Breaking News

Chuck Cooper is a managing director of BridgePoint.  Looks like they are familiar with the RV industry.  Note the Berkshire Hathaway/Forrest River advisement.

http://www.bridgepnt.com/industries/

Mr Cooper has Six Sigma Certification. Looks like things may get more efficient in all the PC processes.  Seems like that is what this company does, then sells it. Hopefully he is in for the long term.

We are interested to see any new models he starts.

Ron

I looked at that link and see Phoenix is owned by a private investment group.  Historically speaking with investment group purchases, it is bad news concerning "personal attention" for previous customers as nearly everyone here previously purchased a PC.  I suspect that when we need help with something, it will be like working with a typical massive RV manufacture, which generally speaking, it isn't a good experience.  But just maybe the investment firm will see that a critical part of Phoenix's success is "Real Customer Support & Relations, Long After The Warranty Period Is Over".  It's keeping us current owners happy with a quality product and on-going support so much that we help the company promote it's products.  What kills many companies is bad internet talk, and even neutral internet talk.  If customers are not praising the company and it's products, it's going to be a real strain on the company.

Whatever Phoenix USA morphs into, it's better than Kermit shutting down operations and liquidating all assets.

Cooper is also noted as a private investor also, and, of course, they'd use his own M&A company (Bridgepoint) to manage the purchase... Bridgepoint knows all the ins and outs of buying/selling a corporation.

Of course the new owners want to make a profit, that's what businesses are in business for!  So looking for growth and efficiency is where you start.  You don't do that by killing off the good things a company is doing.  You improve what you are doing.



Time will tell.

Certainly what Kermit has pulled off ( and he should be congratulated!) is much better compared to the situation that Born Free is in (doors are closed for good) .  Only time will tell in what direction this move will take PC in?  Consolidation was/is needed in the RV industry for sure.... I just hate to see the little guys getting hurt and they always seem to.   I am worried that such a well engineered, well manufactured, niche coach just will not fit into a larger manufacturers lineup and they all want to reduce overhead.     Thanks, Ron G.

It doesn't take much to do damage to sales, and the pealing vinyl seats was a big turnoff.  I am glad they are now using real 100% leather on seating surfaces.

Funny that our 10 year old vinyl seats still look great.  Maybe the material was made in the USA back then.  Or just a good bolt from China.

I do not think they post all sales there, just open inventory.  And since many, (most?) rigs are built to order they never show on the website.  It looks like the only rigs posted there are either used or ended up in "inventory", maybe built for a show or just filling an empty spot on the line.

Actually a reduction of "new" sales listed on the website might mean an increase in orders since the line might be running full out with orders and not have space for "inventory".  Did someone post that their rig got bumped back in order for them to get the Hershey rigs built?  Thought I saw that someplace, but cannot find it now.

Jim Byrnes indicated at the meeting last week that the factory was running at capacity and one of the things they were looking at was improving the line efficiency to be able to increase the number of rigs going through during a year.

Good Point !

Liquid springs on a 2910T? It looks heavy. Adding that to an already maxed out rear is troubling.

The web site is usually updated fairly quickly. Since the show was last week they probably didn't sell. In the past they would reduce slow sellers. Only time will tell if the 2017s get reduced.
 
Our attraction to PC is the personal touch you get. Hopefully that remains. We are delaying our rv hunting for now due to some personal issues. Hopefully if PC keeps it personal so we can consider them in the future.

Ron

To your point about increasing line efficiency and production, 

Not my point, just repeating what we were told at the rally.  How easy or hard that is to do is way out of my skill set.

PC have plenty of experience choosing what options sell on a inventory stock coach.

I am sure they do but I think you missed my point.  Ordered units never appear on the website, only ones that are available and they take the time to post.  Looks like they posted the four units that are at the Hershey show and they have two or three 2017's in stock.  For a company that sells about 100 rigs a year 6 in stock seems on the low side to me.  And four of those were built just for the show.  And if I remember right they posted the rigs for the 2017 Hershey Show last year so maybe that is part of their marketing for the show.

Anyway, all I am saying is that I do not think you can read anything into what they have posted for sale / sold on the website.  It has little relationship to their bread & butter which is custom ordered coaches that never get shown on the website.  The used units are taken in trade and get posted up right away.

Jim Byrnes did tell us at the rally that they have retained all previous employees and made some new hires (three maybe?) and done some cleaning/reorganizing at the factory. That covers a couple of the things mentioned as requirements to increase production. Time will tell.

They are probably looking  ahead for  a new chassis  considering Ford's planned discontinuation of  the  E-series cutaway . Maybe something similar  to  the Dynamax Isata 5? No doubt the 2350 & 2400 will live on in  Sprinter form.

My hunch is Phoenix Cruiser is being "shopped" as I type, investment companies do not usually like to hold any acquisitions for very long.  With no splash announcements by the new owner/owners it raises my suspicions even more.  Time will tell for sure.

My hunch is Phoenix Cruiser is being "shopped" as I type, investment companies do not usually like to hold any acquisitions for very long.  With no splash announcements by the new owner/owners it raises my suspicions even more.  Time will tell for sure.

You don't buy and 2 or 3 months later sell and expect to make a profit.  So called bottom feeders buy, improve efficiency, cut overhead and overall increase profits for at least a year before the company is sold off.

You need at least a full year's financials to show whatever improvements you have done are long term.

Hey, maybe I should buy the company.  My wife keeps telling me she want out of Illinois anyway.