As an example of the terrible toll the economic downturn has taken on the industry, Hi-Lo Trailer closed its doors a few days ago.
Hi-Lo was famous for its unusual style of RV — a telescoping travel trailer. The top fit over the lower portion. While traveling, this made for a compact trailer with a low center of gravity. Not only was this safer to tow, but the hard sides made it possible to camp in the winter as well.
While camping, the top locked in the raised position with an automatic hydraulic system.
Hi-Lo Trailer Co. Inc. was in Belleville, Ohio. It was founded in 1955. The end of the company was announced in a July 6 letter to Hi-Lo dealers from company President Jim Beveridge.
Beveredige said shareholders ”have voted to liquidate the assets of the corporation and dissolve same, effective immediately.”
”In light of the current economic situation and the downturn in sales of recreational vehicles, Hi-Lo Trailer can no longer continue to operate,” the letter said.
The announcement came as a surprise to many. Late last year, the company announced that it had streamlined its 2010 product lineup to include four floorplans based on the Hi-Lo Classic. This implied that the company was surviving the recession.
