DJ Products, Inc.

The recreational vehicle industry is celebrating its centennial year. It’s been 100 years since Pierce Arrow rolled the first mass-produced RV off the assembly line in 1910. In the past century, RVs have gone from little more than primitive wooden boxes to sleek, luxurious homes packed with compact comfort. After a recession-caused dip in sales, new RV sales started been regaining traction in the last quarter of 2009. RV manufacturers have rehired laid off workers and even increased their workforce which employs more than a quarter million Americans. With the economy recovering and retiring baby boomers flocking to RV shows to indulge their wanderlust, the RV industry is poised to begin its second 100 years stronger than ever.

Big business in the U.S., RVs are an exclusively U.S. product, made by Americans in America. In fact, 60% of RVs are made in the Elkhart, Indiana area. More than 12,000 RV related businesses employing more than a quarter million people serve the RV nation which is growing every year. The Recreation Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA) estimates that one in every dozen U.S. families  — about 8.2 million households — owns an RV and an awful lot of them are travel trailers.

Every time those millions of recreational travel trailers are moved down the assembly line or across the factory floor and out to the storage lot or across a dealer showroom or in and out of a convention center for an RV show or around a repair service yard they have to be hooked up to a vehicle OR you could just use one of DJ Products’ handy TrailerCaddy trailer mover. Designed to maneuver full-size commercial cargo trailers, our versatile, compact, electric-powered trailer mover makes quick work of moving RV travel trailers, 5th wheels, toy haulers, pop-up campers and even RV park models. 

Visit the DJ Products’ website to find out more about our ergonomically-designed electric trailer mover.

The U.S. auto industry is starting to make its comeback. The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded the first loans from the $25-billion Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan Program authorized by Congress to support the U.S. manufacture of energy-efficient cars and automotive components: 

• Ford Motor Co. was granted $5.9 billion to retool factories in Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri and Ohio to manufacture fuel-efficient vehicles.  
• Nissan North America received $1.6 billion to retool its Smyrna, Tennessee manufacturing plant to produce electric vehicles.
• Tesla Motors got $465 million for production of advanced electric vehicles in California.

Other signs of industry recovery include Gestamp Corporation’s $90 million investment in a Chattanooga, Tennessee stamping operation to produce parts for Volkswagen’s new mid-sized sedan, and Ralco Industries’ $6.4 million expansion of its Pontiac, Michigan facility to increase production of welded assemblies  for the auto industry.

It’s a relief to finally see the first twitch of life in the U.S. auto industry. And it’s exciting to see the industry retooling for what promises to be a robust future. But along with forward-thinking changes in their product line, the auto industry should be implementing innovation changes in their production practices. Retooling initiatives should include ergonomic material handling equipment on the assembly line, on plant floors and in factory storage lots to ensure the protection of workers’ health and safety. The workers who made concessions in pay and health benefits to keep the auto companies alive deserve to work in an environment that promotes good health. The citizens who provided the cash that the government is using to fund the loans that are jump-starting new life into the auto industry deserve to know that every possible measure is being taken to create a financially lean manufacturing operation. Ergonomic material handling equipment accomplishes both goals.

Ergonomic equipment like DJ Products’ CarCaddy car and vehicle pusher pushes heavy equipment down an assembly. The CartCaddyLH electric tug can push a vehicle down a rail or be used to push/pull from station to station heavy carts of raw materials or parts weighing 10,000 to 50,000 pounds. The DealerCaddy car and truck pusher easily maneuvers cars and trucks around storage and dealer lots. All DJ Products’ material handling carts and movers are ergonomically designed to prevent expensive and debilitating musculoskeletal injuries. Ergonomic equipment and practices have been proven to cut production time and costs, protect workers’ health and safety, improve worker morale, and significantly reduce the musculoskeletal injury expenses that cost U.S. businesses more than $150 billion each year. Including ergonomics in auto industry retooling efforts just makes sense — for the auto industry, for workers, and for taxpayers.

We admit it isn’t faster that a speeding bullet, and you won’t find leaping tall buildings in the specs; but it can make you feel more powerful than a locomotive. If you’ve ever wanted to flex Superman muscles but your body is more Clark Kent, our incredible TrailerCaddy trailer mover is just what you’ve been looking for. This powerful DJ Products mover turns ordinary workers into Supermen and Superwomen, allowing them to effortlessly transport heavy trailers and vehicles — no tights or capes required!

DJ Products’ versatile TrailerCaddy trailer mover pushes and pulls trailers that require lifting on one end before maneuvering. Heavy equipment trailers, RVs, campers and boats are easily moved down assembly lines, from manufacturing plant to storage lot, across dealer lots, on and off showroom floors, or into position at trade shows — no need to hook up to a truck when you need to move these vehicles short distances, just slide in the TrailerCaddy and a single worker can do the job, effortlessly. Click here to watch a video of DJ Products’ amazing TrailerCaddy in action.

Like all DJ Products powered carts and movers, the TrailerCaddy trailer mover is ergonomically designed to take the strain off workers. The sore backs, strained muscles and exhausting overexertion that plague workers who wrestle with large trailered equipment are eliminated by DJ Products’ ergonomic design features. Any worker of any size or physical ability can easily move trailers, vehicles or equipment using DJ Products’ electric TrailerCaddy trailer mover. Ergonomic design significantly decreases worker injuries and their associated medical, insurance, worker’s compensation and lost man-hour costs, representing a considerable savings to employers.

Less bulky than traditional equipment, DJ Products TrailerCaddy electric trailer movers are sleek, compact and designed to maneuver easily in tight spaces, diminishing potential damage to surrounding parts and equipment when moving bulky vehicles. The ergonomic variable speed twist grip prevents carpal tunnel syndrome while allowing operators instant and complete control over the unit at speeds of 0 to 3 mph in both forward or reverse. A high tech speed controller, neutral throttle braking and electric adjustable acceleration/braking ensure safe operation and maximum operator control of the unit. Click here for complete specs on DJ Products’ TrailerCaddy trailer mover.