In the spring of 2009, Ron Nash saw an opportunity with the closing and bankruptcy of Fleetwood Enterprises Inc. and bought the assets of the company he had previously worked for. At the former Fleetwood plant, at 62582 Pierce Road in La Grande, he started Outdoors RV manufacturing, and for the last 10 years the company has been making premium hitch-on trailers based on Nash’s vision of providing quality four-season RVs for the rugged Pacific Northwest. To celebrate, Outdoors RV are releasing a new line of Anniversary Edition trailers. 

Outdoors RV’s sales and product manager, Darin Nelson, had been a Fleetwood employee, and he has been with Outdoors RV since the beginning. 

Recalling his start at Outdoors RV, Nelson said, “Ron sat me down, and when I asked what direction he would like me to take, he said, ‘We don’t build junk,’ and it’s been that way ever since.” 

When Nelson compares his previous and current employers, he said has found pride in the work he does now, building and manufacturing top-of-the-line RVs. 

“A lot of the work at Fleetwood was based on the numbers,” Nelson said. “Here it is focused on providing what is best for the customers.” 

In order to achieve this goal, Outdoors RV spends more money purchasing better materials. While this ends up costing customers more money, the trailers they buy last longer and work better, according to Nelson. This was part of what Nash wanted when he started the company. 

“There is a customer out there looking for something that is better made,” Nelson said. 

The other part of Nash’s vision, Nelson said, was listening to what customers want. The manufacturing plant gives tours of the facility daily, providing potential customers the opportunity to give input on what they are looking for in an RV.

“We want to show you all of the elements,” Nelson said. “We are proud of what we are building.” 

Because of that, he said, the company creates trailers that have been selling out since the beginning. 

“Business isn’t rocket science,” Nelson said. “Just listen to the customers.” 

Employees have a hand on every element of the RV along the production line, from building the walls and framework to installing furniture and fixtures. Outdoors RV employs around 200 people from the local community, and all the units are built here. As part of the process, the trailers are tested for quality and function. 

Most of the materials come from the United States and Canada. While Nelson said some components you just can’t get made in America, everything the company can get, it will. He said this helps ensure the quality of the trailer because the company isn’t looking to cut costs through buying inferior products from overseas. 

Once a unit has been tested for quality and reliability, and it passes all of the inspections, it is shipped off to dealers in the Northwest. The closest local dealer is in Pendleton. 

After Ron Nash passed away in August, his wife, Sherry Nash, took over the company. Like many of the employees of Outdoors RV, she lives in La Grande. Nelson said it is great that so many employees are local because it helps keep the money in the local economy. 

In celebrating Outdoors RV’s 10th anniversary, the company has developed a new line of trailers, acknowledging the milestone on the inside and outside. The plant began building the line in September, and once the trailers are completed in October that line’s design will not be built again. The units have special features including new graphics, fiberglass front tops and a new auto leveling system that will be standard in all the company’s anniversary trailers.

“We are looking forward to the next 10 years,” Nelson said.