Brinkley RV Opens New Plant for Model Z AIR Travel Trailers – RVBusiness – Breaking RV Industry News
Continuing the impressive pace of expansion at its Goshen, Ind.-based campus, Brinkley RV on May 2 opened a third production plant, this one dedicated to the company’s new line of Model Z AIR travel trailers.
Known as Plant 3, the over 200,000-square-foot facility joins Plants 1 and 2, which are manufacturing Brinkley’s Model Z fifth-wheel and Model G toy hauler fifth-wheel lines, respectively. A lamination facility also is operational at the campus, which has construction well underway on various other facilities slated for production of future lines, company officials said.
The Model Z AIR line is Brinkley’s response to consumer demand for high-quality, feature-rich travel trailers. The line debuted with the 295 bunkhouse layout at the Florida RV SuperShow in January and was recently expanded with the 285, a couple’s coach.
The two-slide 285 features an island kitchen, versatile sleeper/dinette and desk in the rear living area and front bedroom offering a north-south queen bed, fireplace and wardrobe storage also accessible from the three-piece bathroom.
With an MSRP of $87,545, the 285 checks in at 33 feet, 11 inches long, 11 feet, 7 inches tall and a UVW of 9,242 pounds.
Like the 295, the 285 also features Brinkley’s signature elements such as CraftSense wood trim construction, dovetail drawer joints, flush-floor slides with through-frame slideout mechanisms, Euro frameless square windows with integrated window screens and insulated blackout blinds, and an automotive-grade sealant package, among other features.
Items unique to the Z AIR line include a composite floor atop a drop-frame chassis frame featuring over 100 cubic feet of exterior storage, one-touch leveling system, 5,600-pound axles, and E-rated Goodyear tires riding on 16-inch custom aluminum wheels.
Other Z AIR highlights include solid surface counters, 18K variable speed main AIR conditioner and a 13.5K second AC unit, tankless on-demand water heater, heated enclosed underbelly with electric waste valves, custom LP box with battery storage, premium utility center with retractable 65-foot water hose, industry-first brass plumbing connections, and an industry-first low-maintenance roof that offers a 370-watt solar panel and pre-wired for another panel.
Micah Staley – who along with brothers Ron and Bill Fenech as well as Nate Goldenberg and Ryan Thwaits – is one of five co-founders of Brinkley RV, told RVBusiness that the company is very pleased with the launch of the Model Z AIR brand.
“The response from our retail customers and dealers has been great. It’s a testament to what we’re doing as a company,” Staley said. “We are just focused on including the items that customers have said they wanted, and there’s been a lot of good feedback on social media. They’ve been delighted; they’ve liked what they’ve seen.”
He added that the 295 and 285 – with a third model that should be out later this summer – are “just the start of our trailer lineup.” He expects to add larger units more conducive to longer-stays, he said.
“We’re not going to have too many floorplans, probably six or eight, but we’re going to make sure that everyone has a specific purpose and we’re hitting a different buyer and trying to give the retail customers as much of an option as possible,” Staley said, who added that production is currently five units per day, with the expectation that the volume will increase to keep pace with demand.
“We will increase as much as we need to, but we’re going to make sure the quality stays tight,” Staley said. “And, so, we’re excited about this new plant moving into this brand-new facility. We’re excited about the brand. We’re excited about getting these guys in this building where there’s more space.”
