Featherlite Trailers: Difference between revisions

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{{AdvertMore citations needed|date=MarchJuly 20092010}}

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{{Infobox Company company|

{{Onesource|date=March 2009}}

| company_namename = Featherlite Inc.

{{Infobox Company |

| company_typetype = [[Private company|Private]]

| company_name = Featherlite Inc.

| foundation = 1973

| company_type = [[Private company|Private]]

| ___location = [[Cresco, Iowa|Cresco]], [[Iowa]] USA

| foundation = 1973

| ___location industry = [[Cresco]],trailer [[Iowa(vehicle)|Trailers]] USA

| homepage = [http://www.fthr.com/ www.fthr.com]

| industry =

[[Trailers]],

[[Transportation]]

| homepage = [http://www.fthr.com/ www.fthr.com]

}}

'''Featherlite Trailers''' is an all-aluminum [[trailer (vehicle)|trailer]] manufacturer, located in [[Cresco, Iowa|Cresco]], [[Iowa]]. It has the distinction of beingis the oldest all-aluminum trailer brand in the United States,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.horsetrailerworld.com/Home/TRfeatherlite02.asp |title=Trailers The|publisher=Horsetrailerworld.com company|date=2002-01-04 tagline|accessdate=2010-06-17}}</ref><ref>{{cite isweb|url=http://www.mrtrailer.com/featherlite_factory.htm “Safe|title=Featherlite Trailer Factory Review, they make all types of great trailers, aluminum horse trailers, car haulers, NASCAR, cargo trailers and flatbeds. Secure|publisher=Mrtrailer.com |date= |accessdate=2010-06-17}}</ref> and today manufactures [[horse trailer]]s and a range of specialty Smarttrailers.”

==History==

The Featherlite brand name was first established in 1973 when the company created the first all-aluminum gooseneck livestock trailer. The brand was started in Oklahoma. Featherlite Manufacturing Inc., located in Grand Meadow, Minnesota, acquired the brand and established itself as a company in 1988. The company relocated to Cresco, Iowa in 1993. In 1998, the company changed its name to Featherlite Inc. <ref>http://www.answers.com/topic/featherlite-inc</ref>

Featherlite is closely associated with [[NASCAR]]. The company rose to prominence in the sport when it created the first ever custom aluminum race car semi trailer for legendary NASCAR racer [[Dale Earnhardt]]. Today Featherlite supplies 85 percent of NASCAR Sprint Cup teams with semi trailer race car haulers and vending trailers. Among the teams Featherlite has supplied are those of [[Dale Earnhardt Jr.]], [[Jeff Gordon]] and [[Jimmie Johnson]].

Featherlite has constantly expanded its Cresco, Iowa trailer manufacturing plant. At present, the plant contains 311,400 square feet of building space.

In 2006, Featherlite Trailers became a wholly-owned subsidiary of [[Universal Trailer Corporation]].

==Products==

Featherlite manufactures all-aluminum trailers, using [[aluminum alloys]] such as 6061-T6. Outside of race trailers, their most well-known products are horse trailers and livestock trailers. However, the company offers a wide range of trailers for other pursuits. Among the other models are car trailers, motorcycle trailers, ATV trailers, snowmobile trailers and utility trailers.

Featherlite emphasizes the customizability of its trailers. Customers can design a trailer down to the frame if they wish, but even the stock trailer models offer several changeable options. To demonstrate the versatility of its trailers, Featherlite maintains a virtual horse trailer design system, the Configurator, on its web site. It also promotes a PerfectFit system, which claims to provide customers the trailer that is right for them with a series of seven questions.

The most popular Featherlite trailer is its horse trailer Model 8541, a slant-load horse trailer that can be customized to haul 2 to 6 horses.

==Specialty trailers==

Featherlite creates business-to-business specialty trailers for organizations ranging from corporations to sports teams to state and federal government. Among the types of trailers it has manufactured are:

<ul><li>Medical office trailers</li>

<li>Mobile command centers</li>

<li>Event marketing and display trailers</li>

<li>Race car haulers</li>

<li>Vending trailers</li>

<li>Kitchen trailers</li>

<li>Mobile office trailers</li>

<li>Hospitality trailers</li>

<li>Teaching/Educational trailers</li>

<li>Mobile interactive museums</li></ul>

Clients of Featherlite Specialty Trailers include Cessna, Indian Motorcycles, John Deere, the United States Coast Guard, the Dallas Cowboys, Major League Baseball, Harley-Davidson, Chevrolet, NASCAR, American Grand Am, Best Buy, Target and DeWalt.

==Sponsorships==

Featherlite promotes its trailers at over 1,200 trade shows. It is a sponsor of such organizations as [[American Quarter Horse Association]]<ref>http://www.aqha.com/partners/index.html</ref>, NASCAR<ref>http://www.nascar.com/guides/sponsors/</ref>, [[Appaloosa Horse Club]]<ref>http://www.appaloosa.com/association/sponsors.htm</ref> and the [[National Western Stock Show]]<ref>http://www.nationalwestern.com/nwss/sponsors/sponsors.php</ref>. Featherlite has also partnered with Young Rider magazine to sponsor several art and writing contests for young equestrians.

== History ==

Featherlite sponsors the following organizations and events:

The company was established in 1973 in [[Oklahoma]], when it built the first all-aluminum [[Trailer (vehicle)#Fifth wheel and gooseneck|gooseneck]] livestock trailer. In 1988 the company was acquired by Conrad Climent, Featherlite Manufacturing of [[Grand Meadow, Minnesota]], relocating to Cresco, Iowa in 1993.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.answers.com/topic/featherlite-inc |title=Featherlite, Inc.: Information from |publisher=Answers.com |date= |accessdate=2010-06-17}}</ref>

The company created the first ever custom aluminum race car semi trailer for [[NASCAR]] racer [[Dale Earnhardt]] and team owner [[Richard Childress]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Aumann |first=Mark |url=http://www.nascar.com/news/120925/ups-game-changer-haulers/index.html|title=Haulers become teams' home away from home|work=[[NASCAR]]|date=2012-09-25|accessdate=2012-10-25}}</ref> Today Featherlite is the official trailer of NASCAR,<ref name="nascar1">{{cite web|url=http://www.nascar.com/guides/sponsors/ |title=Nascar.Com |publisher=Nascar.Com |date= |accessdate=2010-06-17}}</ref> supplying 85% of the [[NASCAR Sprint Cup]] teams.{{Citation needed|date=July 2010}}

''Equine''

<ul><li>American Quarter Horse Association</li>

<li>Clinton Anderson Wahl Walkabout Tour</li>

<li>USTRC (United States Team Roping Championships)</li>

<li>Appaloosa Horse Club</li>

<li>Iowa Equestrian Center</li></ul>

The Featherlite brand was acquired on December 31, 2019 by a newly formed corporation, Featherlite Trailer Manufacturing, LLC, owned by Tim Masud and Howard Palmer.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.fthr.com/news/exiss-featherlite-and-sooner-brands-acquired-from-universal-trailer-corporation/ | title=Exiss, Featherlite and Sooner brands acquired from UTC | date=8 January 2020 }}</ref>

''Auto/Racing''

<ul><li>NASCAR</li>

<li>Indy Racing League</li>

<li>Grand American Road Racing</li>

<li>ARCA</li>

<li>Super Chevy Show</li>

<li>Barrett-Jackson</li></ul>

== Products ==

''Livestock''

Featherlite manufactures a range of all-aluminum trailers, mainly using [[aluminum alloys]]. Types of trailers include horse trailers, livestock trailers, living quarters trailers, car trailers and utility trailers. Featherlite's Specialty Trailers division manufactures custom trailers for professional sports teams, medical businesses, the aerospace industry, government services, the U.S, military and many others.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fthr.com/horse-trailer/features-benefits/perfectfit/ |title=PerfectFit for Horse Trailers &#124; Featherlite |publisher=Fthr.com |date= |accessdate=2010-06-17}}</ref>

<ul><li>National Western Stock Show, Rodeo & Horse Show</li></ul>

==Achievements Sponsorships ==

*NASCAR<ref name="nascar1"/>

<ul>

<li>Built first ever custom aluminum NASCAR race car transporter for Dale Earnhardt/Richard Childress Racing</li>

<li>Sponsor of NASCAR’s “Most Improved Driver” award</li>

<li>Official trailer of the American Quarter Horse Association</li>

<li>Best selling horse/livestock aluminum trailer manufacturer in the United States (SSI 2009)</li>

<li>Over 200 dealerships in the United States and Canada with additional dealers located in Europe and Australia</li>

</ul>

== References ==

{{Reflist}}

<references/>

== External links ==

==Links==

*{{official website|http://www.fthr.com/|Featherlite Trailers}}

<ul>

<li>*[httphttps://www.fthrcargotrailersphoenix.com/ FeatherliteEnclosed Cargo Trailers Home Page]</li>

<li>[http://www.featherlitespecialty.com/ Featherlite Specialty Trailers Home Page]</li>

<li>[http://www.fthr.com/trailer-shopping-tools/build-your-own-trailer/build-it.aspx Featherlite Configurator]</li>

</ul>

<li>[http://twitter.com/FeatherliteInc Featherlite Trailers Twitter Feed]</ul>

[[Category:Trailers|Trailer manufacturing companies]]

[[Category:Manufacturing companies based in Iowa]]