RE: Coleman: Goodby Fleetwood, Hello...?

[Gone-Camping]

 
From www.rvbusiness.com website....
 
 RV Business
 Monday, July 21, 2003
 
 The Coleman Co. is seeking a new manufacturer to build RV products that carry the Coleman brand name because it has terminated the licensing agreement that allowed Fleetwood Enterprises Inc. to build folding campers, hybrid trailers and related parts and accessories for sale under the Coleman brand name for 14 years, Coleman announced today (July 21).
 
 Coleman?s statement appears at odds with the statement issued by Fleetwood last Thursday (July 17), which described the dispute between the two companies, but which also reported that Fleetwood wants a trial to resolve the matter.
 
 However, in its statement issued today, Coleman reported that it terminated its agreement with Fleetwood effective May 12 because of ?numerous performance issues in breach of the licensing agreement, including but not limited to: Fleetwood?s failure to submit products to Coleman for approval; Fleetwood selling products in countries it was not approved to sell in and Fleetwood selling Coleman-branded products not covered by the licensing agreement.?
 
 Both companies reported the filing of lawsuits and counter suits against each other, but Coleman also reported that the Sedgwick (Kansas) County District Court ruled on July 11 that ?FFT (Fleetwood Folding Trailers) has not established any right allowing it to continue the use of Coleman?s name and trademarks following Coleman?s (license) termination (on May 12).?
 
 The court ?left open for later decision the issue of equitable relief and monetary damages,? Coleman added.
 

[kathybrj]

 Gone-Camping
Can t say I m surprised myself. It was bound to happen.

[Campntime]

 Gone-Camping
Wow...did not know this was going on.  Sitting here wondering what this means for resale value of Fleetwood mfg. Coleman s on down the road?

[brainpause]

 Gone-Camping
May 12, 2003 or 2004? Hmmmm....

[brainpause]

 Gone-Camping
Sounds like it was a retroactive termination, so it would be May 12, 2003.
 
 Hmmmmm........an interesting turn of events.
 
 Larry

[Jeffrey]

 Gone-Camping
Wow is right.

[Tim5055]

 Gone-Camping
Very interesting...
 
 If (and that is a big if) they do pull the agreement I wonder who would be responsible for the warranty of previously buile/sold units.
 
 I would assume FFT
 
 My gut feeling is that they will eventually kiss and make up.

[whitestar505]

 tim5055
tim5055,
 
    With a 2003 unit, I hope so.... I had a feeling it was coming the way that things were being builded at Fleetwood.

[tlhdoc]

 Gone-Camping
This makes me very happy.  I am so happy I could sing.  It will be interesting to see how this all ends.[]

[birol]

 Gone-Camping
Yessssssssssssssssssssssssss ! At last somebody cares about their name s reputation !!!!! Good for Coleman ! Good riddence Fleetwood !
 
 
 DO I let people know my feelings easily ? I guss not [8D]

[Preacher]

 Gone-Camping
Looks like it is going to get messy.  This is taken from today s (7/22) rvbusiness .com.
 
 BREAKING NEWS
 Fleetwood to Keep Building Coleman Units
 
 Jeff Kurowski
 RV Business
 Tuesday, July 22, 2003
 
 Fleetwood Enterprises Inc. announced late Monday (July 21) that it will continue building Coleman-brand folding campers and hybrid travel trailers until its legal dispute with The Coleman Co. is resolved by a trial, perhaps next year.
 
 Fleetwood issued its statement in response to a news release Coleman issued Monday afternoon that it was looking to find another RV manufacturer that would build Coleman-brand units as a licensee.
 
 However, Fleetwood replied that it would ?vigorously assert its claims, including its right to use the Coleman name and logo, as well as its claim that Coleman does not have the right to license other RV manufacturers to use the Coleman name.?
 
 Fleetwood added that it would ?take all appropriate legal action against any other RV manufacturer that may attempt to license the Coleman name until the issues between Fleetwood and Coleman are properly resolved.?
 
 Fleetwood has built Coleman-brand folding campers since 1989, when Fleetwood acquired that right from Coleman, now a unit of American Household Inc., the successor to home appliance manufacturer Sunbeam.
 
 However, Coleman terminated its licensing agreement with Fleetwood on May 12 for breaches including failure to submit products to Coleman for approval and selling Coleman-branded products not covered by the licensing agreement.
 
 Fleetwood believes Coleman took out of context a quote from a Kansas state court judge?s recent ruling in the case. Fleetwood believes the judge ?denied both sides? requests for injunctions, including Coleman?s request for an order that Fleetwood cease any further use of the Coleman name and logo.
 
 ?Instead, the judge ruled that the parties? rights and obligations should be resolved at a future trial,? according to Fleetwood.
 
 

[birol]

 Gone-Camping
Some lawyers  are going to be able to afford that 1.2 Million $ RV/yacht AB was talking about !

[Jeffrey]

 Gone-Camping
It will be interesting to watch......
 
 With FW s market share ya know they would just re-name their products.
 They are the only manuf. that could build the volume they do, And with the huge number of dealers. Of course the dealers would stick with FW their just too big to turn on.
 
 So if Coleman does do this, they will become a tiny little company like the rest of them. And have to start all over setting up a network of dealers. Unless one of the smaller companies decides to re-label their whole line?
 
 I guess I d be really suprised if this happens too.[&:]

[birol]

 Gone-Camping
How about Viking or Forestriver (or any other biggie) changing their name  and producing Colemans if they are allowed to ? Would that not be almost he same clout FW has ?

[Jeffrey]

 Gone-Camping

How about Viking or Forestriver (or any other biggie) changing their name and producing Colemans if they are allowed to ? Would that not be almost he same clout FW has ?  

 
 IMO, No. FW is big in all types of RV s Most Dealers need everything, TT, MH, etc..
 Not just PU s, besides they have a huge share of the PU market, nobody else is even close.

How about Viking or Forestriver (or any other biggie) changing their name and producing Colemans if they are allowed to ? Would that not be almost he same clout FW has ?