not yet indicated what those will be.
For information about Forest River, visit www.forestriverinc.com.
Lazydays Upgrades Tampa RV Resort
Numerous improvements have been made to the 300-site Lazydays RV Resort near Tampa, Florida. The resort is located at the 126-acre Lazydays RV dealership.
Resort amenities now include a resurfaced heated pool, renovated pool baths, and a deck with new outdoor furniture. The tennis court has been resurfaced, and two half basketball courts have been added. Other activity areas are devoted to horseshoes, bean bag toss, ladder toss, badminton, and pickleball.
In addition, a new children’s playground and park features state-of-the-art equipment and a gazebo. Also on-site are a dog park, an RV-themed restaurant, and the Lazydays RV Resort Business Center. A full-time concierge can assist with travel plans and discounted tickets to local attractions.
Each RV site has 50-amp utility hookups. Golf cart rentals and shuttle services are available. For more information, visit www.lazydays.com.
La Mesa RV Opens Fourth Florida Location
La Mesa RV Center has opened a dealership at 3945 Fiscal Court in West Palm Beach, Florida. It is La Mesa’s fourth location in Florida and its 12th in the United States.
The dealership sells new motorhomes from brands such as Fleetwood, Itasca by Winnebago, and Thor Motor Coach. It also sells certified preowned RVs from Fleetwood, Winnebago, Monaco, Tiffin, and more.
The company was founded in 1972 in La Mesa, California, a suburb of San Diego. For more information, visit www.lamesarv.com or call (888) 509-4199.
Jayco Introduces Type A Alante
Jayco Inc.’s newest motorhome is the gas-powered Type A Alante. It initially is available in four floor plans with a base price of $79,995 for the 31L and 31V models.
The Alante is built on the Ford F-53 chassis and has a gross vehicle weight rating of 18,000 pounds or 16,000 pounds, depending on floor plan. The motorhome is powered by a 6.8-liter Triton V-10 engine coupled to a five-speed automatic TorqShift transmission with overdrive and tow/haul mode.
Key features of the Alante include narrow A-pillars and a large windshield; a six-way powered driver seat; a one-piece front cap with LED lighting accents; a fiberglass roof; frameless windows; pass-through storage compartments with slam-latch baggage doors; a power awning; and an exterior TV.
The interior features Amish-crafted honey-glazed cherry wood cabinetry, a glass shower door, and high-intensity LED ceiling lights. Two décor options are offered.
Safety features include a third brake light; safety belts in every seat; and backup and side-view cameras and monitor.
The Alante is covered by Jayco’s two-year limited warranty. For more information, visit www.jayco.com or call (800) 785-2926 or (574) 825-5861.
Videos Explain Shade Measurement, Use, Repair
United Shade, an affiliate of Dicor Corporation, has introduced three online videos that show RV owners how to measure for shades, repair strings for pleated shades, and program motorized windshield shades.
One video explains how to use United Shade’s restring and repair kit for pleated shades. A second video shows how to measure for new shades, with attention to the procedures needed for both inside-mounted and outside-mounted configurations. A third video describes how to use the short-range and long-range programming modes for motorized windshield shades that are wired both to a dual-position switch and to the ignition switch; these shades automatically adjust to different positions depending on whether the ignition switch is on or off.
Mark Polk explains and demonstrates all the procedures. To view the videos, visit www.unitedshade.com and click on How-To Videos under the Resources category.