Tiffin Motorhomes

As a leader in the recreational vehicle and motor coach industry for nearly 50 years, Tiffin Motorhomes understands the importance of adapting when there is growth in the market. The family-owned company continues to keep vehicles rolling off the assembly line on schedule while reducing costly callbacks and touch-up work with the help of Sherwin-Williams.

Bob Tiffin, the founder of Tiffin Motorhomes, built the company’s reputation for quality products and customer service from the ground up. This dedication led to him being named to the Recreational Vehicle/ Manufactured Housing Hall of Fame in 1999. Today, Tiffin Motorhomes’ transparency throughout the manufacturing process and commitment to getting it right every time continues to attract customers.

Since its founding in 1972, the company has manufactured more than 65,000 vehicles in Red Bay, Alabama. With a rebounding economy, Tiffin Motorhomes has seen the demand for its vehicles steadily increase in recent years. And as orders grow, there is no room for error. The company’s philosophy on quality has always been simple: “Our name is on the product, and that’s enough for us to fix whatever is wrong.” This is now more important than ever.

GETTING VEHICLES ON THE ROAD

Research and Development Manager Van Tiffin noticed workers on the finishing line needed to put in extra hours to keep up with demand.

Some of the vehicles utilize a high gloss, luster finish on the interior’s hand-crafted kitchen cabinetry and millwork. The coating process Tiffin Motorhomes had been using involved a two-step topcoat finish requiring extensive dry time between coats. This was dealt with by running those units on the production floor at the end of the day and allowing them to dry overnight.

The production time lost while the units cured required 10 to 15 employees to come in an hour early on the following day to apply the second coat. This production hiccup and the accruing overtime costs led Van to believe there had to be a better solution.

“We roll the line every 35 minutes,” Van said. “It has to be on time – all pieces and parts have to be there. We get held up lacquering units in the cabinet shop. That’s a huge problem. We want it to be seamless, smooth and to flow steadily.”

Van recruited Sherwin-Williams Industrial Wood Coatings Sales Representative Scott Brasher and Technical Service Representative Curt Quigley to review the finishing line and recommend how to improve throughput.

They narrowed in on the sand-seal-glaze procedure and suggested replacing the two-step topcoat with Sayerlack® RD Acrylic Polyurethane, a 2K self-sealing topcoat designed for use on interior wood. It is applied in a single step and offers rapid dry times while still delivering a high gloss finish. This would eliminate the need to hold components for overnight drying, speeding up production and significantly reducing overtime costs.

Sherwin-Williams has helped us eliminate the worry. It all comes down to peace of mind.

Research and Development Manager, Tiffin Motorhomes

ALL IT’S (NOT) CRACKED UP TO BE

Repair concerns were also brought to the Sherwin-Williams teams’ attention. Cabinet and millwork topcoat finishes in vehicles shipped to dealers and customers in Canada were developing cracks due to the extreme cold. In winter, these vehicles may sit in temperatures as low as 30 to 40 degrees below zero. This led to costly rework and repair.

“We didn’t have this problem when we used Sherwin-Williams coatings before,” Van Tiffin said. And when Tiffin Motorhomes switched to Sayerlack® RD Acrylic Polyurethane as a result of Scott and Curt’s line review, they found the cracking issue was also resolved.

“We’ve been running products down to 35 degrees below zero with good results. We’ve had no issues with the coatings, no cracking and no shattering,” Scott Brasher said. “We’re creating a new industry standard for testing capabilities in this regard.”

FAST TURNAROUND REDUCES INVENTORY

An added bonus is that, with a Sherwin-Williams facility about an hour from Tiffin Motorhomes’ facility, the company can issue a purchase order and get next-day delivery.

“We don’t need as much inventory on hand, and we appreciate the color matching,” Van said. He noted Curt regularly shows new colors and trends, and Tiffin Motorhomes has already adopted several of the new colors.

Providing answers to existing production issues while looking toward the future has allowed Tiffin Motorhomes to do what it does best.

Technical Support

Tiffin Motorhomes relied on Sherwin-Williams for support when it came to auditing their finishing line and recommending how to improve throughput.. Through our technical service support, we're committed to helping our customers operate more productively.

Learn More

Product Solutions

To resolve cracking issues with cabinets and millwork in their vehicles, Tiffin Motorhomes relies on our proven product solutions, including Sayerlack RD. Check out our full product lineup. You may just find the right solution to your biggest finishing challenges.

Learn More

Local Service

With a Sherwin-Williams blending facility about an hour from Tiffin Motorhomes’ facility, the company can issue a purchase order and get next-day delivery. With a facility network that spans North America, we're committed to getting our customers what they need, when they need it.

Locate a Facility

Skip carousel content

Media Center