Tiffin Factory Tour and We Heard From Service…

Friday morning we set out to check *out the Tiffin Factory tour that begins at 9 and lasts about an hour and a half to two hours. After a meet and greet, we were given a brief introduction and history lesson about Red Bay Alabama and the Tiffin family. We then donned safety glasses and earplugs attached to radios. Our tour guides spoke to us along the tour via radio.

About 13 of us followed as we meandered through the woodshop for the first portion of the tour. It was like a symphony of caterpillars driving by, sanding machinery, nail guns and workers buzzing all around us. Next we were led to the welding department and although we were not allowed inside the building we were able to see some powerglide frames outside that had been welded and readied for the assembly of the motorhome structure.

It was interesting to see the brand new motors, axels and newly required pollution inhibitors. We were also shown the outside of the Research and Development Building that also houses their IT personnel. We then were allowed inside the main assembly building. It is divided into 15 stations. At each station we were allowed to see the process of the shaping of the motorhome atop the chassis. The workers seemed to barely notice our presence and were continuously busy in each station. At the end of the tour is the finished product and we were able to step inside and see the newly finished product. Most of the entire motorhome materials are American made (mostly in NE Alabama and SW Mississippi) except the windshields which oddly enough are shipped in from Turkey. If you are ever in the area the tour is an excellent way to spend a morning.

On Sunday we got THE PHONE CALL and we were told by the Tiffin service person that we were to report to bay 7 at 7:00 a.m. Finally!!! We will be seen. So this morning we closed up the rig and parked behind bay 7 waiting for it to open. At 7:00 a.m. sharp the door opened and we pulled in and will see what happens from here…