Welcome to Airstream, my name is Justin Humphreys.
I'm VPs sales here at Airstream, and we've got a real treat for you today.
We're gonna show you how the iconic Airstream Travel Trailer is made, and it is a labor of
love. It's a handcrafted product that's endured 90
plus years Of being on America's roads.
For those of you that have visited our factory before, you'll notice it looks a lot different
and that's because it is, this is a brand new factory that we opened in 2020,
so many of you haven't had a chance to see it, but one thing you'll notice right away,
it is a lot bigger.
Our old factory was 230,000 square feet. This is 750,000 square feet,
which allowed us to do a lot of things. Not only can we build some more travel trailers,
but we also were able to bring in a lot of quality equipment that we weren't able to
before because now we have the floor space to do it,
whether it's CNC routers, lamination machines, stamping presses,
you name it, we've added it and it also gives us a platform that we can build on in
the future. 1980 when Thor Industries bought us, they consolidated everything into this facility
into this town. So every Airstream in the world today is built
here in Ohio. So we have a lot to share with you today from
not only the production line, but all the support lines that feed it, all the quality
systems that we do, and to help our associates make a good quality,
iconic Airstream travel trailer. So, um so get comfortable and let's go,
there's a lot to see. For more than 90 years, Airstream has been known for manufacturing
riveted aluminum travel trailers. Our iconic shell begins its life here in the riveting
platform where CNC routers pre drilled rivet holes and precisely cut openings for windows
and storage compartments and pre-treated sheets of aluminum.
Then teams of two set to work one inside and one outside fitting and bucking each rivet by
hand. By the end of this process, thousands of rivets
hold together a semi-monocoque body that's structurally sound and incredibly aerodynamic.
Nearby are stretch form department starts work on forming the airstream and caps,
stretching sheets of aluminum over curved dies. These machines apply 250 tons of pressure
per square inch as they stretch each sheet of aluminum to a perfectly curved shape.
Each end cap is made up of five sheets of this stretched aluminum,
which are then trimmed and marked and then sent over to the riveting platform for assembly. For
years. This process was housed in a separate facility
but with our new production facility, we were able to bring this department under the same
roof, making for a much more efficient process that leads to even more quality manufacturing.
after the individual pieces are finished in the stretch form department,
each of the five panels are assembled on a jig and held together initially with a few rivets
and some screws. Once all of the pieces are assembled,
the shell is riveted into its final form with Z bars, aluminum extrusions and other supports
that lend it strength. The shells then meet up with the walls and roof
sections on the top of a pre cut and pre drilled piece of water resistant recyclable
composite flooring.
The state of the art composite flooring provides much more strength and screw retention
than the normal plywood. That's standard throughout the industry,
it's a real game changer that was made possible in part by our move into this factory.
While the shell is being riveted together, our chassis department is hard at work installing
all of the components that rest below the floor level.
These ladder frame chassis is arrive pre built to specifications and come in upside down for
easy access to the underside, where the team installs holding tanks,
shock absorbers, stabilize jacks, tires, wheels and the spare tire.
Initial wiring plumbing and vent lines are installed as well as the Airstream step and
electric hitch jack, then the chassis has flipped right side up for the installation of
the aluminum and closed underbelly as well as flex, foil insulation and tank sensors.
Finally, a crane lifts the completed shell by the roof assembly and lowers it onto the
finished chassis. Team members bolt the shell to the chassis,
wrap the aluminum floor extrusions around the bottom edge and install the black plastic
banana guards that bring it all together. At this point it's starting to look like an
Airstream but there's a lot more work to do on the exterior
before the superstructure is complete are all aluminum doors are unlike any other travel
trailer door in the market. They shut like a bank vault and feature a
window and a welded handcrafted screen door that allows airflow while keeping the bugs out
and because of the curved nature of the airstream travel trailer shell,
the door also has the unique aspect of a curved shape, with so many components and so much
emphasis on the safety and security provided by these doors.
This is one of the most complex time consuming process is on the line.
The core manufacturing process of the door itself takes almost three hours with each team
member contributing to this complex process that involves riveting,
insulating, and equipping each door with a handle and locking mechanism. Like just about
everything in our process, our window frames are hand
built in-house. Extruded metal bars are bent shaped and cut to precise measurements.
Each window frame is painted with a clear coat to ensure a uniform look and long lasting
performance. Before we can install each window into a travel
trailer, we first install the hinges, locks, supports, screens,
and the tinted window glass. This department builds not only the window
frames but also the storage compartment frames and storage door assemblies as well. After the
shell and chassis are made it together, the travel trailers make their way up the line with
each station adding new pieces as we work to completely finish the exterior shell. Up above
our associates get to work on the roof components, installing roof vents,
skylights, air conditioners, and solar wiring. Inside the shell
we install the furnace and lay residential electrical wiring throughout each unit with 12
volt and 110-volt wires separated to reduce voltage bleed through. As we get closer
to water, check the final exterior components are installed like our Zip-Dee awnings,
stone guard, and front window guards and the rear bumper.
At this point in the process, the unit is completely enclosed and the aluminum
superstructure emerges. Before we send it down the line for insulation,
appliances and furniture, every airstream undergoes a high pressure water test Inside
our water check bays, wind and water blast each trailer for about 25-30 minutes while a team
member inside looks for leaks. On the rare occasion that we find a leak,
we send it back for repair and then test it again.
Some other brands let the customer be the first to test for water leaks.
We couldn't stand behind our product unless we did everything in our power to make sure it's
100% ready for it's first journey.
The big consequence of this method of production is that while other manufacturers
build their trailers from the inside out, at Airstream,
we build from the outside in. Nothing goes into an Airstream travel trailer until we are sure
we have a solid exterior.
Once the trailer has successfully passed its water check, insulation and the Airstream QuietStream
AC ducts are installed and work on the interior
shell begins. We hand cut each piece of insulation which
allows for less waste and more coverage. The interior shell is crafted using the same
.040 aluminum with a clear coat. as we use on the exterior shell.
It's pre-cut on a CNC routing machine that provides the precise cuts necessary for each
floor plan. On average, each Airstream uses 1200 square
feet of aluminum. Our travel trailer manufacturing plant follows
an L shape, and as the lines make the turn at the
bottom of that L we have one of the most important stations in the process.
The electrical lines have been laid throughout the shell,
the lights and fans have been wired, the inverter and electrical converters have been
installed, and now it's time to check that all the electrical systems are in working order
Before we begin installing appliances and furniture.
At the turn, we hook up each travel trailer to 30 or 50 amp electrical and test every outlet,
every light and fan and all the switches and breakers throughout the interior.
Once the Airstream passes this test, it makes the final turn toward the finish line. While
many other brands installed, pre built furniture and cabinetry at airstream,
we're proud of the hand built nature of our products.
While all that work is happening on the shell and inside the walls,
teams are assembling each individual piece of cabinetry, the wardrobe,
the bulkhead walls, dinettes, and furniture that will be installed in the final finish line.
Our wood shop is a hive of bustling activity. Sheets of wood are pre-cut with a CNC router
and then put through an edge banding machine that applies a soft guard along exposed edges.
Each piece is carefully sanded and assembled with pocket screws,
dowels, we make in-house, and glue. We never use staples. Throughout the RV industry,
the interior is built first before the walls and ceilings are installed
in the final finish. We do things backwards, putting a lot of time and attention into
building the shell first, but consequently everything that goes inside an Airstream travel
trailer must go in through a 26 inch wide main entry door.
Every we make in our wood shop is built and component pieces that fit through that door
inside they're fitted and measured again and then sanded or trim to perfectly fit the
curving shape of the interior walls. The added benefit of this method of
construction is that it makes it easier to provide maintenance or make repairs later on in
the life of the travel trailer.
The last piece of the Airstream puzzle comes together in our sewing department where
associates hand cut the fabrics used for upholstery and curtains.
The wooden furniture frames come over from the woodshop and are fitted with memory foam
cushions. Associates stretch the upholstery over the
frames using steam and the upholstery is stapled in place without wrinkles or bulges.
Nearby curtains are cut and assembled by hand and sewn together with industrial sewing
machines. It might not be the easiest way, but like the
entire airstream manufacturing process, it requires skilled craftspeople to build these
unique pieces and ensure lasting quality for generations of use.
After all the pieces are assembled, there's one final check before we send a unit out the door
and on its way to a customer. A complete final walkthrough is conducted where
a team member carefully performs a series of detailed system tests and visual inspections.
Tests include ensuring appliances work correctly, pressure checking the LP gas system,
running the furnace and air conditioners and filling the drain system to check for leaks.
On average, inspectors confirmed 1500 points per trailer.
Once all inspections are completed, the interior and exterior are cleaned and a fresh
coat of wax is applied. The weight of the unit is recorded and a serial
number is inscribed readying the trailer for transport to our dealer network and then on to
a customer who's waiting to take delivery of their dream come true.
Well that is the end of our tour and I just want to thank you for coming along with me and
walking through this entire process.
And I think everybody can agree that the airstream hasn't changed much in 90 years that
we've been building it. And as you can see,
it's a labor of love. It is built by true artisans,
true artists that put this thing together. But what this factory has allowed us to do is
to add some tools and some technology to help them build these things even better,
even with more quality, so that you can enjoy your Airstream for many,
many, many years. So whether you're dreaming of one day becoming
an Airstreamer and you came along to see how these are built, or you're currently an
Airstreamer enjoying many adventures today, we thank you for coming and we hope you
can see this in person one day uh, during our factory tours.
So thank you very much.