Western Trailer & Marine About Palomino/Forest River Inc
Vern Landey's Dream
Palomino Camping Trailer construction began in 1968 with the dream of Mr. Vern Landey. Mr. Landey had been a tent trailer distributor for several years when he felt he could design and produce better quality units than were currently being offered to the public. He would design units which were lightweight and offered convenient floorplans at affordable prices. He began designing and producing Palomino pop-up tent trailers in a small building in Savage, Minnesota.
As demand for Palomino grew, Mr. Landey felt it would benefit his company, Vanguard Industries, to relocate. With most manufacturers and industry suppliers located in the Elkhart, Indiana, area the move eastward seemed logical. Vanguard Industries settled in the community of Colon, Michigan, in 1972. Once in Colon, he began to put his plans in motion. By 1973 he had built the main production facility and within days Palomino tent trailers were rolling out the doors.
As need for Palomino grew, so did Vanguard Industries. In 1976, Vanguard added its own Needle Division, in 1978 its own Metal Fabrication Plant, and has several cold storage facilities. On May 27, 1992, the primary production building and offices were destroyed by fire. By late August, 1992, the first 1993 model Palomino rolled off the line in the new 52,300 sq. ft. facility, which was built on the same site as the previous building had been.
Palomino purchased by Forest River, Inc.
The year 1998 continued to see expansion with the addition of a new 75,000 sq. ft. production facility, and another storage facility.This allowed for Palomino to begin production of their new ultra light weight line of travel trailers. In 2002 Vanguard was purchased by Forest River, Inc. This allowed for rapid growth and the introduction of two new towable lines of travel trailers and fifth wheels, Puma by Palomino and Sabre by Palomino. Two new 100,000 square foot facilities were built in Goshen, Indiana to house the production lines for these two new products.
Forest River is acquired by Berkshire Hathaway
In the fall of 2005, Forest River, Inc., and its divisions were acquired by Berkshire Hathaway Inc. Palomino RV operates as a separate division of Forest River, Inc., and has grown from our humble beginnings in Minnesota to one of the top 5 RV manufacturers in North America, with over 300 dealers representing, selling and servicing the Palomino Brand.
Why Palomino RV
CRAFTSMANSHIP & QUALITY
Palomino RV relocated to South Western Michigan in 1972 to the heart of Southern Michigan and Northern Indiana's Amish community. This is an area where integrity, craftsmanship, great work ethic and innovation meet. This allows us to build and design RVs that not only meet your needs, but exceed your expectations. Our executive management and production management teams combine for over 200 years of experience building quality RVs. Every unit we build and ship goes through extensive quality tests and checks to help ensure memorable camping experiences.
INNOVATION & DESIGN
At Palomino RV, design and innovation is a major key to our success. We know it is the details that set a Palomino apart and put us ahead of the competition. We strive to design and build an RV that not only functions seamlessly but offers a touch of elegance. This is evident in our rich residential interior designs, our engineered construction techniques and our well laid out floorplans that maximize storage space. With the knowledge that comes from years of listening to our customers, we are sure we will have a model that will exceed your expectations!
VALUE & BENEFIT
Palomino RV is a division of Forest River, Inc., North America's largest producer of Recreational Vehicles. With these tremendous sales volumes, we are able to leverage our massive buying power and pass the savings along to our customers. At Palomino RV, we are able to produce RVs with top-quality materials and techniques at a fraction of the cost of our competitors. You will notice more features on a Palomino, from larger windows and longer awnings to name brand appliances and furniture. All of this adds up to a better value and a great return on your investment.
CONFIDENCE & PEACE OF MIND
You can rest assured that Palomino RV will be there to stand behind your investment. Whether it is our complimentary roadside assistance programs or our full service parts and warranty departments, Palomino RV is at your service 24/7! Our parts departments consistently rank at the top of the industry for quick, accurate, consistent parts and knowledgeable service. Palomino RV is a division of Forest River, Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway company. Berkshire Hathaway is one of the world's largest holding companies with a market capitalization of well over 150 billion dollars. No other RV manufacturer in the industry has this kind of financial backing behind them.
A STRONG OWNER'S GROUP TO ENHANCE THE EXPERIENCE
Part of the RV experience is being among other RVers who hold the same passions. In 2011, the Forest River Owners’ Group (FROG) was formed, and it has quickly grown to over 50,000 members. These members attend rallies and tours throughout North America, sharing memories and stories that will last a lifetime. Membership is FREE, and all it takes to become a member is to become a Forest River RV owner and submit a form on the FROG website.
.png)