Livin Lite RV

Last updated
Livin Lite RV
Type Subsidiary
Industry recreation vehicles
Founded2003
Headquarters
Shipshewana, Indiana
,
USA
Key people
Scott Tuttle, Aram Koltookian, Dave Boggs
Owner Thor Industries
Website www.livinlite.com
Travel trailer made by Livin Lite. CampLite2.jpg
Travel trailer made by Livin Lite.

Livin Lite RV was an American manufacturer of recreation vehicles sold under the CampLite and QuickSilver brands. It was based in Shipshewana, Indiana. The company was most recently managed by KZ Inc., a subsidiary of Thor Industries. Livin Lite made truck campers, fold-down tent camping trailers, travel trailers, and toy haulers. They were known for their advanced lightweight aluminum construction techniques. [1] [2]

Contents

In February 2018, KZ told dealers that Livin Lite production would cease in the first half of 2018. [3]

History

The company was founded in 2003 in Wakarusa, Indiana by Scott Tuttle and acquired by Thor Industries in 2013. Tuttle's mission was to create lightweight all aluminum trailers with no wood that would last for decades--he called them "generational campers," because they were built so they could be passed down from one generation to the next. [4] Tuttle remained president until 2015. [5]

Tuttle years

The QuickSilver toy hauler was the primary product line in the early years. Livin Lite also built trailers to transport snowmobiles, para-planes, motorcycles, and racecars, along with mobile offices and toy haulers. Most of these were custom builds. In 2009, the first Livin Lite 10-foot travel trailer was produced under the CampLite name, featuring aluminum-laminated interior walls. [ citation needed ]

2011 brought about the first use of liquid propane appliances, including an electric water heater, furnace, and the replacement of the hand pump with an actual water tank and pump. The optional porta-potty was replaced with a cassette toilet.

Azdel, a composite made of a blend of polypropylene and fiberglass, became available shortly after CampLite’s introduction, and replaced the cold look of the interior aluminum sidewalls. The change from aluminum interior walls to Azdel was popular, allowing for a softer, warmer interior by offering wood-look cabinetry while staying away from wood products. Livin Lite started offering two different colors of wood-look Azdel, and were able to maintain aluminum-framed cabinetry construction.

In 2012, the CampLite travel trailer front profile was redesigned to be more aerodynamic. [6]

In 2013, they launched a fifth wheel trailer built with the same construction principles: aluminum chassis, aluminum frame, and no wood. Three lengths were offered: 26, 28, and, 32 foot.[ citation needed ]

Thor/KZ era

The Thor era began in the fall of 2013, but Tuttle stayed on until 2015. Thor's Crossroad's RV briefly managed Livin Lite, but Thor's KZ took over in early 2016. A few months after taking over the management of Livin Lite, KZ's senior managers stated their commitment to Livin Lite's all-aluminum roots in an interview with Rick Kessler of RV Business magazine. KZ president Aram Koltookian discussed the value proposition of Livin Lite's success in creating lightweight products. As an example of KZ's commitment, Koltookian highlighted how KZ General Manager Dave Boggs was able to re-source lighter materials removing 458 pounds from Livin Lite's 21-foot bunkhouse trailer. [7]

RV Pro magazine reported on February 14, 2018 that dealers were told by KZ that Livin Lite's entire product line was being discontinued.

Construction

The lightweight all aluminum frame, including the chassis, makes Livin Lite's towable products atypical in the RV industry. Even Airstream, with its aluminum shell and monocoque construction, utilizes a heavier steel chassis and builds its trailers on top of a wood floor. Floor rot and rusted frames are big problems in recreational vehicles, including Airstreams. [8] [9] Wood frames (walls and roof) are common in recreational vehicles and are no more durable than wood floors when they get wet. Livin Lite eliminated both the steel chassis, wood floors, wood frames, and wood finishes, creating a product designed so it won't rust or rot over time. Livin Lite cabinetry too is built on aluminum frames. Azdel is also used extensively in Livin Lite products, including as a wood substitute for cabinet finishes, in the walls, and on the roof.

Prior to 2015, CampLite and QuickSilver trailers had aluminum floors, walls, roofs, and exterior. Under Crossroads and KZ more fiberglass and composites were utilized instead of aluminum throughout. KZ has remained committed to the no wood and no steel vision of Livin Lite's founding years. [10] During the brief Crossroads RV period circa 2015, wood was introduced to some models, which alienated some of the customer base. In 2016 KZ said they were returning to the company's no wood vision, although they would give customers the choice of wood on some cabinetry--while the infrastructure of the trailer would remain true to Tuttle's vision. [11]

Related Research Articles

Camping Outdoor recreational activity

Camping is an outdoor activity involving overnight stays away from home in a shelter, such as a tent or a recreational vehicle. Typically participants leave developed areas to spend time outdoors in more natural ones in pursuit of activities providing them enjoyment. The night spent outdoors distinguishes camping from day-tripping, picnicking, and other similarly short-term recreational activities.

Campsite Place used for overnight stay in the outdoors

A campsite or camping pitch is a place used for overnight stay in an outdoor area. In UK English, a campsite is an area, usually divided into a number of pitches, where people can camp overnight using tents, camper vans or caravans; this UK English use of the word is synonymous with the US English expression campground. In American English, the term campsite generally means an area where an individual, family, group, or military unit can pitch a tent or park a camper; a campground may contain many campsites.

Recreational vehicle Type of vehicle

A recreational vehicle, often abbreviated as RV, is a motor vehicle or trailer which includes living quarters designed for accommodation. Types of RVs include motorhomes, campervans, caravans, fifth-wheel trailers, popup campers, and truck campers.

Caravan (towed trailer) type of vehicle

A caravan, travel trailer, camper or camper trailer is towed behind a road vehicle to provide a place to sleep which is more comfortable and protected than a tent. It provides the means for people to have their own home on a journey or a vacation, without relying on a motel or hotel, and enables them to stay in places where none is available. However, in some countries campers are restricted to designated sites for which fees are payable.

Forest River (company)

Forest River Inc. is an American manufacturer of recreational vehicles, cargo trailers, utility trailers, pontoon boats, and buses.

Campervan Type of vehicle

A campervan, sometimes referred to as a camper, caravanette, or motor caravan, is a self-propelled vehicle that provides both transport and sleeping accommodation. The term mainly describes vans that have been fitted out, often with a coachbuilt body for use as accommodation.

Motorhome type of vehicle

A motorhome is a type of self-propelled recreational vehicle (RV) which offers mobile living accommodation.

Camper shell

A camper shell is a small housing or rigid canopy used as a pickup truck or coupe utility accessory. The housing is usually made of fiberglass or aluminum, but sometimes wood or canvas, and is mounted atop the pickup truck's rear bed. It usually covers the entire bed of the pickup truck, and is large enough to be used for camping purposes, thus making the vehicle an RV. The top of the camper shell is usually even with or above the top of the truck cab. Even though use for camping may have been its initial purpose, it now seems most often to be used for utility and storage purposes - particularly the protection of cargo from the elements and theft.

Airstream Type of caravan

Airstream is an American brand of caravan which are easily recognized by the distinctive shape of their rounded and polished aluminum coachwork. This body shape dates back to the 1930s and is based on the Bowlus Road Chief, an earlier all-aluminum travel trailer designed and built by Hawley Bowlus, the same designer and engineer who also oversaw the construction of the Spirit of St. Louis.

Wallace Merle "Wally" Byam, (1896-1962) was one of the pioneer manufacturers of the travel trailer. He founded the company, Airstream Inc. From the 1930s until his death in 1962, Byam was a leader in developing both a romance and enthusiasm associated with the automobile and recreational vehicle culture, as well as product features as the United States became increasingly focused on highways and automobile travel.

Thor Industries

Thor Industries, Inc. is an American manufacturer of recreational vehicles (RVs). The company sells towable and motorized RVs through its subsidiaries brands including Airstream, Heartland RV, Jayco, Livin Lite RV, and others. The company's headquarters is in Elkhart, Indiana. It has manufacturing facilities in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Idaho, and Oregon.

Truck camper type of vehicle

In North America the term truck camper and its derived acronym TC, are generally used to refer to any recreational vehicle or RV that may be carried in the bed of a pickup truck. In North America, this RV type is sometimes known as a slide-in or cab-over.

Winnebago Industries, Inc., is an American manufacturer of motorhomes, a type of recreational vehicle (RV), in the United States. It is based in Forest City, Iowa. On June 4, 2018, the company expanded into motorboat manufacturing with the acquisition of Chris-Craft Corporation. Winnebago has also manufactured light-to-medium utility vehicles as well as other products. The company is named after Winnebago County, where it is located. The county is named after the Native American tribe who have historically lived in the area. During the 1970s and 1980s, Winnebago Industries depended on Native American history and traditions in naming their products, for example "Chieftain" and "Brave." They also used Native American iconography and patterns in their designs and period advertisements.

Jayco, Inc

Jayco, Inc., a subsidiary of Thor Industries, is an American manufacturer of recreation vehicles. The company manufactures fold-down camping trailers, conventional travel trailers, toy haulers, fifth-wheel travel trailers, and motorhomes. Jayco is based in Middlebury, Indiana, and about three-quarters of its 3,200-person workforce is from the Amish and Mennonite communities of Indiana.

Holiday Rambler

Holiday Rambler Corporation is an American corporation which primarily manufactures recreational vehicles. It was founded in 1953. In 1961, Holiday Rambler’s introduction of aluminum body framing ushered in a new era of lighter, stronger and more durable recreational vehicles (RVs). This aluminum frame (Alumaframe) became the standard for lighter and stronger RVs for 40 years. Holiday Rambler was also responsible for many firsts; built-in refrigerators, holding tanks and aerodynamic radiused corners. As Holiday Rambler moved into motorhomes, they were the first with tag axles and the kitchen slide-out revolutionized "interior engineering" in the field. Holiday Rambler was sold to Harley-Davidson in 1986 and later in 1996 to the Monaco Coach Corporation where its future, then under Navistar International Corp., was difficult in 2010 as it was for most motorhome manufacturers.

Popup camper type of vehicle

A pop-up camper is a type of towed recreational vehicle that can be collapsed for easy storage and transport. When set up, this type of trailer provides a large amount of interior space when compared to its size when collapsed. Its relatively affordable price makes it a popular choice for some RVers and its small size contributes to easier towing than many other types of RVs.

Heartland Recreational Vehicles

Heartland RVs is an American manufacturer of recreational vehicles located in Elkhart, Indiana. Founded by former Damon Corp. CEO Brian Brady in 2003, it was purchased and became a subsidiary of Thor Industries in 2010.

Sunline Coach Company

Sunline Coach Company was a manufacturer of recreational vehicles, truck bed caps, and household storage sheds from 1964 to November, 2006. Vehicles were primarily built at a production facility in Denver, Pennsylvania, or at a smaller location in Leola. The company built about 70,000 travel trailers, truck campers, fifth wheels, and motorhomes over their 42-year history.

The Bowlus Road Chief is an American luxury travel trailer with a front door, aerodynamic shape and polished aluminum body.

References

  1. ↑ Thor Industries (27 August 2013). "Thor Acquires Innovative RV Maker Livin' Lite". Thor Industries. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
  2. ↑ "Elkhart Open House – Part 1". The Small Trailer Enthusiast. 28 September 2017. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
  3. ↑ MacNeal, David (14 February 2018). "Thor to Cease Producing Livin' Lite Branded RVs in 2018". RV Business. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
  4. ↑ "Scott Tuttle Introducing 2011 CampLites" (YouTube video). Livin Lite. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
  5. ↑ Kessler, Rick (August 31, 2017). "Scott Tuttle Returning to RV Arena With inTech". RV Business. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
  6. ↑ "Dan Miller's brief company history". Livin Lite Forum. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
  7. ↑ Kessler, Rick (July 2016). "K-Z Comes Full Circle with Addition of Livin Lite to its Family of K-Z and Venture RV Towable Lines" (PDF). RV Business. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
  8. ↑ "Replacing Rotted Wood Flooring in a Travel Trailer: What You Need to Know" (Blog post). Eldrina Michel. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
  9. ↑ Cagney Nash, John. "How to Replace the Floor in an RV Travel Trailer". USA Today. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
  10. ↑ "Livin Lite 2017 Plant Tour". Livin Lite. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
  11. ↑ White, Gordon (30 August 2016). "Livin Lite 2017 Plant Tour". Truck Camper Magazine. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
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