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Oliver celebrates a milestone with their walk in safe step tub manufacturing


Patriot

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That tub partnership kept a lot of great people employed during the downturn and trailer hiatus.

Great news on the continued successes.

 

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2008 Ram 1500 4 × 4

2008 Oliver Elite, Hull #12

Florida and Western North Carolina, or wherever the truck goes....

400 watts solar. DC compressor fridge. No inverter. 2 x 105 ah agm batteries .  Life is good.


        
 

 

 

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1 hour ago, rideandfly said:

We became interested in Oliver travel trailers during the time they paused production of Ollies, further learning about other products they produced.

One of the reasons we wanted an Ollie was because of their expertise with fiberglass.

Interesting. When did they pause production? 

2021 Dodge Ram 1500 

2021 Oliver Elite ll 

Hull #732 

Michigan 

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3 minutes ago, Katjo said:

Interesting. When did they pause production? 

Early 2009 thru mid 2013. 

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Steve, Tali and our dog Rocky plus our beloved Storm, Maggie, Lucy and Reacher (all waiting at the Rainbow Bridge)

2008 Legacy Elite I - Outlaw Oliver, Hull #026 | 2014 Legacy Elite II - Outlaw Oliver, Hull #050 | 2022 Silverado High Country 3500HD SRW Diesel 4x4 

 

             801469912_StatesVisitedTaliandSteve08-23-2021-I.jpg.26814499292ab76ee55b889b69ad3ef0.jpg1226003278_StatesVisitedTaliandSteve08-23-2021-H.jpg.dc46129cb4967a7fd2531b16699e9e45.jpg

 

 

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Tubs were the original Oliver family fiberglass business.  The trailer builds came after and were a VERY low volume business, more a “labor of love” as a side business (hobby?) to the main business of the fiberglass bathtub operation, rather than a full blown volume trailer manufacturer like Airstream. But that tub manufacturing gave Oliver a very strong knowledge base and manufacturing experience with fiberglass to do the trailers successfully (just look at the Airstream business disaster with their fiberglass Nest trailer).  Each early Oliver trailer was unique and customized based on customer input (shout out to Steve L.) with a lot of experimentation on different options (different color hulls, bed storage risers and nightstand safe are a few examples) and even some different layouts (there is at least one early Oliver with a basement access door on BOTH sides of the trailer with full width basement storage).  It took Oliver over 10 years to reach the first 500 hulls built.  When we took delivery in 2019 (Hull 461) they were still only building about one to two a week, and that’s how they built their reputation for providing very personal relationships with their customers.   The demand for Oliver trailers went way up as the RV camping craze boomed during the pandemic, to the point that Oliver had to adopt more of a true production line type of manufacturing, with reducing / eliminating some options, combining options into “packages”, no more customization, etc.  

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34 minutes ago, Mike and Carol said:

The RV industry as a whole slowed way down.

Which it's doing again now.

https://www.rvia.org/rv-roadsigns-quarterly-forecast#:~:text=2023 Spring RV Roadsigns Forecast&text=The new forecast projects 2023,493%2C300 wholesale shipments in 2022.

It's good that RVs are only a secondary product for Oliver Mfg. That helps them weather RV sales fluctuations like this when other RV manufacturers might close their doors permanently.

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Stephanie and Dudley from CT.  2022 LE2, Hull #1150: Eggcelsior.

Tow vehicle: 2016 GMC Sierra 6.0 gas dually 4x4.

Our Oliver journey: Steph and Dud B's RV Screed

Where we've been RVing since 1999:

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1 hour ago, Frank C said:

(there is at least one early Oliver with a basement access door on BOTH sides of the trailer with full width basement storage). 

I feel lucky to own one, though it does come at the expense of non ducted heating and reduced galley storage.

basement.jpg

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2010 Elite II, Hull #45.  2014 Toyota Sequoia Platinum 4WD 5.7 with tow package.

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1 hour ago, Frank C said:

Tubs were the original Oliver family fiberglass business.  The trailer builds came after and were a VERY low volume business, more a “labor of love” as a side business (hobby?) to the main business of the fiberglass bathtub operation, rather than a full blown volume trailer manufacturer like Airstream. But that tub manufacturing gave Oliver a very strong knowledge base and manufacturing experience with fiberglass to do the trailers successfully (just look at the Airstream business disaster with their fiberglass Nest trailer).  Each early Oliver trailer was unique and customized based on customer input (shout out to Steve L.) with a lot of experimentation on different options (different color hulls, bed storage risers and nightstand safe are a few examples) and even some different layouts (there is at least one early Oliver with a basement access door on BOTH sides of the trailer with full width basement storage).  It took Oliver over 10 years to reach the first 500 hulls built.  When we took delivery in 2019 (Hull 461) they were still only building about one to two a week, and that’s how they built their reputation for providing very personal relationships with their customers.   The demand for Oliver trailers went way up as the RV camping craze boomed during the pandemic, to the point that Oliver had to adopt more of a true production line type of manufacturing, with reducing / eliminating some options, combining options into “packages”, no more customization, etc.  

Thanks for the info, very interesting. 

2021 Dodge Ram 1500 

2021 Oliver Elite ll 

Hull #732 

Michigan 

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Another interesting note relative to the pause in Oliver Travel Trailer production - 

Not one Oliver employee was laid off during this period - they were simply transferred over to other areas of the company - another reason why there is so much to like about this Family.

Bill

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2023 Ford F150 Lariat 3.5EB FX4 Max Towing, Max Payload, 2016 Oliver Elite II - Hull #117 "Twist"

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When I met Jim Oliver on Christmas day in 2007, near my home, he spent two hours showing me a trailer while telling me about his family, the company, and its loyalty to their employees. I was not only sold on the Oliver Elite but on the entire culture at OTI and OTT.  At that time they not only matched employee's 401K donations, but if a young worker with a new and growing family was unable to contribute on their own, Oliver Travel Trailers still made a deposit on their behalf.  

Needless to say, I was sold the trailer, the Oliver family, and the Company. I committed to purchasing The Wonder Egg on Christmas day, 2007!  

The Wonder Egg still maintains its original beauty.  Here's how it looks now, fifteen years after bringing it home.

image.thumb.jpeg.0773e7f9c61c9fc514f6f8dd2f482651.jpeg

 

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Pete & "Bosker".    TV -  '18 F150 Super-cab Fx4; RV  - "The Wonder Egg";   '08 Elite, Hull Number 014.

 

Travel blog of 1st 10 years' wanderings - http://www.peteandthewonderegg.blogspot.com

 

visited-united-states-map (2).pngvisited-canadian-provinces-map.png

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4 minutes ago, bugeyedriver said:

The Wonder Egg still maintains its original beauty.  Here's how it looks now, fifteen years after bringing it home.

image.thumb.jpeg.0773e7f9c61c9fc514f6f8dd2f482651.jpeg

 

Pete, are you sure that’s the Wonder Egg?  Looks like a new trailer to me.  Hardly 15 years old.

JIm was a great guy.  I remember him taking a bunch of us Oliver owners to dinner one night while he camped with us at Quartzsite.  Humble and generous.  Mike

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Texas Hill Country | 2016 Elite II #135 | 2020 Ram 2500 6.7L

ALAZARCACOFLGAIDILKSKYLAMDMSMOMTNENVNMNYNCNDOHOKSCSDTNTXUTVAWVWYsm.jpgALAZARCACOCTDEFLGAIDILINIAKSKYLAMEMDMAMS

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This is what we have known, and loved, about the entire Oliver family. 

 

It's exceptional,  on today's world.

Sure, they've had growing pains, from time to time. 

Even during the downturn, someone helped.

A true family culture.

 

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2008 Ram 1500 4 × 4

2008 Oliver Elite, Hull #12

Florida and Western North Carolina, or wherever the truck goes....

400 watts solar. DC compressor fridge. No inverter. 2 x 105 ah agm batteries .  Life is good.


        
 

 

 

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6 hours ago, Mike and Carol said:

Pete, are you sure that’s the Wonder Egg?  Looks like a new trailer to me.  Hardly 15 years old.

JIm was a great guy.  I remember him taking a bunch of us Oliver owners to dinner one night while he camped with us at Quartzsite.  Humble and generous.  Mike

There were probably 8-10 couples that went with Jim and Evon to eat that night. After it was all done, he picked up the entire bill. We all told him that he didn't need to do that, and we were able to pay for our meals, to which he said, "If it weren't for all of you sitting here tonight, I wouldn't be able to pay for your meal." Jim was a true Southern gentleman and I sure do miss him.

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Steve, Tali and our dog Rocky plus our beloved Storm, Maggie, Lucy and Reacher (all waiting at the Rainbow Bridge)

2008 Legacy Elite I - Outlaw Oliver, Hull #026 | 2014 Legacy Elite II - Outlaw Oliver, Hull #050 | 2022 Silverado High Country 3500HD SRW Diesel 4x4 

 

             801469912_StatesVisitedTaliandSteve08-23-2021-I.jpg.26814499292ab76ee55b889b69ad3ef0.jpg1226003278_StatesVisitedTaliandSteve08-23-2021-H.jpg.dc46129cb4967a7fd2531b16699e9e45.jpg

 

 

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Wow.

 

Stories like that make me proud to be human, and soon, a fellow Oliver traveler. 

 

To those that work at Oliver - Take your time.  🧡 I can wait.  Do the job we all know you are capable of.

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2023 Legacy Elite II - Twin Bed - Hull #1423

TV - 2015 Silverado 2500 Duramax 4x4

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Well, I'm a bit ashamed to admit that I did not know, or at least remember, any of this, in regards to the multiple Oliver companies. I'm just now getting back into all of this great Oliver life style, so I guess I'm pulling my head out of my.... um, out from under a rock.  😉

Thanks for sharing this info!

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Chris
2016 Legacy Elite II  o--o  Hull #110 o--o  Wayfinder  o--o  Twin Bed  o--o  2020 RAM 1500 Limited 5.7L 
Augusta, Georgia

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