Show f X I j 3 r l lT ji i r T y ra j 4 r S 'S 4 i w i i r r 1 M I THE L M TRAILER MANUFACTURING COMPANY PLANT II LM Trailer shows steady gain j I ROADRUNNER That's ROADRUNNER That's the trailer house weve we've been hearing hearing hearing hear hear- I ing so much about these days This comment by a friend In ln Provo reflects the increased y attention that Is being focused on Ephraim's own product made at the LM Trailer Manufacturing Manufacturing Manufacturing Man Man- Company Notice of the varied styles and sizes of Roadrunner coaches i Is Increasing steadily In the Intermountain area and the company Is gaining recognition I from national sources as well I A deluxe foot 28 Roadrunner President was taken for a test I trip through Utah's Icy weather t last winter and Into Arizona's sunshine by lance free-lance travel 1 critic Max Todd and Mrs Todd I His conclusions were printed 1 in the nation travel magazine I Trailer Travel for June 1971 Commenting on the flawless tracking capabilities f ties of the Roadrunner President President President dent the exceptionally good braking balance and the fine quality workmanship and finishing finishing finishing finish finish- ing that goes Into the coaches manufactured In Ephraim Mr j Todd concluded his article with the statement We found It Ita ita ita J a trailer that can really do what It is supposed to do It I proved a useful blend of mobile mobilehome mobilehome home spaciousness and travel trailer readability t f A recent visit through the theLM theLM LM Trailer Company took most of one morning Begin Begin- ning with an interview with the company's enthusiastic president Harry Mosher who Is something of a philosopher as well as an able executive and very capable In camper- camper trailer manufacturing we learned something about the thebe- thebe be beginnings beginnings be- be ginnings of ot what is now a multimillion multimillion multi multi- million dollar Industry in Sanpete San San- pete Harry came to Ephraim without without without with with- out much more than a up pick-up truck a lot of ot know-how know and anda a realization that America wason was wason wason on the move and needed something something something some some- thing to make their travel more pleasant Former Ephraim Mayor Calvert Larson remembers remembers remembers bers when Harry came to town and recalls that he was impressed impressed impressed im im- im- im pressed with Harrys Harry's honesty Harry gives Mr Larson a lotof lotof lot lotof of credit for his raim and recalls that the farsightedness farsightedness farsightedness far far- sightedness and confidence of the then Mayor Larson gave him the break that was needed to establish what has become one of the nations nation's fastest growing growing growing grow grow- ing trailer Industry Begun in 1961 in what had been the Ephraim Pea Cannery LM Trailers has Just completed completed completed com com- the biggest payroll quarter quarter quarter ter since Its beginning with gross payroll checks to employees employees employees em em- working In the Ephraim plant totaling over more morein morein morein in the second quarter of 1971 than the previous quarter Gross payroll checks for the second quarter totaled compared with for the first The company employs persons from all over Sanpete Sanpete Sanpete San San- pete County during the peak season and schedules Its operation operation operation oper oper- so that employees not needed during the slow season may participate In other season work In the area As fine a group of people who have been assembled In business for many years Is the expression of Mr Mosher when asked about his employees Proud to tobe be able to hire certain handicapped per persons sons for specific Jobs we were told that race or creed were not determining factors for em em- A very definite re requirement requirement requirement re- re though was that the company be represented hon hon- estly Mr Mosher believes that there is no way of standing still Expansion of f the company company company com com- pany a few years ago when it was sold to the Di Giorgio Corporation was needed to keep keepit it growing and developing When LM merged with the larger company their assets were such that they could choose the company that bought them In existence since 1904 the DiGiorgio DiGiorgio Di- Di Giorgio Corporation began asa as asa asa a farming company and since 1921 has greatly diversified its operation Picked from among six buyers who wished to pick up the Ephraim plant t 4 DiGiorgio was chosen because of its long record of stability and its philosophy of manage manage- ment Since the merger LM has been able to expand and improve and neither company has been disappointed Reputed to be the most self self- contained factory west of the Mississippi as much of the productIon production production pro pro- as Is possible is carried on Inside the factory When certain products cannot be bought or manufactured in Sanpete Sanpete Sanpete San San- pete they are purchased from Utah companies when available Some supplies of necessity come from other areas Pre- Pre finished steel sheathing Is purchased purchased purchased pur pur- chased in large rolls and is crimped and cut to size by Hanson Sheet Metal Company In Mt Pleasant Two mills at the plant turn o out oat t pre-cut pre wooden pieces that are assembled assembled assembled assem assem- bled Into sections that fit tit ex exactly exactly ex- ex where they will be placed in the frame of the coaches Of particular Interest was the factory where straw like bundles bundles bundles bun bun- of glass fiber-glass are chewed up and sprayed with a resin base over smoothly sanded and painted wooden forms to make storage units We were warned not to stop too long In the fiberglass area or we might stick fast to the floor On through the assembly line we saw Boyd Decker rolling glued linoleum in place on the trailer bed Walls and ceilings II were put together then insulated insulat insulat- ed and covered with siding and then raised to their place where they are secured and the Joints lapped and riveted to keep them waterproof Only first class fixtures go into the trailers and all of the cabinet work is done In the factory Huge presses hold wood pieces together for tor gluing and from there they go to the paint shop for durable finishes on the cabinet doors and drawer fronts as they are made Ecology and economy conscious the plant has a motto that nothing Is leftover leftover left leftover over but the knotholes and saw saw- dust This policy along with newer and better ways of doing things has helped to keep prices inline in inline line Une with only two five live per cent Increases In the more than 10 years the plant has been in Ephraim We were at the end of the route looking at a trailer that was all finished but the curtains curtains curtains cur cur- and Dick Bailey invited us to com come over v lo j to one outside that was ready for shipping While we were talking they came and took the finished coach and loaded It on a truck Such is the operation down west of Ephraim They have to keep those trailers moving and still the demand for this fine quality mobile unit Increases |