Earthroamer Factory Visit

[dp7197]

While visiting family in Denver this week, we decided to take a drive north up I-25 to go to Estes Park for the day. Imagine my surprise when I saw a giant Earthroamer sign on the side of a building with a couple of Fords and JKs with their rooftop tents open! I knew I had to stop on the way back.

While it was getting close to 5pm, we pulled in and along the side of the building to look at the Fords where I took a few pictures. Unfortunately, the Jeeps were inside.

So, we decided to head in and see if we could take a look.

We were met by Tracy who was very accomodating and took us in the back to look inside one of the new F-550 campers. It was pretty nice. I had recently looked at a truck camper but know this has much more space.

We then headed further back to see the JKs. While I did not look inside, they certainly were nice.

We did not go to the production side, but that was ok.

Thank you Earthroamer for your hospitality!

:victory:

Dave
Maryland

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

I thought those guys went bankrupt and stiffed a few of their vendors.

They did along with the people of Colorado and SBA...bought assets a bankruptcy auction teamed back up with Swails - Only in America

 

[cwsqbm]

Its such a pity that Earthroamer can't be mentioned at all without someone immediately bringing up the bankruptcy.

Yes, its part of life in America, and I think its great. Just because someone fails once, we don't hold him down for the rest of his life. Henry Ford's first attempts were also failure. If he was not allowed to try again, where we would be now?

So please, stop beating a dead horse.

To the OP: post pics please.

 

[kcowyo]

Its such a pity that Earthroamer can't be mentioned at all without someone immediately bringing up the bankruptcy.

x2

.

 

[pangaea]

IMO, the reason it keeps getting brought up is not that they went bankrupt, but how they dealt with it. The perception among some seems to be that in the process restructuring they left a lot of people out to dry.

 

[Bill@EarthRoamer.com]

Here we go again… someone starts a thread with a positive comment about EarthRoamer and the bashing begins. Posts like the one by LandCruiserPhil serve no constructive purpose and seem to be designed to simply stir up a pot of hatred. I find it unfortunate that so many people abuse their freedom of speech (especially in online forums) to make statements of “fact” that are simply untrue. LandCruiserPhil says that [EarthRoamer.com LLC stiffed] “the people of Colorado and SBA”. His post - like many other posts about EarthRoamer in these forums - is simply untrue. I sold the EarthRoamer factory to a private buyer and paid off the building loans (including the SBA loan) in full. My business partner and I lost a large amount of money on the sale, but not one taxpayer dollar was used to bail out EarthRoamer.com LLC and all lenders on the property were made whole. The state of Colorado, the federal government and the SBA did not lose any money to the EarthRoamer.com LLC bankruptcy.

Yes, I owned a company (EarthRoamer.com LLC) that was forced to file a Chapter 7 bankruptcy. Following record sales in 2007, the worst economic decline since the great depression caused new vehicle sales to drop to zero in late 2008. Combine this with very poor timing of moving into an expensive new factory and we had a recipe for disaster. All of this happened at a time when blue chip companies with hundred year histories were going bankrupt, and small businesses across America were in a struggle for survival. EarthRoamer.com LLC was not alone. Almost no one predicted this economic collapse and EarthRoamer.com LLC, like many other businesses failed.

Ultimately, I had to lay off my entire talented, dedicated and hardworking EarthRoamer.com LLC workforce. Customers lost warranties, vendors did not get paid, and we defaulted on credit card loans and business equipment leases. It was absolutely the worst business scenario I could have imagined, and this was the most difficult period of my life. Our company had always paid its bills on time and had an excellent credit rating. It was gut-wrenching to look employees in the eye and tell them they no longer had jobs, or to explain to vendors that there was simply no money to pay their invoices. In what seemed like a flash, the business that I had devoted 10 years of my life to that had been immensely successful was gone. All I can say is that every step of the way I have done my best to act with integrity and “make it right” with as many people and companies as possible.

Enough about the past, this is where we are today… In 2009, I started a new company - Xpedition Vehicle Service LLC (dba EarthRoamer) - that is currently servicing and manufacturing EarthRoamer Xpedition Vehicles. This new company is providing paychecks to employees that are supporting families and making mortgage payments and paying taxes. If it wasn’t for this new company, these talented people would likely be collecting unemployment checks and defaulting on loans and mortgages. My new company is selling Xpedition Vehicles to satisfied customers and purchasing parts and products from a large number of vendors (many of which were former EarthRoamer.com LLC vendors). I make no apologies for starting a new company that is creating jobs, paying taxes, buying parts from vendors and making customers happy by designing and building world class products. I believe that dedication, hard work and good ideas are the fuel that will bring this economy back. Free enterprise is what makes this country great.

I can’t undo the harm that the EarthRoamer.com LLC bankruptcy caused to many people, but I’m doing my best to move forward in a positive manner by designing and building world class expedition vehicles and creating real jobs. The “new EarthRoamer” is hiring. If you are good enough to build and service the best, please fill out an application ( http://www.earthroamer.com/tab_aboutus/index.html) and email it to us.

It is interesting to see (and difficult for me to understand) the larger number of negative EarthRoamer posts from people who were not EarthRoamer.com LLC employees, customers or vendors - and to my knowledge not harmed by the bankruptcy in any way. These posters have no personal knowledge of the situation, yet are eager to make negative posts and chime in as experts. I can only hope that the average reader of these forums is intelligent enough to realize that just because some yahoo with a keyboard and an internet connection makes a statement of “fact”, it isn’t necessarily so.

I would also hope that the people who make these negative posts and spread this misinformation realize the harm that they do to hardworking EarthRoamer employees and their families. “EarthRoamer” isn’t just some faceless company - it is a group of dedicated, hardworking individuals with families that depend on EarthRoamer paychecks.

If you have any legitimate questions about me, my company or our products, call me or send me an email and I’ll do my best to provide you with accurate answers.

Sincerely,
Bill Swails
President and CEO
EarthRoamer

bill@earthroamer.com
720-762-0040 office
303-601-7659 cell

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

LandCruiserPhil's post is based on the bankruptcy filing on Oct. 5, 2009

 

[sojourner]

Amen Bill!
Thanks for responding and I'm sure you have learned some lessons along the way. I'm glad you're still at it because "luxury" in a bad economy is tough, however if you can reinvent yourself more power to ya.

 

[Bill@EarthRoamer.com]

LandCruiserPhil's post is based on the bankruptcy filing on Oct. 5, 2009

This perfectly illustrates the danger of making statements of fact when you have limited information. Your conclusion that “the people of Colorado and SBA [were stiffed by EarthRoamer]” based only on a bankruptcy filing is simply wrong.

I’ve found that when I don’t know what I am talking about it is best to say nothing. I’ve also found that when I have made a mistake, simply acknowledging the error often works well. If you want to go one better, it shows class when you try to make it right by offering an apology.

Sincerely,

Bill Swails
President and CEO
EarthRoamer

bill@earthroamer.com
720-762-0040 office
303-601-7659 cell

 

[howell_jd]

Success is measured through your friends not your accounts

Thank you Earthroamer for your hospitality!

:victory:

Dave
Maryland

I echo the sentiment of EarthRoamer hospitality.

My experience with all of the EarthRoamer crew upon returning from Iraq at the end of 2008 was exemplary - and at a time in America that was tumultuous. My own demons from combat haunted me through the early half of 2009 but I managed to banish them only after the most therapeutic effects of common camaraderie shared on the trail and around a campfire (perhaps even over a cold one) with some of the greatest friends I found by sheer luck.

I knew immediately after the ER Rally in 2009 that I would attend the 2010 Rally. What I did not know was that in travelling 1300 miles from southern Mississippi to northern Colorado my daughter would become so ill that I would visit two emergency rooms and three pharmacies.

While the US military has great medical care at its on-base facilities, the burden of on-the-road care is overwhelming. To add to the challenge, my documentation for transfer from one region to another was out of order thanks to an unusual assignment with the Corps of Engineers.

The entire staff of EarthRoamer extended every effort - they went beyond any expectation - and made sure I was able to get my daughter treated at the Children's Hospital in Broomfield, CO. When I say they treated my family like family I do not exaggerate.

I cheer for my soldiers during training - pushing them to their limits and then lauding their efforts even when those efforts result in frustration...we get up and try again. Show me a man or woman who has never failed and I'll show you someone who has never been truly tested. There is true character and integrity with the men and women associated with EarthRoamer - employees, customers, vendors, and fans alike.

I have just returned to Mississippi and my daughter has recovered - she even managed to enjoy a great camping and off-road experience. I have a backed up work load but want very much to post pictures of our trip. There are no photos of the tremendous attention given to my daughter and my family when far from home though.

I can only add that bad things happen to good people from time to time. Good people always get back up and even lend a hand when they themselves are down. I don't know if bad people push others down or if in being down themselves they wish to drag others into their position. I do know that I don't admire the mis-characterization of people I know to be good.

Thank you to my friends at EarthRoamer. Thank you all so very much. You've made me a richer person through association with you. I hope that all here may also become enriched - or at least refrain from casting foul statements such as by bigots and hate-mongers upon those I feel fortunate to measure upon for success.

And if you want to talk about wasting tax-payer dollars, consider how much this Major has cost you over the course of the last 16 years.

Sincerely,
Jonathan D. Howell
Major, U.S. Army

P.S. Once I get the truck cleaned up a bit (so I can locate the camera) I too will post photos.

 

[davidv]

It would have been much easier and probably more profitable for Bill to invest in and build the particle board crap that haunts RV lots all over the country. EarthRoamer made huge progress for Overlanding by validating the true expedition camper concept. Starting a business in such a small niche Industry carries enormous risk and as anybody in business knows those risks can catch up at anytime.

I was in Colorado on business last month and stopped by the EarthRoamer facility. Tyler the operation manager was getting ready to shut the doors for the day but instead of going home he spent 2 hours giving me a tour and showing the incredible amount of work that goes into these vehicles. Pictures of these vehicles don’t do them justice, in person there is no way anybody could resist wanting one. I spent the whole plane ride home crunching the numbers on how to make it happen.

Bill slot me in for summer 2012.

 

[DonL]

Well said Bill.

 

[Northern Explorer]

Well said Bill.

x2

 

[kjp1969]

By all accounts, Earthroamer builds a unique and high quality product. If I ever get to the Denver area, I will stop by and poke my nose around their showroom, probably drooling the entire time.

Hats off to Earthroamer for having the guts to dust itself off and have another go. Please keep building Earthroamers until I can afford one!

Bill, are you still building the XV-JK?

 

[Bill@EarthRoamer.com]

By all accounts, Earthroamer builds a unique and high quality product. If I ever get to the Denver area, I will stop by and poke my nose around their showroom, probably drooling the entire time.

Hats off to Earthroamer for having the guts to dust itself off and have another go. Please keep building Earthroamers until I can afford one!

Bill, are you still building the XV-JK?

Actually we call it the XV-JP and yes, we are still building the Jeep based model.

Bill Swails
President and CEO
EarthRoamer