In most RV campgrounds today it’s common to see a myriad of RVs being leveled using pieces of wood, big stones or other things that can be found around the campsite. While these objects may “do the job” of leveling an RV in a pinch, they are far from perfect and, in some cases, are actually dangerous.
Enter Tri-Lynx Corp. Co-founded in 1992 by Reg Funk, Tri-Lynx specializes in RV leveling blocks and related accessories.
As Lance Colak, director of marketing for Tri-Lynx explains, the key reason for the company’s founding came down to the realization that there was a need for a product to level RVs without having to rely on stones, planks of wood and other jerry-rigged items.
“To be honest, those are still some of our biggest competitors – planks of wood and other things that RV owners use for leveling,” says Colak.
Considered to be the “first of its kind,” nearly 30 years ago, Tri-Lynx was the original RV leveling block on the market, according to Colak. The brightly colored iridescent orange blocks – which are considered the company’s signature mark – made their debut with Coast Distribution.
Within a short period of time, Tri-Lynx became a core product within the RV stabilization category – thanks in part to Funk’s presence on the trade show circuit and his efforts to directly connect with as many RV aficionados as possible, according to Colak. Funk’s marketing efforts significantly impacted Tri-Lynx’s presence in the marketplace and helped put the company on the proverbial map, he adds.
With 17 years under his belt at Tri-Lynx, Colak says he was profoundly influenced by Funk, who passed away unexpectedly in 2019. Currently, Colak runs the day-to-day operations and handles the company’s ever-growing marketing opportunities.
Company’s Success Built on Levelers
The manufacturing of Tri-Lynx leveling products takes place in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. And while Tri-Lynx’s product line has expanded over the years to include such things as the Lynx Stay-Put Hanger and the Lynx Work Rite Lite, the company’s core focus continues to be on levelers and stabilizers.
“We’ve worked in the same category for pretty much our entire company history,” Colak says. “A typical product lifecycle is about seven years before it’s retired, but our product has grown for 29 years. We still continue to see record growth – and it’s because our products last a long time. In fact, the strength of the science of our products has shown over time. In addition, people love our brand. And they love the color. It stands out and is easily recognizable.”
Indeed, visitors to campgrounds today are bound to see the iridescent orange Tri-Lynx levelers underneath a variety of travel trailers as well as many motorhomes, thanks to the levelers’ ability to hold enormous amounts of weight, up to 40,000 pounds.
In addition to consumers being drawn to Tri-Lynx being made in America, the longevity of the product’s quality speaks volumes to Colak and his team.
“We get calls from people who still have the original product that they purchased 20 years ago. Being made in America, with American engineering and design, speaks volumes. That’s not knocking items that are made overseas – it’s just that there’s a level of quality that comes with products being made in America,” Colak says. “Not everyone can say that.”
To stress that aspect of the Tri-Lynx brand, Colak recently changed the company’s product descriptor from “Made in the U.S.A.” to “Always Made in the U.S.A” specifically for the company’s leveling products.
In addition to the being proud of the “Made in the U.S.A” label, Colak also is extremely happy with the number of positive reviews the company continually receives online.
“The reviews say a lot about the long-term viability of the product and that consumers are buying our leveling systems more or less for life,” he says.
The Tri-Lynx products come with a 10-year warranty, which adds to the consumer confidence level of their products, according to Colak. He says the Tri-Lynx team determined the 10-year warranty was apropos after reviewing the data, including the number of annual returns the company receives each year.
“We aren’t saying we are perfect, but with the 10-year warranty, it is one of the key factors why many consumers are choosing our products over our competitors,” he adds.
Leveling Blocks Simple to Use
The core facet of the Tri-Lynx leveling blocks and leveling systems is simplicity.
“The interlocking design means that the first block is an inch-and-a-half high, the second layer becomes 2.5 inches, and it can go up from there,” Colak says. “We don’t recommend going more than 5 inches high, as you don’t want to be off the ground. If you are more than 5 inches, you should probably find a better spot.”
For retailers working with consumers interested in Tri-Lynx, the 10-pack is the company’s bread-and-butter product. Lynx Levelers 10 Pack include a set of interlocking plastic blocks that configure to fit any leveling function and withstand significant weight. The 10 Lynx Levelers come with a heavy-duty blue nylon storage case.
Although the Lynx Levelers 10 Pack is the company’s best-selling product, the Lynx Stop N’ Chock is not far behind. As Colak explains, this product was introduced in 2002 to enable people to use the chock to indicate the point that they need to stop.
“This product allows people – especially those who are by themselves – to level their vehicles or trailer on their own,” he says. “We are also seeing a significant increase in sales on our Lynx Chock ’R Dock product, which is exciting.”
Meanwhile, Colak is eager to introduce the company’s newest product: The Lynx Boat trailer pack, which is ideal for consumers e looking to secure their boat and get it off the ground. The boat trailer pack includes four Lynx levelers and two Chock ’R Dock, one of which goes under the wheel and the other one goes under the trailer hitch.
“This past year, the RV industry has become so popular as people are finding new, safer alternatives to travel. Because of this momentum, we came up with different combination packs of our levelers to make it easier for RV dealers,” Colak says. “Each combination pack is housed in the Lynx Blue Bag, which itself has become a favorite among RV customers who love the durability g of the bag. In fact, it’s become so popular that we now sell the bag on its own, as many customers want to use the extra bags for storage of other travel items.”
Reaching Customers Through Social Media
In today’s highly competitive marketplace, companies are vying a for consumers’ attention by expanding their community outreach. To achieve this, many are turning to social media platforms to connect with potential consumers – and Tri-Lynx is no exception.
“There is such a versatile mix of people who have a need for and interest in our product – from small travel trailers to RVs to food trucks to expedition trucks that go off-roading,” Colak says. To further gauge interest in its products, Tri-Lynx introduced a social media marketing technique across the company’s social media presence called, “Lynx in the Wild.” Customers can post various picturesque photos of their recreational vehicles using Tri-Lynx products.
“Some of these images look like we’ve hired a professional photographer to go to a beach or a mountain to shoot our products,” Colak says.
One unique potential customer opportunity for Tri-Lynx falls within the food truck industry. That’s because many appliances, including stoves and refrigerators, can stop working if they are off-level.
“I had a neighbor who was a brand new RVer, and she went out with her RV and found that the refrigerator wouldn’t work within the RV, so I gave them some Tri-Lynx blocks to stabilize it and she leveled it off and everything began working again,” Colak says. “These are real-life, practical examples of what our product can do.”
In addition to using social media to connect with customers, Tri-Lynx also features a unique blog on the company website. The blog focuses on all aspects of RV travel including innovative camper transformations, eco-friendly RV ideas and even how to host a Christmas dinner in an RV.
“At the end of the day, we just hope visitors read the blog and get some knowledge about traveling in an RV or with a travel trailer and then they are reminded of us,” Colak says. “There are only so many ways you can talk about leveling, so it is it fun to incorporate different content into our blog that shows all facets of the industry and different topics and areas that are just fun and unique.”
– Story by Maura Keller