Featherlite Trailers: Difference between revisions

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'''Featherlite Trailers''' is an all-aluminum [[trailer (vehicle)|trailer]] manufacturer, located in [[Cresco, Iowa|Cresco]], [[Iowa]]. It has the distinction of being the oldest all-aluminum trailer brand in the United States. The company tagline is “Safe. Secure. Smart.”

==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>

==History==

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]].

The Featherlite brand name was first established in 1973 when the company created the first all-aluminum gooseneck livestock trailer. TheWhile 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]] and team owner [[Richard Childress]]. Today Featherlite is the official trailer of NASCAR]]<ref>http://www.nascar.com/guides/sponsors/</ref> and supplies approximately 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 theTheir other modelsbranches areinclude car trailers, motorcycle trailers, ATV trailers, snowmobile trailers, commercial/utility trailers and utilityspecialty trailers.

Featherlite emphasizes the customizability of its trailers<ref>http://www. Customers can design a fthr.com/horse-trailer down to the frame if they wish, but even the stock trailer models offer several changeable options/features-benefits/perfectfit/</ref>. To demonstrate thetheir trailers' 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==

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

<li>Emergency response trailers</li>

<li>Mobile command centers</li>

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

<li>Mobile museums</li>

<li>Mobile office trailers</li>

<li>Communications trailers</li>

<li>Remote broadcast trailers</li>

<li>Race car haulers</li>

<li>Vending trailers</li>

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

Clients of Featherlite Specialty Trailers includehave included Cessna, Indian Motorcycles, John Deere, Rubbermaid, Titleist, PGA, ESPN, Budweiser, Medtronic, the United States Coast Guard, the Dallas Cowboys, Major League Baseball, Harley-Davidson, Ford PowerStroke, 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.

==Sponsorships==

Featherlite sponsorsis a sponsor of the following organizations and events:

''Equine''

<ul><li>[[American Quarter Horse Association]]<ref>http://www.aqha.com/partners/index.html</ref></li>

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

<li>USTRCSaddle (UnitedUp! Stateswith TeamDennis Roping Championships)Brouse</li>

<li>[[Appaloosa Horse Club]]<ref>http://www.appaloosa.com/association/sponsors.htm</ref></li>

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

<li>Barrett-JacksonReis Ranch</li></ul>

''Auto/Racing''

<ul><li>NASCAR<ref>http://www.nascar.com/guides/sponsors/</ref></li>

<li>IndyIZOD Racing[[Indycar LeagueSeries]]</li>

<li>[[Grand American Road Racing Association]]</li>

<li>ARCA<ref>http://www.arcaracing.com/sponsors.php</ref></li>

<li>Super Chevy Show</li></ul>

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

''Livestock''

<ul><li>[[National Western Stock Show, Rodeo & Horse Show]]<ref>http://www.nationalwestern.com/nwss/sponsors/sponsors.php</ref></li></ul>

==Achievements==

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<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==

{{More footnotes|date=March 2009}}

<references/>

==External links==