Winnebago Factory Tour

After leaving Newton, we traveled north to Forest City, Iowa, the home of Winnebago Industries.  Even though they consider us an S.O.B. (Some Other Brand), they still allow visitors traveling in motorhomes to park in their parking lot overnight and they have 50 AMP electric hookups!.

 

Inside the Visitor Center, was a museum  and history of the Winnebago product.  They had a 1967 Winnebago motorhome on display.

 

I wonder what this sticker price would be in today's dollars?

 

It was surprisingly neat and efficient and even had a bathroom and shower.

 

I think I could drive this RV!

 

Prior to our going on the tour the next morning, I drove into Forest City to the Post Office.

The factory tour started at 9 am and began with a movie that chronicled the history of Winnebago.  After the movie, we go on a bus that took us around the Winnebago Industry premises.  We were not allowed to take pictures during the tour (sorry!).  Winnebago manufactures almost all of their component parts on site (rather than contracting them out) and, of course, the motorhomes are completely American made.  Winnebago has over 2,000 employees and are looking for even more workers!

We toured the Stitchcraft building where all their upholsteries, bedding, pillows, and furniture cushions were made.  I was amazed at how old some of the sewing machines appeared that they were still using.  Good ol' Singer sewing machines.  There were also several CNC router-type machines that were used to cut the pieces of the materials.  These machines would cut 2 - 5 layers of fabric, leather, carpet and other materials with a computer determining the most efficient cuts for the materials.  Their newest machine would cut the materials with a hard backing (like what would be used for ceilings and walls) using extremely high water pressure.  Chuck said this was like the high water pressure machines used to cut granite.

We next went to the chassis assembly where the chassis were welded and the windshields were mounted for all the Winnebago motorized RV lines.  Different models of the Winnebago RVs (Class A-gas, Class A diesel pushers, Class C) went through on the same line and crews of around 6 people would be working on the unit along each step in the assembly process.

In the motorhome assembly building called Big Bertha, we could see the motorhome being assembled from the floors being laid all the way to the cabinets and appliances being installed.  There were several big tables where ceramic tile floors were being laid for the Class A diesel pushers.  These floors would be picked up by cables and laid on the motorhome chassis on the assembly line.  We were not able to see the walls being or the slides being installed.  The cabinets came over from the cabinetry building attached to a cable line through a enclosed bridge that connected the two buildings.  Every piece of woodwork, drawer, or trim, was attached almost "clothesline" style to this cable and you could see it slowly moving into and across the motorhome assembly building until it came to the area where it would be installed.

It was very interesting seeing how the Winnebago motorhomes are manufactured and watching how all those people and machines put all those many components, parts, and pieces together to make the Winnebago RV.