Issue link: http://psai.uberflip.com/i/1394762
PSAI Association Insight, July 21, 2021 I 7 came to the conclusion that "The market is not big enough." Bill and JAG became involved with the PSAI and attended Pumper Shows, among others. Their website was ex- tremely well done and effective in market- ing their product line. JAG's innovation, growth and success fueled other man- ufacturers to begin serving our industry. From three or four manufacturers in the mid-1990s, there are roughly eighteen to twenty mobile restroom and related trailer companies in our space today. Phil Dunn with ACSI observes, "With the number of manufacturers at present, some companies have become more regional in terms of sales and marketing." The market for trailers is beginning to mature. What is There About "Manufactured in Indiana?" The only thing more plentiful than Hoosiers in Indiana is trailer and RV manufacturers. Bill Gibson of JAG was kind enough to shed some light on this phenomenon. "Indiana is the home of manufacturers that provide many of the necessary components of restroom trailers, mobile homes, and RVs—air conditioners, axles, sheet metal, and fiberglass." He continues, "As [the number of trailer] manufacturers expand[s], the providers of the basic components move here as well to save on shipping costs." Fun fact—according to Wikipedia, around "85% of the recreational vehicles sold are manufactured in Indiana and roughly two-thirds of that production is in Elkhart County. Elkhart calls itself "the RV Capital of the World." The Largest Restroom Trailer Events Ever (So Far) The Black Tie Products Company was founded in Chicago in 1998 by Dave Bandauski. Later that year, Black Tie, working with others, provided 40 restroom trailers for the 1998 Ryder Cup Golf Tournament in Boston. Until 2005, this stood as one of the largest restroom trailer events ever held. Phil Meegan, President and CEO of Black Tie since 2003, described another huge trailer event—the 2005 National Boy Scout Jamboree held at Fort A.P. Hill in Virginia—in detail. The Jamboree is held every four years, and it brings Boy Scouts together from all over the US as well as from several other countries. In 2005, some 50,000 Scouts camped at Fort A.P. Hill for 10 days of activities including a visit from President George W. Bush. How many restroom trailers and shower trailers could possibly be needed for this huge event? According to Phil, "One hundred and seventy-six!" He continues, "This event pulled the restroom trailer industry together both from a supplier as well as an operator standpoint." He states, "The manufacturers such as Ameri-Can and ACSI went to great lengths to assist where needed. Operators that had large trailer fleets who covered the Virginia area contributed greatly." Phil summarizes by stating, "This was one of the events that exposed restroom and shower trailers to the general public, [most of whom] had never set foot in a trailer before." Next Generation Manufacturers In January 2006, Bill Gibson incorporated JAG Mobile Solutions and entered the industry as a new manufacturer in the portable restroom trailer market. Bill says, "At first I knew zero about the aspects of the industry." He continues, "A shower trailer was left over by the previous owner of the facility that I had purchased, and I thought that was a great idea." After exploring the marketplace Bill quickly The Revolution and Evolution of Restroom Trailers (continued from page 6) (continued on page 8) A JAG bunkhouse trailer