Winnebago is offering free tours of its RV manufacturing facilities daily throughout the summer.
Factory tours of the Forest City, Iowa, facility, where its Class A and C motorhomes are built, are Monday through Friday at noon, as well as at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Tours of its Lake Mills facility, where some of its camper vans are built, are Monday and Wednesday at 9:30 am. All tours originate at the Winnebago Industries Visitors Center and last approximately two hours.
Visitors touring the Forest City facility first visit the company’s Stitchcraft facility, where all soft goods for production (seats, cushions, draperies, shades, mattresses, bedspreads and trim panels) are made. Visitors also see key machines used in the manufacturing process, like an embroidery machine and water jet machine that cuts rubber for steps, vinyl flooring, luan for headliners and other items with high pressure water.
After Stitchcraft, there is a driving tour of other key buildings on campus – such as its Warehouse, Shipout and Metal Stamp/Chassis Weld areas. The final part of the tour is the main assembly facility where Winnebago motorhomes come together thanks to the support areas featured earlier in the tour. This facility has two production lines, similar to automotive assembly lines. Visitors will see the magnitude of this building thanks to mezzanines that provide a bird’s eye view.
In Lake Mills, a walking tour of the facility shows the complete built process from the chassis coming in the building and through the shipping process.
Reservations are recommended for both the Forest City and Lake Mills tours. Please call 641-585-6936 to assure there is space available on the tour. The Visitors Center is accessible to those with disabilities, however the factory tour does include staircases, significant walking and standing. Closed toe shoes are required, and you must be 16 years old to go on the tour. Visitors can also watch a virtual factory tour at the Visitors Center if that’s preferred.
For more information, visit: https://winnebago.com/discover/factory-tours.
