SHARKreational Vehicle trailer keeps HUDSON Boat Works moving forward

Trailers can not only improvethe functionality of a business and benefitan industry, but in the case of HUDSON Boat Works, a trailer can also raisethe profile of both your business and your industry.

“Our trailer – or SHARKreational Vehicle, as we call it –has now become identifiable that if there is a major regatta, we are there,”said Matt Muffelman, Atlantic Sales Manager at HUDSON Boat Works. “And itactually goes conversely. Any regatta where we put the trailer people begin toassume that it's a major event, so we’ve been able to influence the marketthrough its presence.”

HUDSON Boat Works has a rich history of producing cutting-edgerowing shells since the 1980s. In fact, more than 80 medals have been won atthe Olympic and World Rowing Championships using Hudson boats.

In addition to producing innovative products, the HUDSON team visits high school regattas, community regattas, and large-scale eventsaround the world. Last week, they were at the World Rowing Under 23 Championships in Sarasota, Fla. However, up until recently, their on-site activation hadn’tnecessarily matched the quality of their product.

“For years upon years we just used a 10×10 pop-up tent – throweverything in the back of the truck, unload it, set it up, and keep going backand forth, doing that over and over,” Muffelman explained. “Throughout theyears, when storms or bad weather comes through, it ends up either destroyingthings or getting us wet. We were at the mercy of the elements.”

That all changed when Hudson decided to upgrade theiron-site operations to a trailer. Their technical services manager researchedtrailer companies and landed on Advantage because it met Hudson’s standards forquality.

The 20-foot ATC Quest aluminum trailer with custom cabinets and concession-style doors impacted their business in three key ways: functionally,perceptively, and professionally.

“We’ve been able to make sure that people have better racing,have their shells prepared better,” Muffelman said. “At the same time, itallows us to work harder for longer in the same elements because we have essentiallyalmost a mobile home as opposed to a pop-up tent. It not only represents abetter image and a better job, but as the main employee who works out of it, ithas allowed me to do my job better for longer and stay happier.”

The trailer is divided into two sections with a pocket doorin between. The front half of the trailer serves for marketing and gathering purposes.They invite coaches in, offer them coffee, refreshments, and a chance to escape theelements. The back half is a mobile repair center with all the tools andcomponents to build and repair boats and a custom concession-style door just big enough to slide a boat shell out to a waiting customer.

The latter function has allowed HUDSON to send the traileracross the country in between regattas to help teams and clubs that don’t havethe means to transport their equipment. The shark trailer can come directly tothose teams to service and repair their boats.

The ability to improve work conditions, scale your business,and raise your profile in the industry is something any business desires, andthis trailer allowed HUDSON Boat Works to do just that. Muffelman sees the needfor Hudson’s operations in Europe, Australia, and other major markets to addtrailers in the near future.

“Everybody has been blown away. Nobody has ever seen somethinglike this before,” Muffelman said. “It was really innovative within theindustry and everybody now associates us with another level of expertise,professionalism, and quality.”

There is no shortage of ways a trailer can impact a businessin any industry. From increasing the product line of a small business to improvingfunctionality and scalability of an established business to deliveringmarketing impact for a large brand, a trailer can be an incredible asset.

How can a trailer be your advantage? Give us a call at630-524-2029 to get the conversation started.