| Author | Message | ||
     Ratbuell |
For all you campers out there, Coleman folding campers (popups) pulled a Buell a week ago, and got their factory shuttered by their holding company. Note: no disrespect intended to Erik or any of the Elves by use of the phrase "pulled a Buell". Please, don't flame! Coleman had been in business for over 40 years, building some of the best damn popups in the industry. They weren't an "assembler" that bought parts elsewhere, but a true "manufacturer", stamping their own steel and aluminum, cutting their own cabinetry, and stitching their own tenting. But, folks would rather buy cheaper made campers for less money...so their holding company closed 'em down. Sound familiar? So, any Coleman owners out there...get your parts and accessories now while you still can! We all know how that goes...unfortunately. And if anyone is considering - or was considering - a Coleman camper...send me a PM. We have a ton in stock right now ( www.colemantrailers.com - we have at least one of any floorplan), and just like our Buells...they're still just as good as they were before, just without a warranty. To the moderators - if this is too much like an advertisement, please feel free to delete the paragraph above (even though selling trailers helps me keep my Buells, AND my house!). But I think its important to have something out there about another American manufacturing company being shut down. And to all those newly-unemployed folks in Somerset, PA - my thoughts go out to you and your families. Good luck, guys - you made the best, you'll have no problem finding new work. And hopefully you can "seed" the rest of the industry with some of your knowledge and experience! | ||
| Americanmadexb |
I wonder if Coleman will have a "fire sale" on pop ups??  | ||
| Ratbuell |
There is no "Coleman" anymore...but I can be PM'd  | ||
| 86129squids |
Hey there Joe- damn I hate to hear this. Gonna do some recon for ya, if I can help I will. Love to you & Kim. | ||
| Cityxslicker |
shaite ! is it just the campers or did the rest of their line fold too ? over half my get outta here stuff is coleman.... and admittedly most of my furniture. | ||
| Cityxslicker |
on seeding the industry, it is a shame that there talent and build didnt go to any of the katrina trailers. I really think they would have ended up being used, rather than parked in a field in arkansas. My sister has our old 75 pop up, uses it weekly in the summer. Great set up, sorry to them go. | ||
| Fordrox |
Joe, that site gets diverted to the coleman home and i cannot seem to locate anything to do with trailers. does your place have a website with inventory? | ||
| Fordrox |
after some digging i managed to find a working link. http://www.coleman.com/coleman/colemancom/category _main.asp?categoryid=64660 | ||
| Crackhead |
I believe Ratbuell works at beckleys rvs. http://www.beckleysrvs.com/rvs/coleman-campers-for -sale.aspx "Coleman" the camping gear company is still in business. The company that manufactured "Coleman" campers for Coleman is out of business. I am having a hard time tracking down all of the details behind Coleman popups, i know in the early 90s there was a licensing issue with Fleetwood and other weird tings going on. | ||
| Americanmadexb |
it is a shame that there talent and build didnt go to any of the katrina trailers. I really think they would have ended up being used, rather than parked in a field in arkansas. Living and having worked in the "RV Capitol of the World" those FEMA trailers where built by more then one company. Forrest River being one of the best in the industry, built a lot of those trailers. If Coleman would have built them they would have looked the same. The Government had a certain blueprint and wanted them CHEAP as possible, and thats what they built. | ||
| Crackhead |
I have seen those trailers, and seen what people have done to them. No one would buy or use them after the previous owners moved out. Cheep is defensively how they where constructed. I think they where designed to only be temporary and not last over 1 year. | ||
| Badlionsfan |
Who knew they were built in tiny Somerset, PA, a spec on the map in the Laurel Highlands. I drive by Somerset every night on the turnpike and had no idea that was going on there. I thought there was a federal law that all camping trailers had to be built in Indiana? | ||
| Ratbuell |
Coleman Camping Trailers used to be their own company. Then, they branched out into Coleman camping gear and equipment. Then, Fleetwood RV bought the ailing trailer franchise. Hence a run of Fleetwood popups that looked an AWFUL lot like Colemans...but due to licensing, they could not put "Coleman" on the sides. Then, an investment group bought both the production facility (they never moved from Somerset), AND the rights to the Coleman name, and restarted the Coleman production. They're the ones who closed the doors. Guess they, like HD re: Buell, couldn't figure out how to get it right. Fordrox - sorry about that, the website shutdown happened today. I did download the .pdf files of the '10 and '11 catalogs, though - they're at my workstation at work if anyone would like copies. Crackhead - yes, I do work there. I didn't post it that way initially because technically we aren't sponsors, and I didn't want to cross the admins. The numbers have started coming through from Accounting...there are some very good deals to be had. Wish I had money.... | ||
| Ocbueller |
I remember talking to a rep for Bigdog Motorcycles at a show. He told me the backing for Bigdog came from a member of the Coleman family. Wonder how that's doing in the current scheme of things. SteveH | ||
| 1313 |
I remember talking to a rep for Bigdog Motorcycles at a show. He told me the backing for Bigdog came from a member of the Coleman family. Sheldon Coleman sold off all of the Coleman lantern/recreational goods business(es) and started Big Dog Motorcycles. WAY separate entities, 1313 |
