On Friday, spectators, members of the press and production workers gathered around the bay doors of Ember RV’s new facility here in a ribbon-cutting ceremony that celebrated the official launch of the first unit to leave the production floor.
In the background, construction loomed, a sign of growth to come.
Earlier this year, the brand-new RV manufacturer announced plans to invest $4 million in an 87,750-square-foot-facility on a 15-acre plot of land in Bristol’s Commerce Park. Additionally, the Indiana Economic Development Corp. (IEDC) offered $1 million in tax credits on the condition that Ember RV fulfill its promise of creating 150 new jobs by 2023. It’s a big step forward for a company that was previously operating in an 18,000-square-foot warehouse and dreaming up designs and prototypes.
Ember RV is the first woman-owned and operated RV manufacturer in Bristol thanks to Ashley Bontrager Lehman, granddaughter of Jayco founders Lloyd and Bertha Bontrager. Standing with the rest of the “ACES” team, Vice President and COO Chris Barth and Operations Directors Steve Delagrange and Ernie Miller, Lehman spoke of the future and congratulated the production team on their hard work, dedication, and effort that helped make Ember RV’s dream come to life.
After the ribbon was cut, the bay doors opened and Ember RV’s first trailer, a product of the company’s 2022 Overland Series, emerged amongst the backdrop of Michael Buffer’s iconic “Let’s Get Ready to Rumble” and a roar of clapping and applause.
Lehman ceremoniously handed the keys of over to David Haylett, owner of Haylett Auto & RV Supercenter in Coldwater, Mich., who had received the honor of becoming Ember RV’s very first dealer.
“Josh the RV Nerd”, famous for his “Haylett Auto Reviews” and social media presence, had been building suspense in the days and moments prior to the event. “Today Is The Day!!” he posted on Facebook about 30 minutes prior the ribbon-cutting, “Not going to lie … It’s really, really fun being the THE first dealer of this exciting new offering!!”
He promised fans and followers that videos, specs, details, and pricing would soon be made available.
Before awarding all those in attendance with burgers and lunch, Lehman insisted on a group photo and prompted everyone to pose with an index finger raised in the air, signifying the company’s intention on being No. 1 in the industry.
As Lehman explained after most of those in attendance filed off to the mezzanine to enjoy their free lunch, “I always wanted to lead a company that I would want to work for.”
Afterward, several of Ember’s RV’s workers took to social media to brag about being a part of a hand-picked team that assisted in producing the company’s first RV unit, and some posted videos of the event accompanied with the hashtags “weareember” and “letsglow”.
Indiana State Representative Joanna King, who was also in attendance for the ribbon-cutting ceremony, later took to social media to express her excitement.
“Congratulations Ember RV on your grand opening,” King posted, “It’s pretty exciting to witness the very first RV leaving the plant today. ACES are growing this start up RV company in my district and I’m especially proud of Ashley Lehman co-owner of the very first woman founded RV company in Indiana.”
“The RV Industry is near and dear to my heart,” said Lehman in an interview after the event, “I grew up around the industry. I love the energy. I love the people of the industry. It just made sense that I get involved in a start-up in this industry.”
When asked what Ember RV offered to consumers that other RV companies did not, Lehman said, “With our first product line offerings – our Overland Series and our Overland Micro Series – we really drew on a lot of inspiration not only from what we’re seeing in the RV industry in Australia and Europe but also from what we’re seeing as a growing trend here in the states and in North America for adventure campers.”
Lehman added that consumers have been expressing a desire to transition away from the traditional RV parks.
“People are wanting to go more off road and off-grid,” she said. Because of this, Ember RV’s new product lines intend to expand on the capabilities of the standard, conventional recreational vehicle. “We started with a stronger foundation and an independent suspension that helps them go off-road, and then, we pair it with things like a max solar package and enlarged tank storage so they can stay off-grid for longer periods of time.”
While the company strives to be inventive and provide new elements, Lehman said the RV maker is not eliminating comforts or necessities.
“We thought outside of the box,” she said, “but some of the features are things we just know the RV customer is always looking for and need when they go camping.
“I always wanted to lead a company that I would want to buy from,” she added. “This is a big day for us here at Ember.”
– Amber Mahaffey