Every adventure should begin with a safe start. At Winnebago Industries, we’re committed to elevating every moment outdoors safely – from design to delivery. As we celebrate National Safety Month, we’re shining a light on the critical role safety plays at every stage of how we bring our products to life. It takes every member of our team—collaborating, sharing ideas and learning from one another—to make safety seamless from concept to customer.
Built smart from the start
Nick Davis, senior manager, Advanced Technology Group (ATG), shares that being mindful of safety early and consistently in the development process is critical, especially when incorporating innovative new technologies. “Utilizing analysis tools, safety procedures and training, and scenario planning for both use and potential misuse allows our development teams to innovate while keeping safety top of mind,” he says.
Customer feedback also plays a key role in blending aesthetics and functionality with safety. “Hands-free calling, blind spot monitoring and collision alerts are great examples of features that drivers enjoy using because of the added confidence and smoother travel they bring, while also helping to provide a safer experience,” Nick says.
Some safety innovations may be less visible but are rooted in understanding how a vehicle or boat performs and how that impacts the customer experience. At Barletta, for example, the team’s award-winning and industry-first center-mounted twin engine not only provides game-changing performance on the water—it also delivers a safer experience for swimming.
No matter the product, every design is reviewed to ensure all safety features comply with industry standards and regulations. But safety isn't just about the customer experience. It directly affects the teams who bring these products to life. “I strive to make our boats as safe and easy to produce as possible for our people on the floor,” explains Josiah Druckenmiller, director of product design at Barletta. “They physically touch every element of that boat. The customer might only interact with the furniture, but the team building it? They interact with everything.”
Austin Silberhorn, vice president of manufacturing at Lithionics, concurs. From the layout of our workstations to the tools and procedures we use, every element is engineered to minimize risk and support safe operations,” he says. “And if there isn’t something already available on the market that can eliminate risk from a certain process, we don’t make excuses, we make it ourselves – from custom testing devices to lifting apparatuses and more.”
Where safety takes shape
“Workplace safety and product safety are deeply connected,” Silberhorn explains. “When we protect our people, we also protect our customers.” Day-to-day safety protocols and procedures help ensure products are made responsibly while protecting employees from common production hazards. Every detail, including protective wear for team members, helps minimize risk.
“When someone walks in, whether they’re new or just unfamiliar with the environment, people will immediately point to their eye gear or head gear with a smile,” says Sean Oberer, director of engineering at Grand Design RV. “It’s a reminder that we’re a team, and we all want to be safe.”
Engineers and production leads use a variety of tools, including risk assessments and compliance reviews, to identify and prevent safety concerns in production processes. One tool is the Product Failure Modes Effects Analysis (PFMEA) being piloted at Newmar. “We’ve used the PFMEA while developing a new production system to determine areas of risk early to eliminate, minimize or contain quality risks internally and prevent those issues from reaching our customers,” shares Bruce Alexander, who is responsible for manufacturing strategy and excellence at the brand.
Newmar is also piloting a manufacturing readiness review process, where a cross-functional team collaborates to understand the new production system design for a new product and solve potential problems before they arise.
Building safety into the adventure
Ensuring products are safe for customers involves checks and reviews at every stage of the process. Individual components – like brakes, electrical systems and appliances – undergo rigorous testing for quality, functionality and adherence to safety specifications. Strict quality control measures are implemented during the assembly process, including the installation of safety features like seat belts and safety barriers. Pre-delivery inspections (PDIs) systematically check every product before final delivery to ensure safety and functionality. These include visual inspections, functional testing and road testing. If issues are found, immediate action is taken, including repairs, adjustments and re-testing.
“By using PDI inspections, we can ensure that safety features are installed and function correctly, providing peace of mind to consumers,” says David Brown, vice president of operations and engineering at Winnebago Motorhome. This dedication to safety creates exceptional products that allow our customers to enjoy unforgettable outdoor experiences safely.
Testing and verification are also the heartbeat of battery system production at Lithionics. “From start to finish, our manufacturing process is centered around verifying that every safety feature performs as intended, under real-world conditions,” says Silberhorn. “Safety is in the details. Whether it’s a small wire harness or a complex battery unit, we combine safety by design with tests and verifications to confirm that every product leaving our floor is as safe as it is powerful.”
Safety in the driver’s seat
Once a product is delivered, our customer service teams step in to provide continued support, helping with warranty and safety concerns to ensure lasting, safe experiences outdoors.
“We monitor warranty claims, dealer tech and customer contacts, internal data, and social media for any potential safety issues,” says Kevin Van Bronkhorst, vice president of customer experience at Winnebago. “We investigate every potential safety incident we are made aware of. The enterprise product safety team leads processes that enable efficient and effective identification, investigation, assessment and resolution of potential safety and compliance issues.”
Education is another key part of customer safety. Customers receive detailed instructions during dealer delivery, along with printed guides, online resources and owner’s manuals to ensure they understand how to operate their product correctly and safely. Newmar’s Customer Academy is a program designed to teach customers how to operate their coaches safely. “Our Customer Academy was a direct result of customer feedback,” explains Simone Silva, Newmar’s vice president of customer experience. “Customers receive a factory tour, classroom sessions and hands-on training during a unique, weeklong experience with us.”
From the initial sketches by our design and engineering teams, to sourcing quality materials through our supply chain, to manufacturing with relentless excellence, to responsive customer service, safety is grounded in every step of the journey. From design to delivery, we are elevating every moment outdoors and enabling our customers to explore the great outdoors safely.