Winnebago breathes life into Lane County RV Manufacturing Industry Buys Country Coach

KVAL NEWS REPORT RE WINNEBAGO PURCHASE OF COUNTRY COACH FACILITY

JUNCTION CITY, Ore. - Winnebago Industries plans to open a manufacturing plant in a former Country Coach facility in Junction City, the company and Lane County government announced Tuesday.
The company said it also plans to revive the Country Coach brand.
The company estimates employing 200 people, the county said.
Winnebago salaried wages will range from $45,000 to $125,000 plus a full benefits package.
Winnebago said the company plans to move production of select diesel products to the 200,000 square-foot facility. The company estimates the transition will be complete sometime in the second half of 2017.
"Winnebago is helping to breathe life into an industry that was largely lost during the Great Recession," said Commissioner Jay Bozievich. "Lane County has many skilled and talented workers in need of living-wage manufacturing jobs to sustain themselves and their families."
The Lane County commissioners also voted to use up to $100,000 of video lottery funds to assist with the cost of infrastructure improvements necessary to open the facility. Video lottery funds are distributed by the State of Oregon and must be earmarked for economic development activities.
Winnebago estimates an eventual total investment between $15 and $20 million, including land, buildings, necessary building modifications, production equipment and technology infrastructure, according to Lane County.
"We are pleased to be expanding our operations and look forward to the increased production and service presence this new facility will provide on the west coast," said Scott Degnan, Winnebago's Vice President of Sales and Product Management. "We would also like to express our thanks to Ron Lee, the former owner of the facilities, for providing us with this opportunity."
Country Coach, part of Junction City's past, is now part of Winnebago's future, Degnan said.
"As part of the facility purchase, Winnebago also acquired the intellectual property rights associated with Country Coach and we intend to revive that brand as part of the planned use of the new facility," he said.
Winnebago entered into an agreement on November 18, 2015, with the Lee Joint Trust to purchase property adjacent to the facility which was part of the Country Coach operation in the past.
"We have begun our due diligence evaluation of the property and hope to have that completed in the near future," said Scott Folkers, Winnebago's Vice President and General Counsel said. "We anticipate using this property to provide ongoing customer service to Country Coach owners, as well as providing service to Winnebago owners."  --source KVAL news

Winnebago Industries Buys Country Coach And Intellectual Property

Ron Lee announces sale of Country Coach and its intellectual property to Winnebago Industries

Ron Lee shares a personal note with Country Coach family

 As we enter this holiday season here at Country Coach, we also enter a season of change. As most of you know, I have spent most of my adult life growing, nurturing and eventually rescuing the Country Coach brand that I love. I am very proud of what Country Coach came to represent, but I am even more proud of work the core group I assembled after purchasing the intellectual property of Country Coach has accomplished. From the start my goals were to resurrect Country Coach in the spirit in which it was created - to produce the finest motor coaches available.   As you know, we have continued to work on the next generation of Country Coach product in the design and prototype stage and to transfer that work to reality of a product, actual production requires much more. To do that I needed to find the right resources to augment and grow what we have started. To that end, I have been working diligently for the past two years. Of the options I had to choose from I have made what I consider the very best choice for Country Coach for both service and production. I am pleased to announce that, effective today, I have sold the Country Coach Campus and intellectual property to Winnebago Industries. I have worked with Winnebago to ensure that Country Coach moves forward and work will begin in earnest to assemble the infrastructure that will lead to Country Coach production. Winnebago will also bring production of some of its current diesel motorhome offerings to Junction City. Please note that future Country Coach products will not be rebranded Winnebagos, but products specifically designed and built to the exacting performance, amenity and standard levels that have always defined Country Coach. Obviously this process will take time but everyone involved is committed to making Country Coach the premier motorcoach offering available.

I made this decision because I believe that Winnebago is the best fit for Country Coach and that their, culture, dedication to design and build quality closely mirrors the standards I have set. This transition includes a change for me also as I will step down from the day to day operations. But rest assured, I intend to be the leading Country Coach brand enthusiast so you can expect to see and hear from Cookie and I from time to time as we travel around the country in our 2016 Country Coach Allure.

As I write this, I am recalling designing the first Country Camper Class A, I used a lower front from a Winnebago Class A to mock it up, we have come full circle.  Until the next time we meet!!  Ron Lee

Below are excerpts from an article in the 12/1/15 Register Guard Eugene OR Newspaper

UPDATE TO STORY THAT FOLLOWS: Commissioners voted Tuesday to spend up to $100,000 of video lottery funds to help pay for the infrastructure improvements necessary to open the plant. Video lottery funds are distributed by state and must be targeted for economic development activities. Tuesday's action leaves just under $60,000 for other projects through next summer.

Lane County considers $100,000 incentive 

for proposed RV factory in Junction City

Sources say Winnebago Industries would open the factory, hiring 200 people

The Lane County Board of Commissioners will was considering Tuesday a $100,000 economic development grant to a motor home manufacturing company that hopes to open a factory in Junction City and hire 200 employees. At the company’s request, county officials on Monday didn’t disclose its name, the industry it’s in or the exact location it’s considering. But the company is Winnebago Industries, the iconic Iowa-based recreational vehicle manufacturer, according to two sources with knowledge of the proposal who requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the deal. A spokesman for Business Oregon, the state’s economic development department, confirmed that the company seeking the county incentive is a motor home manufacturer. A Winnebago spokesman didn’t return a call seeking comment Monday. The unnamed company plans initially to hire 200 employees at the plant, according to a memo to the county board from the county’s economic development manager, Glenda Poling. The average wage would be $16 to $20 an hour — or $33,280 to $41,600 a year — with a “full benefits package,” she wrote.

The proposed county money would be used to help pay for unspecified infrastructure costs needed for the facility, Poling wrote. The RV maker is planning to buy the Junction City property that formerly housed Country Coach’s manufacturing wing before that motor home company declared bankruptcy in 2009, multiple sources said Monday. The property is in the southeast corner of Junction City, off East First Avenue. Winnebago wais expected to formally announce the project at the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association’s national convention in Louisville, Ky., according to multiple sources. The Junction City move would be significant for Winnebago, whose manufacturing operations have always been heavily concentrated at a huge factory in Forest City, Iowa — the largest motor home plant in the world. Unlike many other RV makers, Winnebago manufactures most of its motor home parts itself. ..You may read more at

http://registerguard.com/rg/news/local/33799964-75/lane-county-considers-100000-incentive-for-mystery-manfacturing-company-in-junction-city.html.csp

Dealing with Motorhome Mildew or Mold

Dealing with Mildew and Mold in Your Coach

from an article by Debbie Hollembaek, DLH Design

We’ve all smelled it in our own RV’s, perhaps after storing them over a period of time or in a used RV, “that musty odor”.  What is that? Musty odors come from several things such as storing your RV, clothes left in the RV, cooking, drain pipes, sewer tanks, engine fumes, pets, mildew…. getting the picture?  Some of us experience the problem worse than others if you live in a damp muggy climate….Mildew or Mold.

Mildew or mold appears as black or bluish spots around wet areas like your shower, toilet and tile grout to name a few places it loves to start growing. If you see or suspect mold treat it immediately using the following method(s). 

Absorbent or porous materials, such as fuzzy ceiling liner, and carpet, may have to be thrown away if they become moldy. Do not paint or caulk moldy surfaces. Paint applied over moldy surfaces is likely to peel and the mold will grow back. If you have to remove a porous material that is bigger than 3x3 feet I recommend calling a professional. 

If you are removing a smaller area first make sure you are suited up for the job. An N-95 respirator found at local hardware stores will keep you from breathing in mold spores. Wear long rubber gloves and goggles for extra protection. First wet the area so when you begin to remove it mold spores won’t fly into the air. Create negative pressure in the room by placing a fan in front of an open window to ventilate any mold that may get air born. And one last thing, make sure your furnace and air conditioner is off. 

To clean moldy non-porous materials I prefer bleach or borax mixes. However you can investigate using vinegar, ammonia, hydrogen peroxide and tea tree oil on the web. 

For killing mold with bleach use a ratio of one cup of bleach per gallon of water. No rinse is required except for food prep areas. 

There are many advantages to using borax to kill mold. For starters, borax is a natural cleaning product and although it is toxic if you swallow it, borax does not emit chemicals. 

To kill mold using borax, create a borax-water solution using a ratio of 1 cup of borax per gallon of water.

Debbie Hollembaek   541-579-0910   dlhdesignrv@comcast.net   www.dlhdesigner.com

Motorhome Power Steering Troubleshooting

Power Steering Issues & Possible Causes

as printed in your Country Coach User's Guide 

The hydraulic system components used to assist in power steering consist of the hydraulic pump and connecting hoses. Hydraulic fluid provided by the pump is controlled by valves in the steering gear enabling left/right turns. The recirculating ball type steering gear provides ease of handling by transmitting forces from the worm shaft to the pitman arm shaft via ball bearings. Potential issues followed by possible causes follow.

Road Wander

Tire pressure incorrect or unequal left to right

Front end out of alignment

Components in steering linkage loose or worn

Wheel bearings improperly adjusted or worn

Steering gear mounting bolts loose on mount

No Recover

Tire pressure low

Front end alignment incorrect

Tight front axle king pins

Steering Column binding

Pump flow insufficient

Shimmy

Badly worn or unevenly worn tires

Improperly mounted tire or wheel

Wheel bearings improperly adjusted or worn

Components in steering linkage loose or worn

Wheels or brake drums out of balance

Front end alignment incorrect

Air in hydraulic system

Road wheel assembly run-out excessive

Over Steering

Front end components binding or loose

Steering column binding

U-joint wrong or non-lubricated

High Steering Effort in One Direction

Low tire pressure

Vehicle overloaded

Low hydraulic fluid level

Low pressure or flow from pump

Steering system components binding

Restriction in return line

Lost Motion at the Steering Wheel

Steering wheel loose in shaft

Steering gear loose on frame

Pitman arm loose on output shaft

Components in steering linkage loose or worn

Excessive Heat

Excessive pump flow (pump flow=3.0 to 5.0 gpm)

Vehicle overload

Undersized replacement hose or line

Restricted hose or line

Steering Effort Varies

Low pump flow

For more info, consult your Country Coach User’s Guide which came with every Motorhome built before 2010 by the former Country Coach, LLC.

Oregon Motorcoach Center Announces New General Manager & Pending Sale

Bob & Terry Lee, founders of Oregon Motorcoach Center, are pleased to welcome Matt Carr  as General Manager and to announce the pending sale of their Oregon-based service center. 

October 17, 2015, Eugene, OR --- Oregon Motorcoach Center (OMC), founded by Bob & Terry Lee along with daughter Brenda Lee and son-in-law Patrick Mason in March of 2008, is pleased to announce its appointment of Matt Carr as General Manager. Carr is responsible for oversight of the business and its day-to-day operations including service, repair, parts, and renovations on all makes and models, trailers to highline bus conversions, as well as marketing the company to motorcoach owners nationwide. “We are thrilled to have Matt join the Oregon Motorcoach Center family as General Manager,” said Terry Lee. “Matt is known by coach owners nationwide through his own successful business Carr Industries. He brings decades of highline motorcoach experience. In addition to his new position at Oregon Motorcoach Center, we are expecting in early 2016 to finalize the sale of Oregon Motorcoach Center to Matt & Elaina Carr.”

Matt Carr was plant manager in the former Country Coach Inc.'s cabinet shop in Junction City, Oregon. In that position he was instrumental in the build/design process of all cabinetry for every Country Coach floorplan and model built during his tenure with the former manufacturer of Country Coach brand luxury motorcoaches. After 23 years at Country Coach Inc., he launched Carr Industries (www.carr-industries.com) with his wife Elaina, specializing in hand crafted cabinetry, countertops, window treatments and other services for the RV industry and residential/commercial spaces. These services are still available as Oregon Motorcoach Center and Carr Industries remain two separate family operations now under one roof.

Carr noted, “Our growth is the culmination of what we do best. We have built a family of loyal customers through honesty, integrity, hard work and superior service. It is a pleasure to continue this family tradition at Oregon Motorcoach Center.”

Matt Carr and the entire OMC team look forward to your next visit to Oregon Motorcoach Center, located convenient to I-5 and adjacent to Eugene’s Mahlon Sweet Airport at 29417 Airport Road at Eugene OR 97402. Telephone: (800) 942-6860 or (541) 762-1505. Website: www.oregonmotorcoachcenter.com.

Premier RV of Oregon Specializes in PreOwned Highline Diesel Motorhomes

Preowned Country Coach and Other Brand Highline Diesel Motorcoaches Headquarters

Looking for luxury in your next home on wheels, without the New highline motorcoach price tag? Premier of Oregon is your one stop shopping destination for the finest preowned highline diesel coaches available for purchase. In fact, these Premier RV sales specialists offer the widest selection of Country Coach pre-owned motorcoaches in the nation along with a select few Monaco, Newell and other brand Highline diesel coaches.  All are personally selected by a sales staff which has decades of combined Highline motorcoach sales experience. Most coaches are ones that motorhome friends who have known Louie Courtemanche and Susan Graham for years have consigned.

A Premier offered preowned coach offers quality and more motorhome for your money. Each coach has been thoroughly tested and is ready for your adventures. Premier RV adheres to a comprehensive inspection, repair and cleaning protocol for every pre-owned motorhome on its premises prior to a client ever seeing it on the showroom floor. This includes of course the chassis, engine /drivetrain; electrical systems; heating & cooling; fuel & propane lines; brakes, exterior and interior house inspections.

Step inside any coach on the Premier RV Sales Division show floor and you’ll immediately be impressed. Interiors are immaculate. Mechanical devices all function correctly; there is beautiful cabinetry and woodwork; flooring is in excellent condition; appliances are in good working order. Tasteful décor accentuates the livability factor of each coach interior. Exteriors are clean and shining, tires are road ready, many coaches have new tires. Take your time browsing through  dozens of choices. Once you’ve chosen “ the one” for you take a test drive to finalize your decision—that's when the “ah-hah” moment comes. The drivability of a coach really helps settle your decision. Then if there is anything you want added to your coach or changed/attended to at the time of the purchase, it will be taken care of by the service division.

Delivery Day.  The service specialists will do a thorough walk through and show you the ins and outs of any systems you were unfamiliar with -- they will be available to help you during your learning curve.  Enjoy a couple nights stay on Premier RV site before heading out. Try things out and get a feel for the coach and its operating systems. Head out with your new to you coach confident that there is an expert team at Premier RV of Oregon backing you up each mile of your adventures should you have questions or need of their services.

Buying a pre-owned coach from Premier RV of Oregon is a rewarding experience. The Sales Division staff values the friendships and relationships forged with Premier clients. The Service Division is there to take care of your future maintenance and renovations or repairs down the road in years to come. And the Storage Division offers an indoor secured climate controlled solution when you’re not using the coach and want it tucked away safely.

Considering a Motorhome Puchase? Consider Premier RV of Oregon. They’ve earned their good reputation in the Highline industry.

Motorhome Suspension and Synthetic Transmission Fluid Tech Talk

Tech Talk: Motorhome Suspension and Synthetic Transmission Fluid

by JDRV Services, John Davis

Q: Did you know that most squeaks in your suspension are from dry and weathered rubber or neoprene bushings.

A: Neither did most of the places you get your vehicle lubed. We recommend using "ru-glyde" rubber lube. It can be found at most auto parts houses and local full service stations. Just apply it at every lube and away go your squeaks, thereby extending the life of components.

Q: Does synthetic transmission fluid really make a difference.

A: Yes, it does. We have been monitoring the effects of syntec fluids for quite some time now, and have found that transmissions can run as much as 50 degrees cooler under heavy loads and mountainous conditions. Most people we have spoke with have commented that they also experience smoother operation and increased pulling ranges. So, we have to believe that it is a higher initial investment but well worth it. On an Allison transmission the interval for oil and filter change is increased to every 25,000 miles, rather than 12000 miles. We have also had a lot of good feed back on synthetic engine and differential fluids. We recommend the change.

JDRV Services, Inc. www.jdrv1.com  Email: jdrv1@yahoo.com