Can Newmar ever return to the quality of the Miller era?

[DavidL]

How does Newmar outsource paint? Does the assembled RV get driven down the street to a body shop for paint and then driven back? I understand cabinets...I correlate that to the auto industry having suppliers like LEAR build seats with just in time delivery. But paint? I don't get the logistics on that one. Or maybe the outsourcing is the labor (prep / tape / paint / buff / clean up) and the paint booth is onsite?

BTW, in the auto industry, there is more outsourcing today than ever before. And the quality is better than it has ever been. The key is the coordination / scheduling / excellent specifications and holding the supplier accountable. It just takes years to learn how to do this well, and the IT systems to pull it all together. That takes much, much investment. Well beyond what a family operation could have done. That is what I think is possible with a multibrand like Winnebago to build it once, and use it with every brand.

Today, with some unusual warm weather, hopefully I get to paint my new Corvette. In working on this new toy, I am completely impressed with the order complexity and coordination of all suppliers that GM has accomplished. It is a model that Winnebago should learn from.

[Video] Alvin Foo on LinkedIn: This is how the Xiaomi Automobile Super Factory manufactures their EVs… | 338 comments

This is how the Xiaomi Automobile Super Factory manufactures their EVs, apparently producing one SU7 every 76 seconds! | 338 comments on LinkedIn

www.linkedin.com

That's an example of what a most modern auto plant looks like. Very little comparison (today) to an RV assembler.

I envision that the cabinet supplier will ultimately be a line of trees coming in one side, robots debarking, slicing, milling the wood components, another robot glueing / assembling, and another robot boxing, palleting and sliding the pallet into a semi for delivery to "Newmar" assembly plant. A family operation absolutely cannot build with better quality, and most importantly, the high value.

Then again, it probably won't even be trees....that's old school thinking...how many autos do you know are built from trees?

 

[Neal]

How does Newmar outsource paint? Does the assembled RV get driven down the street to a body shop for paint and then driven back? I understand cabinets...I correlate that to the auto industry having suppliers like LEAR build seats with just in time delivery. But paint? I don't get the logistics on that one. Or maybe the outsourcing is the labor (prep / tape / paint / buff / clean up) and the paint booth is onsite?

I don't know where you got this, not from me, it is not outsourced. Woodwork is except for King Aire I'm told.

How cool would it be if Newmar offered wraps!

Cancel that, Cloud Hopper will be on my case for derailing again!

 

[Underboss]

How does Newmar outsource paint? Does the assembled RV get driven down the street to a body shop for paint and then driven back? I understand cabinets...I correlate that to the auto industry having suppliers like LEAR build seats with just in time delivery. But paint? I don't get the logistics on that one. Or maybe the outsourcing is the labor (prep / tape / paint / buff / clean up) and the paint booth is onsite?

BTW, in the auto industry, there is more outsourcing today than ever before. And the quality is better than it has ever been. The key is the coordination / scheduling / excellent specifications and holding the supplier accountable. It just takes years to learn how to do this well, and the IT systems to pull it all together. That takes much, much investment. Well beyond what a family operation could have done. That is what I think is possible with a multibrand like Winnebago to build it once, and use it with every brand.

Today, with some unusual warm weather, hopefully I get to paint my new Corvette. In working on this new toy, I am completely impressed with the order complexity and coordination of all suppliers that GM has accomplished. It is a model that Winnebago should learn from.

[Video] Alvin Foo on LinkedIn: This is how the Xiaomi Automobile Super Factory manufactures their EVs… | 338 comments

This is how the Xiaomi Automobile Super Factory manufactures their EVs, apparently producing one SU7 every 76 seconds! | 338 comments on LinkedIn

www.linkedin.com

That's an example of what a most modern auto plant looks like. Very little comparison (today) to an RV assembler.

I envision that the cabinet supplier will ultimately be a line of trees coming in one side, robots debarking, slicing, milling the wood components, another robot glueing / assembling, and another robot boxing, palleting and sliding the pallet into a semi for delivery to "Newmar" assembly plant. A family operation absolutely cannot build with better quality, and most importantly, the high value.

Then again, it probably won't even be trees....that's old school thinking...how many autos do you know are built from trees?

Newmar builds cabinets, makes the wire looms, and paints all in house

 

[DavidL]

I haven't been on RV Forums for a bit but read what I thought was cabinet and paint being outsourced. Maybe reading too fast (as usual). But don't be surprised if this happens....
BTW, when rebuilding my Newmar, and ordering cabinet doors, they didn't get built by Newmar. They got built by a supplier. And that was about 5 years ago (pre-Winnebago). So, at least the replacement cabinet supply was moved out of house.

The reason you won't (today) see wraps is the material isn't UV strong enough to last in the sun. Hopefully next week I get to wrap parts of my Corvette It's also too labor intensive to apply. I envision you will see dipped parts down the road (dipped by the supplier of the part).

 

[Neal]

I guess in the end it doesn't matter if people are praising it. Sadly of late they are not (the woodwork). Whoever can do the best job, do it.

 

[Underboss]

I haven't been on RV Forums for a bit but read what I thought was cabinet and paint being outsourced. Maybe reading too fast (as usual). But don't be surprised if this happens....
BTW, when rebuilding my Newmar, and ordering cabinet doors, they didn't get built by Newmar. They got built by a supplier. And that was about 5 years ago (pre-Winnebago). So, at least the replacement cabinet supply was moved out of house.

The reason you won't (today) see wraps is the material isn't UV strong enough to last. Hopefully next week I get to wrap parts of my Corvette

I am not sure about the doors, did the tour but cannot remember. Maybe someone else who has actually been on a tour lately can answer. When I was building custom kitchens, we would build everything but order the doors to the size we needed.
Doors are time consuming and costly to manufacture. They can be problematic so I found it best to outsource. Better built, I did not need a shaper and the cost was about 50% of what a door would cost me in house.

 

[Underboss]

I guess in the end it doesn't matter if people are praising it. Sadly of late they are not (the woodwork). Whoever can do the best job, do it.

I have no idea where you get this from. The cabinet fit and finish are one of the best features of a Newmar. It seems that folks or maybe this forum is just a Newmar bashing place. Maybe time to rethink activity here.

 

[DavidL]

I am not sure about the doors, did the tour but cannot remember. Maybe someone else who has actually been on a tour lately can answer. When I was building custom kitchens, we would build everything but order the doors to the size we needed.
Doors are time consuming and costly to manufacture. They can be problematic so I found it best to outsource. Better built, I did not need a shaper and the cost was about 50% of what a door would cost me in house.

I don't know too many "custom" home builders that build kitchen cabinet boxes in house. Most all specify, order from a supplier (I got mine from "Plain and Fancy in Amish country PA"), and assemble on site. I too didn't have shapers (specifically the ones to match rest of cabinets that were undamaged or fixable) and the price to buy was WAY cheaper.

 

[Neal]

I don't know too many "custom" home builders that build kitchen cabinet boxes in house. Most all specify, order from a supplier (I got my from "Plain and Fancy in Amish country PA", and assemble on site. I too didn't have shapers (specifically the ones to match rest of cabinets that were undamaged or fixable) and the price to buy was WAY cheaper.

Agreed. I'm just saying this was once the big marketing point for Newmar, in their brochures, on website, etc. Was it not? Wasn't this the big thing about Newmar years ago and what most owners raved about? Maybe they still do, maybe I just heard from a few that had a bad experience and is not the majority. Again, unless people share the GOOD and BAD we don't know and we typically only hear the bad in anything these days. Remember to share the GOOD too peeps.

 

[Texas Clodhopper]

Cancel that, Cloud Hopper will be on my case for derailing again!

Hang on just a second, who the heck is Cloud Hopper? That is close to copyright infringement!