I cannot find any info stateside of US Winnebago's offshoring of their company into Australia, even though it apparently has been in the works for a couple of years now.
Wonder how Iowans will feel about all the tax breaks they've provided in the past to keep this company within their borders when this move becomes public knowledge here.
NewsW wrote: Had the name been legitimately used in Australia (and clearly not representing themselves as in any way affiliated with Winnebago USA, they COULD have argued that the term Winnebago is generic, such as the term "Scotch tape" and therefore, is no longer a brand, but a reference.
They did not associate themselves as part of Winnebago US.They had the name registered in Australia.
Quote:
Mission Statement
To be an Australian company of world class standard manufacturing quality Recreational Vehicles that provide our customers with value for money, to develop the skills of our employees and to reward our dealers for their investment in the industry.
The Story of Winnebago IndustriesWinnebago Australian Owned
Winnebago Industries is the largest Motorhome Manufacturer in Australia.
The roots of Winnebago Industries go back to 1965, with the formation of Freeway. Bruce Binns, with the assistance of his wife Ruth, introduced the first Freeway slide on camper to Australia. They progressed with the Freeway name producing motorhomes, caravans and tent trailers.
In 1977, FREEWAY CAMPER COMPANY name was changed to WINNEBAGO INDUSTRIES, concentrating only on motorhomes and slide ons.
In 1988, Winnebago Industries moved from Smithfield, New South Wales (NSW) to Wetherill Park NSW. Over the course of 10 years, Winnebago Industries grew from producing in one factory to four factories, concentrating solely on motorhomes.
The range- Freeway Explorer (Blaxland, Lawson and Wentworth), Wanderer and Chinook. Today Winnebago Industries motorhome range includes Classic, Menindee, Longreach, Esperance, Birdsville Elite and Birdsville - more than 70 models in total.
In 2000, Winnebago Industries purchased a 4 hectare (10acre) block of land at Emu Plains NSW. By January 2001, Winnebago Industries settled into their new premises.
In 2010 Winnebago entered into the Campervan market with the Escape and Diversion models.
We at Winnebago Industries are committed to providing high quality, sleek style, efficient designs and the best value motorhomes you will find in Australia. Currently Winnebago Industries employees over 190 dedicated workers who produce approximately 600 Winnebago RVs per year. We currently have fourteen Dealers in our network of Dealers throughout Australia and New Zealand.
We have decades of experience in our field, and will continue to grow and strive for many future successes.
burlmart wrote: I cannot find any info stateside of US Winnebago's offshoring of their company into Australia, even though it apparently has been in the works for a couple of years now.
I doubt it is going to be so simple for Winnebago US, winning a name change maybe the simplest part of all of this.
Recently saw a movie where an adopted woman’s widowed mother dies leaving her the apparent sole heir to the house.
She spends great effort and builds it into a successful small bed and breakfast.
At this point, a heretofor unknown step brother (who watched the progress of the B&B from a distance) steps in with documentation stating he has sole claim to the property.
AU Winnie has built a company brand of high reputation for decades now, while US Winnie has idly observed events from afar should they one day seek to attempt to capitalize on their hard-won efforts.
I hope like hell that they cannot and will not. Justice here demands a partnership.
Here is what the Aussie "Weeniebagooo" said in an ad:
Quote: an advertisement placed in 1995 by Knott claimed: “You’d expect nothing less from Winnebago, the world’s most respected name in luxury motorhomes”.
Furthermore, there is a finding of fact in an Australian Court (with jurisdiction that:
Quote: Justice Foster concluded the Australian companies would be required to delete the term ‘Winnebago’ from their business brands.
RobertRyan wrote:
NewsW wrote: Had the name been legitimately used in Australia (and clearly not representing themselves as in any way affiliated with Winnebago USA, they COULD have argued that the term Winnebago is generic, such as the term "Scotch tape" and therefore, is no longer a brand, but a reference.
They did not associate themselves as part of Winnebago US.They had the name registered in Australia.
Quote:
Mission Statement
To be an Australian company of world class standard manufacturing quality Recreational Vehicles that provide our customers with value for money, to develop the skills of our employees and to reward our dealers for their investment in the industry.
The Story of Winnebago IndustriesWinnebago Australian Owned
Winnebago Industries is the largest Motorhome Manufacturer in Australia.
The roots of Winnebago Industries go back to 1965, with the formation of Freeway. Bruce Binns, with the assistance of his wife Ruth, introduced the first Freeway slide on camper to Australia. They progressed with the Freeway name producing motorhomes, caravans and tent trailers.
In 1977, FREEWAY CAMPER COMPANY name was changed to WINNEBAGO INDUSTRIES, concentrating only on motorhomes and slide ons.
In 1988, Winnebago Industries moved from Smithfield, New South Wales (NSW) to Wetherill Park NSW. Over the course of 10 years, Winnebago Industries grew from producing in one factory to four factories, concentrating solely on motorhomes.
The range- Freeway Explorer (Blaxland, Lawson and Wentworth), Wanderer and Chinook. Today Winnebago Industries motorhome range includes Classic, Menindee, Longreach, Esperance, Birdsville Elite and Birdsville - more than 70 models in total.
In 2000, Winnebago Industries purchased a 4 hectare (10acre) block of land at Emu Plains NSW. By January 2001, Winnebago Industries settled into their new premises.
In 2010 Winnebago entered into the Campervan market with the Escape and Diversion models.
We at Winnebago Industries are committed to providing high quality, sleek style, efficient designs and the best value motorhomes you will find in Australia. Currently Winnebago Industries employees over 190 dedicated workers who produce approximately 600 Winnebago RVs per year. We currently have fourteen Dealers in our network of Dealers throughout Australia and New Zealand.
We have decades of experience in our field, and will continue to grow and strive for many future successes.
An Australian company loses in an Australian court.
burlmart wrote: AU Winnie has built a company brand of high reputation for decades now, while US Winnie has idly observed events from afar should they one day seek to attempt to capitalize on their hard-won efforts.
I hope like hell that they cannot and will not. Justice here demands a partnership.
100% agree. A lot of people here think they same thing. What it has achieved is bad publicity for US Winnebago, not the sort of thing you want if you are trying to enter a market.
Quote: The US company did not discover the copycat business until 1985, at which point it decided it was too complicated to chase Mr Binns, and hoped he would eventually go broke.
But Mr Binns's company, Knott Investments, thrived to the point where it today employs 190 manufacturing workers.
Mr Binns negotiated a truce with Winnebago in 1992, with the US company agreeing not to sue him in the US courts so long as his business remained in Australia and he did not register the US trademarks as his own. Knott registered the logo in Australia as its own. In the meantime, Winnebago's Iowa headquarters has been receiving a stream of complaints from Mr Binns's Australian customers who wrongly believed the two enterprises were linked.
Quote: RV (or Winnebago)
The name Winnebago is a brand name but it is used synonymously with RV just as many people say "Hoover" when they mean any vacuum cleaner. An RV is basically a motorhome but because the term RV is largely used in te USA, and because motorhomes in the USA are generally a lot larger than in Europe, an RV is generally a very large motorhome. See Silverstream American Motorhome Hire for examples.
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