"Earthroamer" back in business

[jayshapiro]

Not to throw a match into this brewing barrel of gasoline but, this came across my newswire today...

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http://www.bcbr.com/article.asp?id=50750

Group reviving EarthRoamer brand
By Business Report Staff

March 22, 2010 --

LAFAYETTE - Bill Swails - designer of EarthRoamer XV-LT and XV-JP Xpedition Vehicles - has teamed with former managers to start a new company and relaunch the EarthRoamer brand.

Swails has joined forces with former production manager Eric Rexroth and former service managers Tyler Tatro and Mike Funari to form Xpedition Vehicle Service LLC. The company purchased the remaining assets of EarthRoamer.com LLC. which filed Chapter 7 bankruptcy in late 2009.

The new company - operating under the trade name EarthRoamer - recently signed a long-term lease for production space and corporate offices at Long's Peak Business Center in Dacono. Currently the company is manufacturing EarthRoamer XV-LTs in temporary leased space until the new space is ready.

Following record sales in fourth quarter 2007, EarthRoamer.com LLC moved into a new 56,000-square-foot corporate headquarters in February 2008 - just as diesel fuel prices began to climb above $4.50 per gallon.

High fuel prices and a faltering economy caused a rapid drop in new vehicle sales and by midsummer 2008 the company had laid off half of its work force. By the end of 2008, the company was unable to service the debt on the new corporate headquarters and had ceased operations, causing EarthRoamer.com LLC to file Chapter 7 bankruptcy.

The four wheel drive, turbo-diesel, Ford F-550 based EarthRoamer XV-LT is capable of running on renewable biodiesel and solar energy. The EarthRoamer XV-LT uses a 0.5 kilowatt solar panel array and a 6.1 kilowatt per hour battery bank. Biodiesel compatible air heaters, water heaters and stoves replace the propane appliances found on traditional RVs. EarthRoamer XV-LTs are designed to tackle any terrain with features like four-wheel drive, aggressive military tires, front and rear heavy duty bumpers with winches, and high-intensity discharge lighting.

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[cruiseroutfit]

This was all discussed at length in the other threads, the seemingly were able to buy their assets back from the bankruptcy and the actual building was owned by a seperate holding not actually Earthroamer. I tried finding the other threads but can't put my finger on them.

 

[Ford Prefect]

how queer.


Nice to hear none the less.

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

How convenient...let see if all the suppliers that didn't get paid jump back on board.

 

[haven]

Nice to hear that Bill Swails landed on his feet. Here is the press release
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2010/03/prweb3758454.htm

Included is the line, "Bill Swails and his team will be taking the EarthRoamer brand in new and exciting directions with designs for both larger and smaller sized expedition vehicle models already on the drawing boards." It will be interesting to see what they've got in mind. Maybe they will license Jay's EcoRoamer F650 design!

I noticed that Earthroamer continues to advertise in Overland Journal. (They have the inside back cover, a premium location.) The ad lists the old Earthroamer phone number, as well as the www.earthroamer.com web address. But the web site now shows the number to be 720.862.0040.

Incidentally, the Earthroamer web site now has photo spreads of the first two Earthroamer Adventures, led by instructor Scott Brady.

 

[AFSOC]

This was all discussed at length in the other threads, the seemingly were able to buy their assets back from the bankruptcy and the actual building was owned by a seperate holding not actually Earthroamer. I tried finding the other threads but can't put my finger on them.

Curious, the threads discussing the Chapter 7 and vendors holding the bag on unpaid bills seem to have been deleted. They were good ones too, I would have to liked to reread them.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Curious, the threads discussing the Chapter 7 and vendors holding the bag on unpaid bills seem to have been deleted. They were good ones too, I would have to liked to reread them.

Well that would make sense why I couldn't find them

I didn't follow them too closely and I have absolutely no involvement from either angle... the threads may have become uncivil after I last saw them and thus were removed?

 

[dzzz]

The new Ford Diesel is looking much better (so far) compared to the Navistar model it replaced. I saw a short blurb conjecturing that it was going to be harder to defeat the emission controls. If that can't be done, travel will be limited.
The 2011 Ford Superduty diesel is very slick, with gadgets like automatic hill descent control using engine braking.
In the short term it's going to be a tough choice whether to build an ER on a 2010 or 2011 Ford.

 

[kcowyo]

...the threads may have become uncivil after I last saw them and thus were removed?

You know it.

.

 

[Christian P.]

You know it.

.

Is that really why? Both of them? Just curious, I can't remember either.

 

[Momrocks]

Is that really why? Both of them? Just curious, I can't remember either.

Hmmmm...I don't remember either, but what other reason could it have been? :coffeedrink:

`

 

[kcowyo]

I can only find one thread regarding ER going bankrupt, and that was deleted last September. It was 13 pages of every small business owner on the board hammering and second guessing the nature of ER's BK, who they owe, starting back up under a new business name, etc.

The last two pages were filled with pleas to lock the thread as members were beating a dead horse - see the "Do you feel the need to carry a gun when camping?" thread for a current example...


I didn't lock it, nor delete it. But it was certainly filled with a whole lot of rude discontent...

.

 

[Scott Brady]

Those threads were a witch hunt, and most of the information was completely false. There were even people throwing accusations around that still owe Overland Journal money and are years late on payment. We choose not to drag them through the mud, but they were the first to do it ER.

I was personally affected (i.e. Expeditions West) by their bankruptcy, with a big chuck of money owed. However, I know that Bill did not do that on purpose, or with malicious intent. They were just the victims of the perfect storm. It can happen to anyone.

However, that doesn't underemphasis that people and businesses were hurt by the bankruptcy. How Bill moves forward and tries to make everyone whole will tell the true story. That is going to take some time, so we should hold back judgement until we see what happens.

EarthRoamer prepaid for their ad location in Overland Journal. They worked hard to support us in the beginning, including a mailing to their entire contact database. For that I am grateful.

 

[kjp1969]

I'm just happy that those awesome machines are still being built.

 

[pete.wilson]

Hey

As for one person who got laid-off at Garmin (yes, GPS) in March 2009; I hope that Earthroamer can get back on their feet and perhaps rehire folks who had been laid-off and maybe put some fine folks to work who need jobs. I don't think too many people could have forseen what was coming in 2009. By the way, my 6 months lay-off (plus my wife's) forced me to file for bankruptcy which allowed me to take another job half way across the country; which by the way, pays about $6+ dollars an hour less, with more expensive insurnace and higher cost of living. But at least I'm working and my wife/kids have a place to live and food to eat. Did I mention a degree and 25 years experience at what I do? Cut Earthroamer a little slack and see how it goes. Let's face it, we all liked to see what they were up to even if they are out of our price range (for many of us that is).

Pete Wilson