What started in the fall of 2020 as an idea to build an innovative sprayer trailer designed with functionality and convenience at the top of mind has resulted in the ST series of agriculture sprayer tender trailers from Flaman.
Model ST-9100
With safety, speed, and ease of use as the three pillars of design, these trailers were created to efficiently mix different batches of chemicals and quickly fill your sprayer – all with minimal downtime.
Now that all the planning and engineering has been completed, we are excited to have these units rolling through our production lines and hitting the market for the spring 2021 and 2022 seasons.
“We listened to our customers and put together all their best ideas into these all-new, all-encompassing sprayer tailers. Giving the customer all the features that they have always wanted to have – all in one unit. Flaman is proud to bring this product offering out to the marketplace just in time for the busy spring farming season.” Bret Watson, Engineer
The Flaman ST-9100 and ST-9200 are tender-style trailers, built around a 53’ Behnke tri-axle trailer with a heavy-duty air ride suspension and 22.5” tires. They have an 80,000 lb GVWR, cross members on 12” centres, powder-coated paint, and Apitong hardwood decking. These trailers feature a 48” heavy-duty undermount toolbox for additional storage, mud flaps, and dual 2-speed jacks. The most notable difference of the ST-9100 and ST-9200 from other units on the market is the custom-designed 11’ upper kick compared to traditional 10’ upper kicks. This allows for a heavy-duty, low-profile 3,200 US gallon tank to clamp securely to the top deck with heavy-duty deck pins.
Chem Handler III
These ag sprayer trailers are completely outfitted with 3” hose and pipe for speed when filling and emptying the 4,500 US gallon (17,000L) tank on the back and the 3,200 US gallon (8300L) tank on the front. They are fastened directly to the trailer deck with heavy-duty steel mounting pins for safety instead of ratchet straps or chains. The entire system is controlled and mixed with a heavy-duty 3” Chem Handler III, a chemical handler that is fast, safe, and easy to use. The 3” steel piping is mounted under the trailer to keep the deck clean and eliminate the potential for tripping. The fill station is versatile and can feed either each tank individually or at the same time.
Features that make the ST-9100 and ST-9200 stand out include:
Stowable Fill Arm
The stowable fill arm has been engineered with 5” HSS tubing to manage the hose when filling the sprayer. This versatile fill arm takes care of the weight of the 3” hose when it’s full of product, and it swings out when filling the sprayer and easily folds back in when you are done. Your back will thank you!
Stowable Stairs & Grate Tread
The stowable stairs give safe and easy access to the deck when managing the Chem Handler III. In a matter of seconds, the safety pins can be pulled out and the stairs can be folded down – no more hopping up and down from the deck like you are training for a Spartan Race! The textured grate steps provide additional traction and reduce the potential for unnecessary slips and falls.
Tote Storage
The tote storage is loaded with innovative features and has been engineered to safely store two chemical totes on top with secure ratchet strap tie-downs. It is easily accessible from both sides of the trailer, as well as from on top of the deck. It can be used to store extra fuel, additional hose and couplings, chemical jugs and treatments, tools, extra parts or sprayer nozzles, and safety equipment. It has strategically been offset towards the passenger side of the trailer to allow for additional walking room on the driver side and access the upper kick with an integrated safety handrail.
Sight Tubes
Both tanks have built-in sight tubes for easy water level readings.
LED Light Kit
The trailer comes standard with four LED lights to increase safety and reduce the chances of an accident after the sun goes down. There is a convenient light switch located on the passenger side of the tote cage and in easy reach from the ground or deck. All wires are run inside of the frame and are powered by the 7-pin trailer plug.
Hot Tank (available on the ST-9200)
The ST-9200 includes an additional 1680-gallon (6400L) Chembine Hot Tank. Designed to reduce wait times and increase efficiency, the Hot Tank can mix and agitate the next batch of treatment while the sprayer is out in the field. When the sprayer is ready for another fill, the Hot Tank can quickly unload the next batch of chemicals that have already been already prepared. This feature can be added to any ST-9100.
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For more information on the Flaman ST Series Sprayer Trailers, talk to one our ag & trailer specialists at your nearest Flaman location.
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Hitting the Road: Which Sled Trailer is Right for You?
The winter of 2020/2021 is shaping up to be a great year for sledding. A huge dump of snow across much of the prairies in early November coupled with a global pandemic keeping people at home is the perfect recipe for spending quality time on some fresh powder.
There’s a lot that goes into buying a snowmobile trailer. We’ve talked about it before, but some of the big considerations include choosing between an open vs. enclosed trailer, steel vs. aluminum frame and heated vs. not. A lot of your decision-making will likely come down to budget, storage requirements, your vehicle’s towing capacity and where/how much you’ll use the trailer. If you’re looking for customization, our parts & service team can help you upgrade your trailer to fit your lifestyle.
Enclosed Sled Trailers
Inline:
Inline enclosed sled trailers are great for people with half-ton trucks who want to haul 3 sleds (or 2 sled with some extra storage). By parking one sled via the front ramp door and two in the main ramp, a 7’ or 7.5’ width inline is an ideal design for smaller trucks.
Deck over/Highboy:
The deck over (aka highboy) is the perfect trailer for the serious sledder. Available in 8’ or 8.5’ width models, they’re designed to easily fit up to 4 sleds in, with heated and insulated models available. Keep in mind trailers this big typically require a ¾- or 1-ton truck to haul. They’re also built with higher clearance so you’re able to pull them in rough terrain or snowy conditions.
Lowboy:
The lowboy toy or car hauler is designed with a lower deck with the clearance to fit a car, side-by-side (UTV) and other toys. Typically, these trailers are 8.5’ to accommodate space requirements. They’re also ideal for pulling sleds with a long track & skis, making it ideal for pulling mountains-ready sleds.
Open Sled Trailers:
Open deck sled trailers are much more economical than their enclosed counterparts. The argument of steel vs. aluminum frame comes into play here. Aluminum is lightweight while maintaining similar towing capacity and increased longevity, as it doesn’t rust or weather as quickly. However, if you’re looking for versatility beyond hauling snowmobiles or ATVs, steel is more economical as they typically cost less than an aluminum trailer would.
Winter Staycation Contest:
If you previously weren’t aware, we’re giving away some awesome trailer accessories to make your sledding experience even better this winter. Things like tie downs, explorer sleds and wheel locks are up for grabs simply by liking our Facebook or Twitter page, liking the posts and tagging a friend. Our Winter Staycation contest is on now until mid-January, 2021. Visit our social pages for more information!
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Before I started working at Flaman, I had never given much thought to trailer safety. I certainly had never heard of the NATM or what they did. I assumed that all trailers were built properly and that manufacturers legally had to follow a list of safety guidelines for each trailer they manufacture. Now that I have done a bit of research, I have learnt that this wasn’t always the case and that only recently NATM has implemented these guidelines. Before 1987, consumers had no way of ensuring that their trailer was safe enough to travel on the roads. Can you imagine if other industries didn’t have safety guidelines? What if car manufacturers weren’t regularly screened for safety? Trailers need to be built properly to ensure no one on the road or the loads that they carry get injured or damaged.
Trailers and safety are two words that should go hand in hand. The National Association of Trailer Manufacturing (NATM) is an organization that takes trailer safety to a new level. “NATM seeks to promote awareness of safety and best industry practices and provide a voice for trailer manufacturers and their suppliers when issues of trailer safety and regulation are considered by relevant government agencies.” As stated on their website. This has to have everyone shopping in the trailer market breathing a sigh of relief.
As a manufacturer, being a member of the NATM and producing NATM approved trailers will benefit you because it helps you maintain a degree of control over your production process. By following the guidelines that are compiled from FMVSS (Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards) and industry best practices, you know you are making safe trailers. The inspection process involves an 80-point checklist that is filled out by NATM consultants during their initial visit. After the manufacturer is deemed successful applicants to the NATM program, they are granted a 2-year membership.
As a consumer, buying a trailer from a manufacturer who is an NATM member ensures that the trailer you are purchasing adheres to a strict set of safety guidelines. This gives you peace of mind in knowing that you are buying something that has gone through multiple safety inspections.
So if you’re looking for a new or used trailer, keep this in mind. Look for NATM dealer associate marked trailers and do your research. It’s worth it.
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If you have been in the trailer industry as long as I have,you can reflect on trends and the evolution of a product. One product I believe that has been evolving quickly is the enclosed all sport trailer. The best place to see this evolution at its most diverse is the Saskatchewan Snowmobile Show and Sale or the Alberta Power Sports Show. While both of these shows have been dubbed “sled shows” and are run by the provincial snowmobile associations they are so much more than just Snowmobiles shows.
Over the years I have watched non-snowmobiling recreation power sports creep into these shows (there was a wake boarding boat at the Saskatchewan Snowmobile Show and Sale this year). As the products on display have broadened so too has the versatility of trailers at this show. Many of the trailers showcased were not just “sled” trailers they were trailers to haul products for all seasons and all sports. Thus the name all sport.
So what is an all sport trailer? Its name suggests it is a unit that can transport all power sport equipment. Fair enough, but the reality is that most of the “all sport” dubbed trailers can only transport a few types of units the name would otherwise imply. So if you are shopping for a true all sport trailer, below are characteristics to look for and reasons why:
Extra Height: If you want to just haul sleds and quads height is not an issue. But as soon as you decide to transport a UTV you will need extra height to clear the rear ramp door opening. I generally recommend an 84” interior height that will allow for 78” in rear ramp door clearance. With lots of UTV’s having 76” as their overall height that provides the clearance you need.
Lowboy or Middeck as opposed to the traditional 8.5 ft wide highboy (deck over trailer): This type of trailer allows for a lower ramp incline making it easier to load quads, sleds, or UTV’s. The lower ramp angle makes it easier to back sleds in, which is required for many loading configurations with a lowboy or middeck trailers. The lowboy trailer also allows you to haul a vehicle, and with that toy hauling capacity, now you have an all sport.
5200 - 6000 lb axles: The machines keep getting bigger and thus heavier. In the case of mountain sleds 11’ in length is not uncommon and these come with bigger engines every year. While the manufactures strive to keep the weight down it does continue to creep up. The same trend goes for ATV’s and UTV’s. With the primary cargo getting bigger and heavier more axle capacity makes sense, certainly if you are transporting extra gear along with your snow machines or quads. The larger axles also provide the payload capacity for a vehicle and can handle some of the rougher roads you may need to travel on to get to your adventure destinations.
Extra Length: As mentioned before all the units are getting bigger and longer. A thrity foot long trailer used to be a rare unit, now we try to keep in stock. While it is not the common size (26’ is still 90% of the units sold) it is no longer uncommon. Twenty foot long (16’ straight wall plus 4’ v-nose) 3 place trailers with extra height are a very popular size; but because they are too short to transport a car they are not considered an all sport trailer.
8.5 wide: While 7’ wide inline units are gaining popularity as a multi-use units (they fill in as a standard cargo trailer in the off season) and are easier to tow, turn, back up and park; they have less capacity and of course cannot haul a car (8.5’ wide is needed for a vehicle).
Several additional points to note:
These units can be steel frame or aluminum frame. The difference is weight and cost. I use the 1/3 rule: aluminum reduces the curb weight by about 1/3 but adds to the cost by about 1/3 more.
Escape doors: Many folk insist they need these. I agree shimming out your window like a Bob and Luke duke is not a fun task in a confined space of an enclosed trailer. I have a few words of caution. First if your car has very low clearance there is chance you will not be able to use the escape door because the car door will not clear the inside fender of the trailer. Second, customers have gotten quite excited about the escape door only to discover after loading their car the escape door does not line up their door, so I would suggest taking some measurements first.
Heaters, cabinets, stereos, benches, fan tails, oh my! The list of options is vast. Customers sometimes buy the options instead of the trailer. Figure out what you need and then what you really want and go from there…
Shopping for an all sport can be an exciting experience. Have fun, and talk to an expert.
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In this episode of Trailer Talk Steve talks with Brad Harvey from Cjay Trailer. Brad fills us in about his organization and some unique new products only available from Cjay Trailers. Listen, learn, Enjoy!
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It was a Friday. I was at our Nisku location and I was leaving the dealership walking through the lot headed home for the weekend. I walked past a Trailtech TD 210 that had a few modified options on it. I looked the trailer over as I always do when walk past any unit in our yard. As I walked along the length of the unit from taillights to hitch I noted the features, fit and finish, quality of build, overall appearance, etc, etc, etc…when I reached the hitch I saw this trailer had just gone through our pre-delivery inspection process (as the sticker slapped on the front of the gooseneck indicated). I then stopped and looked back down the length of the trailer.
“This is a damn fine trailer” I thought to myself. So I took a closer look at the welds and the convenience features on the unit (some installed by us). I started to really critic the unit looking at the decking for cracks and other imperfections; I looked under the frame at the paint coverage; I followed the wiring harness (note I wrote wiring harness not strand wiring) along the frame paying attention to how it was secured and protected. Everything on this trailer was perfect. No matter how hard I looked I could not find any problems with the trailer. Quite honestly, this is not an exception to the rule, it is the rule: Trailtech product has outstanding consistent quality.
Call me bias (Trailtech is Canadian built, and a brand FGC has a longstanding history with) but I believe the quality that goes into to trailers built in Canada, for Canadian conditions is underappreciated. To address this I decided to give you reasons as a Canadian consumer why you should buy a Canadian built Trailtech.
1)Quality of Build. As in many products there are a good, better and best for light industrial trailers. At Flaman Group of Companies we sell products that fit into all three categories in order to meet the various needs of various customers. These categories are differentiated by features and quality which ultimately means different pricing. Trailtech as a brand offers a good, better and best models for each category. Where I believe they really shine (and customers have been voting this way with their dollars) is in the best category. The Premier and Industrial series generally have no equal in the market place. If you need a reliable trailer as a tool for your business, to me it makes sense to invest in a Trailtech that will always do what you need and last the test of time.
2)Canadian weather and road conditions. They are awful, both our roads and our weather and many trailer brands are built for the warm flat highways of the southern states as opposed to the gravel and pitted frozen highways of the Canadian north. For these conditions you need paint that can absorb some of the mechanical impact of road rocks at -40 and a RV plug that will not shatter when you fight to plug it into your tow vehicle. Trailtech based in Gravelburg SK lives in and understands these conditions. A Trailtech trailer is made to deal with this weather without fuss.
3)Warranty: We sell thousands of Trailtech products every year. They get horribly abused by some customers (another story) and yet we rarely hear of any issues. That said no company is perfect. The product is built by people and people make mistakes (as we all do). What defines a product and company is what they do when that happens. It has been my experience that between Trailtech and Flaman when a mistake happens that affects the customer, the Trailtech and Flaman people always make it right.
Lastly Americans market buy American all the time to support American companies and American workers. Let me be shameless and proudly yell the same thing: Buy Canadian! Yes I am a hypocrite as we sell many American brands across many of our divisions( including the Trailer Division). Being a leader in retail we need to provide the leading products in their appropriate categories in order to provide the best customer experience to our customers. That said, there are Canadian products that we sell that are the best in their categories (Trailtech is one of them)…Buy Canadian and support Canadians.
So if you are in the market for your first trailer or are adding one to your fleet. Think about Canadian quality. Quality comes with a cost but I believe it is worth it.
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Jim Behnke from Behnke Enterprises talks to Steve about Ag Transports and changes he has seen in his 27 year career in the Trailer Industry. Behnke Enterprises is a truly world class and worldwide brand with distribution in many countries and continents. Behnke Enterprises manufacturers a diverse product line of Ag Transport equipment and industrial trailers that allows evolving. Listen, learn, and enjoy the podcast.
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Every year we have Trailer Division training in February and every year we find new products to bring to you our customers. Organizing the event this year I surprised at the logistics required to make this happen.
Five years ago we had three manufacturers to focus on. We now supply fifteen trailer manufacturers to Western Canada eleven of which were at our inside training event. We consumed an entire exhibition hall in Lethbridge to show case the equipment inside from the cold. Ultimately, that is a lot of product choice for you. Now that spring has sprung these trailers are in our lots ready to be viewed.
What I was excited about most this year however are products I believe we have be needing to supply for quite some time; Stock and Horse Trailers (which we used to supply), and Semi flat bed trailers. To meet these needs we have aligned ourselves with Corn Pro Trailers for Horse and Stock Trailers and B&B Trailers for Flat Bed Semi Trailers. We have more product information on our website. Both of these brands have been in the industry for a long time and we excited to offer them.
The last new trailer type we had in our training is quite unique. The company Air Tow Trailers are a worldwide industry leader for level loading trailers. When I was first exposed to this trailer I will admit I raised an eyebrow and thought what use are these trailers? The idea is nice but regular trailers can do the job. The fact is they cannot. The bed of these units lowers completely to the ground and when raised for travel the bed self levels depending on weight distribution on the deck. For loading safes, pianos, sky jacks, pallets, etc. this trailer does a job that other units cannot do: painless and safe loading plus smooth transport. So if you have a special moving consideration, this is the trailer. Listen to our podcastto learn more.
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In this Episode we talk with Ryan Sailer General Manager of Southland Trailers. Ryan takes us through three exciting new products from Southland Trailers. The E270 Dump Trailer, the SL 280 Dump Trailer and their Fuel pup trailer. Enjoy the conversation.
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Our 2013/2014 Sled’n Snap contest has come to a close and the winners have been announced. This year was my first experience with this contest and it sure was fun to witness. All of the pictures that people submitted were amazing! The trick riding shots and the ones of kids having so much fun were my favourite.
This was also the first year that Sled’n Snap went international with North Dakota joining Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. The more the merrier! Making this contest available to more people is what it’s all about.
I also found it interesting that there was a lot of conversations happening on the Sled’n Snap website during the contest. People were sharing their favourite routes and commenting on their favourite pictures. That’s the best way to discover new trails to explore.
I believe that this contest is only just getting started. This year's was great, but I have a feeling that next year is going to be awesome! I’m really looking forward to seeing what pictures the snowmobiling community snap next year.
Congratulations to Jason Holt of Saskatchewan for winning the grand prize! Jason won the use of a 4-Place Enclosed Snowmobile Trailer for a year.
In this episode of Trailer Talk we talk with Brett McDowell who shares with us the innovations and evolution of bull dog truck decks. Have a listen and gain insights on how the use of the decks has changed over the years and continues to expand. Trucks Decks are not just for Sledding any more.
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Brian Frette from Corn Pro Trailers talks us through the manufacturing of the product and shares his views on the versatility of their products. (For instance snow machines in a stock trailer?) Have a listen to some great information about this respected brand.
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In this episode of Trailer Talk we learn about ATC trailers, their value stream manufacturing and some really unique products. Industry veteran (24 years!) Trent Sheets tells us the story.
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In this episode of Trailer Talk we hear from Ryan Miller at Trailtech, one of our long time partner manufactures. Ryan gives us a sneak peak at his ideas about the future of the trailer industry.
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In this episode we hear from Mike Lloyd, President of Aluma, CFO of Kay Corporation and President of NATM (National Association of Trailer Manufacturers.) Lucky for us Mike has taken some time out of his busy schedule to tell us the back story of Aluma and what is on the horizon for Aluminum trailers.
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The Sled’N Snap photo contest has launched for its third year and we’re excited to showcase a brand new website! This site will make it even easier for people to share, view and comment on each other’s photos.
Visitors to www.slednsnap.com can upload their pictures in a variety of categories and in April the public will vote for the grand prize winner. The site is also a place to celebrate all things snowmobiling, while promoting safe riding and registered sleds. It has valuable information like trail maps, upcoming events and safety articles.
We’re also happy to announce that Sled’N Snap has turned international and Snowmobile North Dakota has joined the contest! Anyone with a registered sled in that state can enter a photo.
“We are really excited about joining Sled’N Snap,” says Keri Wanner, executive director for SND. In 2011, she attended the Saskatchewan snowmobile show where an enclosed trailer with “Win Me!” on the side caught her attention. It was the grand prize given to the winner of Sled’N Snap to use for a year, which prompted Wanner to find out more about the contest and get involved.
“As a manager of snowmobile trails, there is no other opportunity that can outshine promoting snowmobile registration,” adds Wanner. “That’s how you can maintain trails and do the work behind the scenes to make sure you can ride.”
“Having North Dakota join Sled’N Snap is something I pushed for,” says Chris Brewer, executive director of the Saskatchewan Snowmobile Association (SSA), another Sled’N Snap partner. “I don’t believe in borders as a snowmobiler. We all have a common cause: we love to enjoy winter. To open up internationally is absolutely fantastic for snowmobilers.”
Sled’N Snap isn’t the only thing turning international this winter. A new snowmobile trail linking Saskatchewan and North Dakota is opening in February. The first of its kind trail will connect the two systems at the Port of Carievale and allow snowmobilers from either side of the border access to thousands of kilometers of new trails. An international ride to commemorate this trail opening will take place on February 15.
Snowmobilers with a legal sled in North Dakota may cross into Saskatchewan free of charge. Snowmobilers with a legal sled in Saskatchewan coming into North Dakota must purchase an out-of-state permit for $15. This fee will be waived for the International Ride on Feb. 15. Snowmobilers must still cross at the normal border security crossing and have a valid passport.
Sled’N Snap is put on by the Saskatchewan Snowmobile Association, the Alberta Snowmobile Association, Snowmobilers of Manitoba, Snowmobile North Dakota and Flaman Group of Companies. For contest details visit www.slednsnap.com.
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Standing at 28,700 feet above sea level, the crisp mountain air whipping around him, the first rays of morning sunlight glittering on the untouched snow ahead of him, Steve Whittington, Saskatoon mountaineer and Flaman Trailers division manager, took his final steps onto the South Summit as the top of Mount Everest exploded into view. The Hillary Step and final summit ridge were all that remained between him and the top. At that moment, after living on the side of a mountain for almost two months, he knew he was going to make it.
Whittington and his climbing Sherpa Dawa had been battling a storm for hours considering turning around. When they reached The Balcony they stopped to rest and have a drink. Assessing the situation, Whittington realized his oxygen consumption had been far less than he had originally thought and he didn’t have to change tanks. This meant he was doing better than he realized. “And then I got mad. After 56 days on this mountain I was not going to let a storm turn me around,” Whittington says.
After reaching the South Summit, Whittington traversed the corniced ridge line and quickly climbed the Hillary Step. Then it was an emotional victory march as he made his way to the prayer flag adorned summit. “It was clear, it was bright, it was beautiful,” Whittington recalls. “I burned the moment into my soul.”
As Whittington stood at 29,029 feet, staring at the world below, 10 years of his blood, sweat and tears had finally culminated into that one perfect moment. There’s not a lot of time to celebrate at the top, but he and Dawa took a few moments to place prayer flags and take photos. Snapshots show Whittington with a banner dedicating his summit to childhood friend Warren Thompson and posing with a Flaman Group of Companies flag.
The team at Flaman is extremely proud that one of our own was able to accomplish such an amazing feat. To celebrate Whittington’s summit, Flaman Trailers is introducing the exclusive Everest Edition sled trailers. These trailers come with bonus, value-added features for extra convenience and functionality. Our manufacturers stepped up to help us celebrate and we’re able to offer these features at no extra cost to the customer.
Check out these trailers soon, as they are only available this winter! Not all XR sled trailers will feature this new package, so please talk to your local salesperson.
Whittington’s journey to the top of Everest started 10 years ago. He has more than 40 summits to his name, including five of the world’s seven summits. “Climbing Everest was a longing that I didn’t quite understand,” Whittington says. “But I knew I had to be patient enough to build the skills that I needed to climb it over the past decade.”
Whittington followed a grueling program of work outs and went on several climbing trips to increase his strength and endurance, add weight (he lost 30 pounds on the mountain) and increase his maximal oxygen intake. You can read his training blogs on Flaman Fitness’ Fit Talk blog.
Could there be a second trip up Everest in the future? Whittington is steadfast in his answer: “I have no desire to go back.” But he does have plans to finish the seven summits and eventually tap the top of Vinson Massif in Antarctica and Carstensz Pyramid in Oceania. Right now, he says, he’s focusing on his family. But the pull of the mountain is strong.
“When you’re climbing there are so many uncertainties, so many what ifs. But where other people see uncertainty, I see possibility. This is why I climb.”
Steve on the top of Mt Everest with the Flaman Group of Companies flag.
The new XR Everest Edition sled trailer comes with many great features like:
New aluminum rims Fold down bench
Coat rack
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In this Episode we are joined by the President of the North American Dealer Association(NATDA) Andy Ackerman. Andy shares the history of NATDA, membership benefits and how NATDA is working to improve the trailer industry.
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Part 2 of Steve's Sled Trailer guide. To see part 1 which focuses on steel vs. aluminum click here
Picking an Enclosed Sled Trailer: You decided you did not want to clean off your sleds every time you reach your destination. Or you need somewhere to store your machines in the summer, or you want to work on your sleds out of the wind in the staging area. Whatever your reasons, you’re going to buy an enclosed trailer; now which type? Your options are many.
To help you understand your options here are how they’re generally classified:
The first way enclosed sled trailers are classified is by how many sleds they carry: 2 place, 3 place or 4 place.
The second way they are classified is by deck height: lowboy (deck is as low to the ground as possible) mid-deck (the deck is raised for some clearance but not too high, keeping the ramp angle down) and highboy (the deck is above the wheels so the platform is a full 8’ wide).
The third way the trailers are classified by is width, which tends to fall into two broad categories 7’ or 8’ wide (which is really 8’6” wide).
Lastly, the frames will either be steel or aluminum.
When it comes to deciding which class of trailer is right for you, it really comes down to your specific needs, but I will give you some things to consider with the most popular classes that may help your decision making.
2 place, highboy, 8’ 6” wide: This class of enclosed sled trailer tends to be the most economical. It is usually single axle without brakes, so a half tonne truck can pull it with no problem. They are often aluminum so they are quite light, which makes them even easier to move around. It is a great starter enclosed trailer. The down side of this trailer is that unless you bump up to tandem axles you do not have a drive off front ramp, and if you add another axle and a front ramp your costs sky rocket. That said, with a reverse option on today’s sleds, is the front drive-off ramp really needed?
2 or 3 place, lowboy, 7 wide: This trailer with a steel frame is also very economical. Being 7’ wide and lower to the ground means they pull well behind a truck. Plus, they are tandem axles so their ride is smoother than a bouncy single axle trailer. They also have a front ramp so you can drive your sleds in and out with ease. Beyond those points this trailer is also being used year round as a traditional cargo trailer because it is just the right size – not too big, not too small. Contractors love the access to the trailer with two ramps. The downside of these trailers is that the loading of three sleds can be difficult, but once you figure out the configuration needed it is not an issue. As well, being only 7’ wide there is not a lot of room on the inside for cabinets and racking.
3 or 4 place, lowboy, 8 wide: These enclosed units have become more popular as a multi-use unit or toy haulers. Instead of just sled trailers the ramp can be reinforced and you can haul a car or side by side MUV if you make the rear door opening high enough. If you have a lot of different toys this becomes a really economical option. Instead of two trailers you can get one built for all your toys. The down side is that you have full size fender boxes inside the trailer to maneuver around when loading your sleds, but trust me that is not a difficult issue, and if it is, are you sure you want to chase powder between the trees? The other issue with the lowboys is adding a heater. Generally the propane tanks will have to go on an extended hitch so your trailer gets a little longer overall.
3 or 4 place, mid-deck, 8 wide: These units are another popular class of toy hauler, but with a little bit more clearance. The extra clearance comes in handy for added features such an underbelly mounted fuel tank and propane tanks. The fender boxes inside the units are not as high and can be easily driven over. The disadvantage of these units is the extra clearance; if it is going to be a toy hauler trailer a lot of cars will not be able to make it up the higher angled ramp.
3 or 4 place, highboy, 8 wide: If there is a traditional enclosed sled trailer, this is it. It is still the most popular option for an enclosed sled trailer. They have a full width deck so it is very easy to drive and position your sleds for travel. The full width provides lots of room for cabinets and racking on the walls. They have lots of clearance, they track well behind a vehicle on snowy roads, plus with all the deck clearance there are no problems adding options such as on board fueling stations or under deck mounted propane tanks. Quite simply, they are specifically designed to load sleds and all their accessories the easiest out of all the trailers on the market and as a result, people buy them the most. The downside of the units is the fact that they are specifically designed for hauling sleds, being so high up you have a hard time loading cargo or recreational power sport vehicles. Lastly, again being so high up in a cross wind they act as a big sail and they push the tow vehicle around a lot.
There many other options to consider when buying a sled trailer such as adding heat or cabinets, the type of interior walls, little features such as kick plates and floor drains...the list is endless. I was talking to a manufacturer about his enclosed sled trailer production run this year and he estimated that 90% of the trailers will be unique coming down the line. The point is, there are a lot of choices in the market place. Make sure that when you are looking for a trailer you talk with someone that can educate you and provide you with all the options so you can get your trailer, your way.
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In this episode we talk with Chris Brewer President of the Saskatchewan Snowmobile Association (SSA) about the Sled'n Snap photo contest. The Sled'n Snap photo contest has been running for three years and has reached thousands of snowmobilers sharing their photos and comments in a fun online forum with a potential to win great prizes. SSA and Flaman Group of Companies united to create this intuitive and Steve reflects with Chris about how the contest has grown and provided benefits to the associations and members that were never expected. I hope you enjoy the conversation.
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I landed in St. Louis at 11:30 pm Wednesday the day before the North American Trailer Dealer Association Tradeshow started. I have been making the pilgrimage to NATDA for that last five years. The event has been improving every year with more vendors exhibiting in the tradeshow and a higher quality speaker line up for the education sessions. As a team we travel to St. Louis to stay on top of industry trends, to learn about new and innovative products and how to improve our business practices. Attending the show refocuses us on the trailer business and provides us with great ideas for what more we can do for our customers.
From Alberta Les Bachinsky and Tim McMullen flew down and from Saskatchewan Darrell Knash and Lee Prefontaine attended the show. Les and I have been going to NATDA since the beginning but for the other three this is a new event. Les and I both feel that it is important for different members of the sales team to get down to NATDA to see how big the industry is and to learn about what is out there. Additionally, I feel bringing new people every year brings new perspectives that see things differently than Les and I do, and I must admit I learn from the team and sometimes re-evaluate previous decisions. Obviously lots of our manufacturers are in attendance and it is great to spend time with them and see what new products they have coming out for the next year.
From this show we decided to work towards adding the following to our line up:
Air-tow trailers: Trailers specifically designed for ground level loading. www.airtow.com
Jumping Jack Tent Trailer: Easy to use pop tent trailers (with tent insert) that can be pulled out to provide full use of the trailer www.jumpingjacktrailers.com
Horse and Stock Trailers: there was a time that Flaman Trailers provided horse and stock trailers to our customers. We have not carried horse and stock trailers for over five years and you, our customers, still ask for them. Well, by spring of 2014 we will have aluminum and steel products for you once again. We are evaluating a number of brands but we are committed to providing these products to you.
Fuel Trailers: We are reviewing Canadian regulations on this product line. There are many different types being built in the U.S., however Canadian regulations are far stricter than our American counterparts and at this time we have not found a manufacturer that meets Canadian regulations.
Beyond these product lines there were lots of little ideas: color combination, speciality options, attachments, new parts and accessories. The list goes on and on....we are excited about what we will have to offer in 2014.
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Aidan Thygessen and Kent Natrass, joined me on a call to explain truck decks, the evolution of truck decks and how the Marathon Truckboss is the pinnacle of that evolution. Marathon has been building Truck Decks for 17 years there have been a lot of changes along the way. Today the Truckboss is much more than just a truck deck, have a listen and learn why the truck boss is shipped and used all over the world.
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They called themselves the tinker club and during this timeframe the original design for an enclosed cargo trailer came about and so there was a decision that was made I think it was like in 1953 to hop into the cargo trailer business and start building trailers. You can actually see the first wells cargo trailers that were basically produced and sold on our dealer website.
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A flatdeck is a flatdeck and customers sometimes just say, “I'm looking for a flatdeck”. They're not looking for a particular brand; they're not looking for anything like that, because they believe a flatdeck is a flatdeck. So that being said, what do you believe makes your trailers standout so they're not just another flatdeck? To find out listen to the podcast below.
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With having associations like NATM it kind of allows the collaboration of all the manufacturers so we can all get together to say "what are our big obstacles right now". Whether government regulations or whatever it may be we can all work together to figure out how we can come up with a resolution to those...
Listen to the rest of the podcast below.
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...we've all been to those outhouses at concerts and stuff and they are just horrible, I mean do these things stink, what is it like? Personally I think that is where they shine, we have rented these out to the stars in fact, the VIPs at the Dauphin Countryfest where country acts like Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, and Eric Church have actually used these facilities. They are first class all the way and they give you all the amenities, and comforts of a nice bathroom at any kind of hotel. So the customers love them, the reactions been great? The reaction has been "wow" right from the get go. We've had these things at many weddings, country jamborees, graduations, and golf tournaments...
Listen to the rest of the podcast below.
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On Wednesday May 8 Flaman Group of Companies in Medicine Hat held its grand opening to celebrate its new, larger location. We couldn’t have asked for a better day weather-wise, although this meant that most farmers were in the field and unable to attend.
We held a free BBQ lunch and had a great turn out. The official ribbon cutting was done at 12:30 p.m. by the Medicine Hat Chamber of Commerce and also in attendance was the mayor of Medicine Hat Norm Boucher.
To top off the day the Frank Flaman Foundation donated $7,000 to the Medicine Hat Women’s Shelter, which is the largest donation they had received to date.
The day couldn’t have gone better for everyone. Thanks to everyone who attended.
For more photos of the event, please visit our Facebook page here
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As of May 1, 2013, all Flaman Rentals stores and agriculture rental dealers across the prairies will be introducing a new damage waiver fee for all of our equipment rental customers. This new fee is designed to help our customers offset the high cost of equipment repairs if they accidentally damage any rental equipment while in their possession.
By paying this small fee, our customers can now feel good knowing they have coverage for any accidental damage to tools or equipment they rent from Flaman. This coverage could save them hundreds of dollars in repairs.
It’s just one more way Flaman is helping our customers have a positive rental experience, knowing that those expensive pieces of rental equipment are covered while in their possession.
Please stop in or call your nearest Flaman rental store for full details.
Flaman Rentals in Moosomin, Yorkton and Swan River currently offer a similar fee and this will remain unchanged.
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On Thursday February 7 the Flaman Trailers division team toured the Wells Cargo plant in Ogden, Utah. We toured all areas of the more than 100,000 square foot facility. The team was impressed by the quality control processes at every step and the craftsmanship apparent in the build process.
Wells Cargo staff provided training on all their product lines: Fast Trac, Road Force, and the Wells line. In addition to the standard lines, specialized training was provided on Concession Trailers, Job Shack Trailers, Mobile Restroom Trailers and Wells Cargo’s impressive custom trailer capability. Last but not least, the Wells Cargo folks were great hosts!
The second day of the meeting was held at the beautiful Ogden Eccles Conference Center in downtown Ogden. All of Flaman’s main manufacturers (Trailtech, Southland Trailer Corp, Diamond C, Aluma and ATC Trailers) were present to update the team on model improvements and changes for the coming year.
To cap off the meetings Friday evening, we headed to the Energy Solutions Arena and took in a Utah Jazz basketball game against the Chicago Bulls. All in all, the meeting provided a great learning opportunity that will allow us to better serve you, our customers.
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The end of September is close, and every year at Flaman Trailers we review excess stock we have from the previous year and discount our snowmobile trailers.
All 10 locations have inventory to move, and all inventory is available at all locations (pending shipping). The discounts are deep and the sale will not last long. While there is not every choice you would want (you will have to wait for the new 2013 models for that) there is a lot of choice.
Here are some examples:
20’ enclosed steel-framed Summit Series sled trailer with heat
26’ all aluminum enclosed NashCar Rage snowmobile trailers
20’ two-tone XR Series enclosed sled trailer
12’ single axle two-place enclosed all aluminum NashCar Rage snowmobile trailer
Plus 12’ aluminum and steel open deck sled trailers and 10’ steel and aluminum tilt sled trailers
Winter is coming and these units are starting to move fast, but unlike winter these deals will not last long. Hurry in to your local dealer!
Every year, Flaman Trailers travels to the North American Trailer Dealer Association
(NATDA) tradeshow to learn about changes in the industry. This year the tradeshow was in St. Louis. This year,
as we have every year, we learned a lot. There are new parts and new trailers coming into the industry and all
manufacturers showcased new improvements to their line ups. This is a great event for the industry. Besides
the product specific learning, we also walked away with three big thoughts.
So what did we learn?
First, the industry is consolidating: like all industries the companies are getting bigger and buying each other. Broadly speaking, this means two things: there will be less manufacturers and thus less choice, but more resources put into the remaining trailer manufacturers, meaning increased quality and options, more innovations and ultimately increased value to the end customer. This is a good trend for the industry.
Second, the industry is growing. The amount of dealers waxes and wanes but the industry leaders are getting bigger and better at what they do. Customers are receiving more pre- and post-sale consideration and care. The dealer network is becoming more professional and more dealers are offering full service solutions. This too is a good trend for the industry.
Last, we learned as we always do, that we have work to do. Flaman Trailers strives to be an industry leader by providing trailers for every use. We have more products to receive training on, and shortly we will have more products to offer, thus more choices to help you find the trailer that specifically meets your needs.
We come out of this event every year with new ideas and new energy, with the ultimate goal of providing more value to our customers. I can already say, I am looking forward to next year.
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For the third year in a row, Flaman Rentals in Saskatoon has been named a Consumer Choice Award Winner. This division of Flaman rents out enclosed and flat deck trailers, along with agricultural equipment like discs, land rollers or mowers.
I recently attended the Consumer Choice Award ceremony with our marketing VP Steve Whittington at the beautiful Delta Bessborough in Saskatoon. We got to sip champagne and rub elbows with a lot of great business owners in the city, and of course, celebrate our own success!
This award is special because the winners are picked by our customers. It means a lot to us that people recognize our efforts to offer great customer service. We were also very pleased to win a Consumer Choice Award three years in a row. This means our team is consistent taking care of our customers’ needs. And we’re proud of that!
What’s great is that the Consumer Choice Award is becoming a trusted name in the Saskatoon area. Looking at the other winners gathered in the room that night, we knew we were in good company amongst other top businesses in Saskatoon.
A big “thank you!” is due to our rental team in Saskatoon for all their efforts and hard work every day and to our customers for continuing to choose Flaman Rentals.
Steve Whittington (middle) receiving our award from Saskatoon Mayor Don Atchison and Consumer Choice Award President Marcel Sbrollini
Jennifer Thompson arriving at the awards ceremony.
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At Flaman trailers we have offered concession trailers for some time. With the addition of the Wells Cargo line, we can really offer quality concession trailers from a company that knows the industry requirements. We do receive requests for quotes for a concession trailer and they range from pointed requests such as “How much?” to more detailed inquiries.
The fact of the matter is when it comes to a concession trailer purchase, it should always be a detailed inquiry. However, you need to know what questions you should be asking prior to contacting a Trailer Sales specialist.
Here is a list of things to think about. In fact, you can use it as a check list prior to contacting us!
What is the Application of the trailer?
oFood
oVending
oLine-up
oDisplay
oTicket booth
oOther:__________
Size (Select the base box size)
oSingle axle 7 wide 12 or 14 long
oTandem axle 7 wide 12 ,14, 16 long
oTandem axle 8 wide 12 , 16 ,20, 24, 28, 32 long
Floor
oFlat Floor
oRecessed floor
Roof Profile
oRadius Roof
oFlat Roof
Hitch
oPermanent A-Frame
oRemovable
Stabilizer Jacks
oScissor Jacks
oCorner Posts
Entry Door
o30” Square
o36” Square
o36” Radius
Service Windows -Style
oNo (skip next two questions)
oVertical Style
oHorizontal Style
Service Windows – Quantity
oCurbside
oRoadside
oFront
Lift up Awning – Quantity
oOne
oTwo
oThree
oMore
Lift up Awning Style
oStraight
oSign type –Aluminum faced
oSign type Plexiglas Faced
Awning Supports
oSelf Storing –standard up to 8’0” wide without supports
oSwing out supports Standard on awnings over 8’0” wide
oGas Piston Supports
oSliding Awning Supports
Floors
oOne piece standard vinyl linoleum
oOne piece Heavy Duty skid resistant vinyl linoleum
oOther
Insulation
oNone
oWalls
oCeiling
Interior Side Walls
oPlywood
oWhite vinyl covered plywood (light duty)
oWhite embossed FRP plywood (heavy duty)
Interior Ceiling
oWhite vinyl covered plywood (light duty)
oWhite embossed FRP plywood (heavy duty)
Counter/Cabinets/Shelves
oLaminated Counter (no cabinet)
oExterior Hinged Counter
oTip-out Laminated Counter
oBase Cabinet
oOverhead Cabinet
oOverhead Plastic Storage trays
Sink Units
o3 compartment sink – Straight
o4 compartment sink – Straight
o4 compartment sink – L -shaped
o4 compartment sink – Deep
Electrical
o30 amp service panel (120 Volt only)
o50 amp service panel (120/240 Volt)
o100 amp service panel (120/240 Volt)
o120 Volt Duplex Receptacle(s)
o120 Volt Duplex GFI receptacle(s)
o240 Volt Bell Box (Stub Wire)
oExterior 120 Volt Duplex GFI Receptacles
And this is just the start! Do you need and air conditioning, heating, lighting or a vent with an exhaust fan? The list goes on, but if you go through the checklist first you will have a good idea about what you need and the product specialist will be better equipped to answer your question: “How Much?”
It may be summer, but there are a few people who are getting excited about snowmobiling next winter. Gerald Serson of Regina recently traveled to Saskatoon to pick up his grand prize from our Sled’N Snap Photo Contest. He won the use of an enclosed snowmobile trailer for a year!
More than 860 photos were submitted to Sled’N Snap from across Saskatchewan, Alberta and Manitoba. The grand prize winner was determined by public voting. Just over 27,600 votes were cast for the top 20 finalists.
Gerald says he was “pretty excited” to hear he’d won the trailer. There are four people in his family who snowmobile, and he says he’ll get great use of it. His winning photo was taken at a warm up shack in Hudson Bay this past January while Serson was sledding with his family.
“This photo contest has opened people’s eyes to snowmobiling,” Serson says. “I think some people didn’t realize what’s out there for shelters and trails and all the wildlife you can see.” He believes this contest will help promote the sport and more people will want to try snowmobiling next winter.
Random draw winners were also selected by the sled associations for a 2-place tilt sled trailer. The winners were:
Flaman Rentals has just finished producing and distributing the new Rental Rate Flyer for our eastern Saskatchewan and western Manitoba rental stores. It contains details and safety information as well as rental rates on all of our most popular equipment.
A mass mailing was done in early March to farmers and business in these areas and it is also available to download off this site.
We hope that you will find it useful and informative and like the catalogue says, if you don’t see what you need in here, please call any of our branches and we will be glad to help find it for you. Our rental inventory is constantly being added to so that we can better serve the needs of our customers and their diverse markets.
When you think rentals, think Flaman!
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I have been in the trailer industry for a long time: 3 years as a marketing consultant to the industry, 6 years as General Manager of a trailer manufacturer and 4 years running retail dealerships. Despite all this experience, I still get overwhelmed by the diversity of choice offered to a customer in today’s market place.
Unlike the auto industry, there are hundreds of large trailer manufacturers and thousands of small players. The dealerships to buy from range from a small, one-man band to professional, fully staffed dealerships that emulate the auto dealership model.
So how does a customer choose what and where to buy?
Some of you reading this may not be close to a Flaman Trailer Dealership. (If you are in Western Canada you are never far, as there are ten locations.) Either way, when choosing a dealership to deal with, think about the following: How long has the dealership been in business? Do they carry brand name manufacturers? Do they offer service and parts? What are my product choices? Is there a range from good to best? Why does any of this matter?
How long has a dealership been in business? As a consumer you may think this does not matter anymore, as many old companies have been swept under the rug lately. Fair enough, but do consider this; a company that has been around for a while is doing something right. That something is always about the how the customer is treated.
Brand Names: For trailers, let's compare two brands: Trailtech and Blue Hill trailers. If you live in Western Canada, you know the quality of build that Trailtech represents and you know that brand will take care of its retailers and by default you, the customer. Who is Blue Hill? Well, they are in Texas. I honestly do not know much more. Would you buy a car you have never heard of? Then why buy a trailer that you have never heard of?
Service and Parts: Would you buy a car from a dealership that cannot perform a service check? Not a new car anyway. Not all trailer dealerships provide this commitment to their customers. I personally believe there is duty of care that a responsible dealer should be able to provide to its customer.
Product Range Choices: As a consumer you want to be able to choose the best fit for you. If you are a four times a year user, you will need a certain grade of trailer with the appropriate price for that use. If you are a construction company owner, you want a certain grade of trailer to take the work stress you will put on the trailer. The point is, when you come to the lot you want to be able to make these choices and buy what you need, not what a sales person pressures you to buy because that is what the dealership offers. At Flaman Trailers we believe in providing choice: good, better, best. You pick.
Does it always come down to price? Well I hope not – as a retailer the fight for the lowest price is a race to the bottom. You never win and never create a sustainable customer orientated business, unless you cut all services, amenities and after sale care. That is not the Flaman Trailer customer-focused business model. That said, at Flaman we do often have the lowest prices due to our buying power, and we often have the highest prices due to our product offering. Our sales team will consult you as to which grade (good, better, best) of trailer you need and then you pick.
I hope this has been helpful. It is difficult to choose sometimes in this congested marketplace.
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It's actually looking like winter now in many parts of Saskatchewan and Alberta. This is good news for snowmobilers, who can finally get out on the trails and have some fun. And the snow is good news if you're looking to buy a trailer. At Flaman Trailers, we're celebrating the snowfall by passing on some great savings to you on snowmobile trailers.
You need a trailer to get to where you can go sledding. You may need one for storing your sleds. Currently there are sales, clearance items and manufacturer rebates on trailers. Now is really the best time to buy.
A new website has been created to get the message out about safe sledding to local snowmobilers.
Sled’N Snap (www.slednsnap.com) is an online photo contest and community forum that celebrates snowmobiling in Saskatchewan. The Saskatchewan Snowmobile Association and Flaman Group of Companies recently launched the new website as a way to reach out to the sledding community.
“Our biggest challenge is getting the message out to our many members about safe and courteous riding,” says Chris Brewer, President and CEO of the Saskatchewan Snowmobile Association. “This contest is a fun and interactive way to spread the word to a larger audience.”
“But it’s more than just a photo contest. It’s a destination site for anyone who snowmobiles. There are links to trail maps, articles about safety, a tips forum and more.”
Sled’N Snap’s premise is simple – visitors to the site upload their photos in a variety of categories like Trail/Scenery/Wildlife, Youth and Family, Action!, or Club Rides. At the end of March, the photos will be judged by an association panel who will select a group of finalists and then the public will vote for the grand prize winner.
Up for grabs is the use of the amazing, fully-loaded Stealth aluminum enclosed sled trailer for one year. There are also category prizes from the Saskatchewan Association and every entry is eligible for the random draw for a new two-place aluminum tilt trailer from Flaman Trailers.
And it’s a way for snowmobilers across the province to share memories and common experiences. They can leave comments on photos or share pictures on Facebook. “One of the submitted photos is of a cabin that’s used as a shelter, and someone’s already commented on how they remember going to that same place,” says Brewer.
The submission period for the photo contest ends March 31, 2012. To be eligible for any prizes, entrants must have a registered sled. For more information, visit www.slednsnap.com.
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This season the diversity of choice for a sled trailer can be daunting. There are many brands, different dealers, options and types to choose from.
Let me try to take you through the choices with a bunch of comparison points as follows: Canadian versus American, steel versus aluminum, open versus enclosed, enclosed 7 wide versus 8.5 ft wide deck over, heated versus not heated and dealer versus dealer.
1) Canadian versus American. Let me start by writing “buy Canadian eh” whenever possible. There, I put it in writing. Not to get political but come on, if you can, support a Canadian company. That said, of the Canadian brands that provide sled trailers, the two leading players are Southland Trailers with their XR Series and Trailtech with their heavy duty steel trailers. There are others in the West notably Rainbow Trailers, Agassiz Trailers and CJay Trailers; however, their choice offering is less than the leading two. That said, the American companies do a good job, the problem is how fluid the industry is. Many companies rise and fall quite quickly (such as Pace American which recently shut its doors). Despite this, competition in the US is thick and there are all kinds of options to choose from, but beware of what you are buying and from whom. At Flaman Trailers we partner with the two leading Canadian companies and several American companies to round out our offering.
2)Steel versus aluminum. The debate rages, but there are some simple facts. Aluminum is lighter and does not rust, but it costs about a 1/3 more. Steel is stronger and on an enclosed unit it is only the tip of the trailer and the tail that is really going to show any rust. On an open deck there is a little more exposure. With the weight factor, several hundred pounds with a regular pick up makes a heck of a difference for hauling. For instance a two place aluminum open can weigh as little as 480 lb., while a two place steel open can weigh as much as 1345 lb.
3)Open versus enclosed. To be honest, it comes down to available storage, usage and budget. If you have lots of room to store your trailers in for the summer, there’s no need for an enclosed trailer otherwise. As for usage, how many a times a year will you be trailering and how far? Do you need an enclosed staging area? The amount of time you have to spend cleaning grime off your sled gets older every time. That being said, if you are hauling only a few times or short distances, get an open deck trailer, save some money and put it into your sled.
4)Enclosed lowboy/7 ft wide versus enclosed 8.5 ft wide deck over. Traditionally, if you wanted to haul sleds in Canada you purchased an 8.5’ wide deck over trailer. Your sleds parked side by side and loading and unloading was easy through the rear and front ramp. The 8.5’ wide deck over trailers, while convenient for loading, are big and if you have a steel frame trailer you need a big truck to haul your big trailer. Lowboy and 7 ft wide trailers are easier to pull and the 7 ft wide is a more convenient multi-use trailer in the off season than the 8.5 ft deck over. You can also see around the 7 wide and 8 wide lowboys with your mirrors when hauling. But loading is tricky, and you will not be walking in your trailer when loaded, there simply is no room.
5)Heated versus not heated. To heat or not to heat is a question many a customer has. The benefits of heat are obvious, but are you going to use it enough to justify the added expense? Only you can be the judge of that.
6)Dealer versus dealer. There are many dealers selling sled trailers. Your choices are many but should be made based on product knowledge, service and after sales support – not price! The trailers are all priced differently for a reason. If something is less or more at different dealers it is due to features, product quality and support the dealership offers. Educate yourself and purchase from a professional that will help you choose the best sled trailer for you.
Hope this helps!
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We have more product choices for you than ever before. Starting with the economical offering of our steel framed Summit Series trailers to the all flat black Stealth trailer from NashCar Trailers, we truly have a trailer for every sled. Our open deck line has expanded as well. Aluminum tilt trailers with a five year warranty are always popular units. For the 2012 season Trailtech has produced a special edition open deck two place. It is an eye catcher with flat black paint, silver reflective tape, white LED lighting and series 7 aluminum rims.
However, the show stopper is the ultimate custom Stealth 40 foot long gooseneck. This trailer features mirrored interior walls, black hard top flooring, a kitchenette, a rocking stereo system with no less than 4 subs, air conditioning, a 40,000 BTU heater, insulated generator set...and the list goes on and on.
Last and most exciting is the new photo contest Sled'N Snap (www.slednsnap.com). Flaman Trailers partnered with the Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba snowmobile associations to bring this exciting contest to the sledding community. The contest has it all: six categories to enter into, an entry prize of a two place aluminum tilt trailer per province, and the grand prize, use of a 28’ tag Stealth trailer for a year.
So this winter season there is a lot going on at Flaman Trailers. Check back often to keep in the loop.
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In many ways this product is nothing new, but this product is part of new specialization occurring with trailer products. Let me explain.
Living Quarter units for horse trailers have been around for a long time and the idea originated from cowboys tired of sleeping in the trucks and being on the rodeo circuit more than they were at home.
This evolved to include weekend riders and then weekend warriors thus the RV industry followed suit creating toy haulers. In many ways the living quarters began to outstrip the original purpose of the trailers which was move something somewhere.
In my career, the need for simple sleeping accommodation with a trailer has been a constant request. Over the years the options have been as follows:
High End LQ units
Custom built units
Customer modified units (customer takes a stock unit and makes what they need)
A Simple pull out allows for affordable, quick, comfortable accommodation.
The pull out allows for full use of the trailer box
The unit can be customized for different cargo (extra height for side by side units, or extra length) or more features: Awning, Stereo, water, base cabinets, the list goes on.
The unit is all aluminum so it will not rust, light to pull plus it is stylishly designed (the triple wedge front really stands out)
So if you are looking for a trailer which can haul all your toys and then provide decent sleeping accommodation the Nash Car Rage Camper is your unit.
Ask any of our product specialists for more details.
Tell us what you think? Has the missing link between camper and hauler finally been filled?
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The trailer industry has traditionally been a fairly static industry. Take the decade from 1998 to 2008: there were few developments other than more wide-spread use of enclosed trailers.
The last three years have witnessed an explosion of developments. A lot of these developments have been with hydraulics. For instance, Roll Off Dump trailers, multi-deck trailers, 9’ hydraulic tails and more hydraulic tilt models than ever before.
What does this mean for you, a user of trailers? The hydraulics add cost, but not as much as before; because of the increased use of scissor lifts, the costs have been driven down by economies of scale. There is also a big increase in ease of use or just downright convenience. The flip over ramps on an industrial trailer are nothing but heavy and awkward and a hydraulic tail is pretty nice to use in comparison.
The other thing besides convenience is versatility. Some of the hydraulic trailers are multi-function. Heck, one unit is called “Multi-Deck”, and a Roll Off Dump unit can roll on a cargo or flat deck attachment, making it “three trailers in one.”
All this being said, there are, as always, financial considerations. The Roll Off Dump while being “three trailers in one” only starts to provide a cost advantage by the third attachment. One could make the argument that you could buy three trailers instead of one. The same kind of argument can be made for a Multi-Deck. Granted, I am comparing two or three entry levelled priced units to these top end units, but that still has to be a consideration. To be fair, one has to put operating costs in the equation; the hydraulic units have only the operating costs of one versus three, which is a point worth considering.
I can rant and rant about the pluses and minuses of the recent influx of hydraulic trailers. I do believe they are here to stay and I do believe they have a place and application. In some cases they not only make sense, but considering the alternative, an operator would be crazy not to have one given the choices available.
So are they the next big trend? Well no, I think trailer specialization is the next big trend and hydraulic units are just a part of that trend... but that is another topic for another time.
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This spring has been a very different one for many producers in the prairies, from near disastrous flooding in the southern parts of Saskatchewan and Manitoba, to drought in northern Alberta and B.C. It seems that nothing is predictable in the agricultural sector anymore (if it ever was).
One thing is certain for all producers, in all provinces: we need all the help we can get. That is why Flaman Rentals has once again expanded our network of dealers, as well as the large line of products carried.
In Saskatchewan we’d like to welcome our newest dealers: B & A Petroleum, having enjoyed great success in their Maple Creek location, has now expanded into Assiniboia. In Blaine Lake you can now go to Blair Industrial and see Blair for all your rental needs and last but not least…. Andres Inc is now our newest dealer in Windthorst.
In Alberta we’re happy to announce these dealers to serve you better: visit Brian Headon of Headon Rentals in the Lloydminster and surrounding trading area, Dunvegan Fab and Welding in the Fairview area and Whitetail Ventures in the High Level and La Crete areas.
And what better way to mark this expansion then to introduce our new Flaman Rentals website. Please take some time to navigate the site and see what we have to offer. We think you’ll find it very user-friendly and informative. And check out the Flaman Rental dealer closest to you!
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For the second year in a row, Flaman Rentals has received the Consumer Choice Award for the best Equipment Rental dealer in Saskatoon.
“This award speaks well for the service we strive to give our customers,” says Ellery Erb, the rentals manager at Flaman Sales and Rentals in Saskatoon.
“Our goal is to have quality equipment and trailers to suit the customer’s needs, friendly service at the counter and fair pricing. I think all of those factors combined are what helped us win this award again.”
Consumer Choice Awards are handed out annually in cities across Canada in a variety of categories. The awards are based on answers from accurate surveys conducted by a third party research firm, Leger Marketing. Leger Marketing looks at various industries in each city and interviews a sample of people that represents the majority of that city’s population.
The first round of research determines the nominees for each category and a second survey asks people which of the nominated companies is their choice for the year.
Erb says it’s especially important that this award was voted on by customers, as customer service is the rental division’s number one goal.
This year’s awards were presented at a dinner and gala June 23 at TCU Place attended by a host of dignitaries including Saskatchewan’s Lieutenant-Governor Saskatchewan’s David Barnhart and Saskatoon Mayor Don Atchison.
Flaman Rentals in Saskatoon employs four full time employees and offers a fleet of 48 trailers and various agricultural equipment for rent.
Steve Whittington, an executive at Flaman, accepts the Consumers Choice Award for Flaman Rentals in Saskatoon.
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At Flaman Trailers, we’re dedicated to customer service. So much so, that if you can’t come to us, we’ll come to you!
That was the motto behind one of our salesman’s recent trip to Fort McMurray. Aaron Farrell, a trailer specialist at the north Edmonton store, loaded up a H370 flat deck trailer with a XR7 cargo trailer and an Aluma 638 utility trailer and headed up north To Fort McMurray on June 3 and 4.
This is the first time Flaman Trailers has gone on the road. Not long ago Aaron was looking through his customer list and noticed that many of them were form Fort McMurray. Talking with his customers, they expressed some difficulty in getting trailers up there. Many of them made the drive down to Edmonton.
“I thought: why not go up there? I had nothing to lose,” Aaron says.
He set up shop at the Fountain Tire in the MacKenzie industrial area, displaying the trailers on government land right in front of the store so everyone could see them as they drove by. Although Aaron says he had a bit of bad weather on the first day, the set up worked. He even sold the utility trailer on the spot.
“Lots of people were pulling over on the side of the road,” he says. “Many recognized the ad we had put in the paper. I talked to about 24 people over the 2 days I was there. It was great!”
Feeling confident, the second day he was there Aaron pulled his trailer over to a mall parking lot and set up for a few hours, where he also got a lot of traffic. He says he got a lot of interest from the oil field in equipment haulers and flat decks, but also a lot of interest in cargo trailers.
Aaron says he would “absolutely” like to take Flaman Trailers on the road again, and plans to go back to Fort McMurray.
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Often the perception is that utility trailers are the bottom rung of the trailer world when it comes to build construction. Granted, the $899 bolt together group of products with 8” tires at the big box stores are well...garbage. Tough words I know, but I have been around long enough and have had to deal with the aftermath of customers' price point purchases to write that strong language.
Things are shifting with manufacturers and trailer retailers, especially at Flaman Trailers. Speciality manufacturers and retailers like Flaman Trailers and Trailtech have recognized a customer need in this area and we are now supplying utility trailers that are quality built at a value.
Are these trailers $899? Well no, they are not. They start at $1,115 or in all aluminum by Aluma for $1,550. These are not bolt together units. They are welded, they have torsion axles or 3500 lb spring axles, some with aluminum rims and the smallest tire is 13” rubber. The steel utilities are generally sporting 15” rubber most of the time.
These are quality built units for only a few dollars more and I believe worth your consideration.
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No, we’re not opening a new Flaman Trailers location in Siberia. But an interesting story unfolded this past March where trailers purchased from Flaman Trailers in Nisku played a background, but important, role in taking some special guests to the northern Russian region.
Parks Canada moved 30 Wood Bison calves from Elk Island National Park in Alberta to Lenskie Stolby National Nature Park in Sakha, Russia as a way to preserve the animals’ endangered population. This move created what is called an “out-population” in a region where bison went extinct thousands of years ago. Essentially, having these bison in Russia is an insurance policy, in case anything happens to the vulnerable population here in Canada.
So where does Flaman Trailers fit into all this? Well, as one woman quips in the documentary of the bison’s journey filmed by Discovery Channel, you can’t transport the bison in passenger seats.
The 30 calves were loaded into Southland stock trailers purchased from Flaman to make the one hour trip to Edmonton International Airport. These loaded trailers were then put on a Russian transport plane for the 10 hour flight to Yakutsk, Russia, then continued on a four hour drive along bumpy roads and a frozen river to the nature park.
These trailers had been in Russia since 2006, after they carried bison there as part of a pilot project. Almost five years later, as they were given the once over before the bison were loaded in, the trailers looked “excellent” according to the General Trades Assistant at Elk Island. I think it’s a testament to the quality of these Southland units – not only their durability but the fact they were trusted with carrying such precious cargo.
Every two years we replace the rental trailers in our fleets across all of our stores. We combine our pre-existing used inventory with our ‘birthday’ (clearance) trailers and add the trailers that come out of our rental fleets to make the largest trailer sale in our organization. We are currently clearing out over 350 trailers across western Canada, and we are sure we’ve got one to fit your bill. From small shuttle trailers, to motorcycle trailers, to car haulers, to dump trailers, to goosenecks, you’ll be hard pressed to find something we don’t have in our used inventory. Everything from aluminum to steel, light-duty to heavy-duty, in all sorts of colors, shapes and sizes. All trailers go through our service centers for a full inspection before they are put into our used inventory.
Stop in at your nearest FLAMAN dealer, or visit our used selection online HERE.
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The 2011 Lightning line by Southland Trailer Corp has been redesigned away from a V-nose back to the traditional flat front.
Economy without Comprise
Sure it's a tag line, but really what else should I write, because the line is the proper description for the Lightning trailer. Sometimes you do not want a trailer with all the bells and whistles - you might be a customer that is only going to use a trailer several times a year, or maybe you have just started a business and cash is tight. Either way with the new Lightning line, Flaman Trailers has the trailer for you.
The new Lightning line has an all tubing main frame. The interior is lined with plywood not luan and the units ride on robust spring axles. Sure the aluminum skin is mechanically fastened with screws and the the lights are incandescent as opposed to LED lighting, but these are standard specifications for this class of trailer. The rear taillights are rubber mounted and most LED lights are fix mounted. I personally still debate whether a rubber mounted LED which can absorb travel shock will last longer than a fixed mounted LED with has to take the full jarring impact of the road.
As mentioned above, the unit is a flat front in the traditional style of enclosed trailers and conforms to the standard box sizes. You, our customer, have been asking for an entry level priced unit and through consultation with our partner manufacturer this line up is it.
Canadian made, Canadian value, Flaman Trailer services what we sell. Come to our locations and see the new Lightning trailers starting at $2,995.
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Southland Trailers Has recently came out with a new addition to their enclosed line up. The XR Sport Model is designed specifically to haul your side by side ATV.
The trailer comes standard with extra 8” of height with allows you enough room to ride your ATV in with ease. (rear door height - 81", rear door width - 74") The entire frame is constructed of hollow structural steel (HSS). Full tubing construction means increased strength and rigidity. We upgraded the flooring to high grade structural mezzanine decking, perfect for construction or recreational use.
The Sport model comes standard with 4, recessed D-rings rated at over 500lbs each for the safety of whatever you’re hauling. An aluminum tread plate 24” rock guard wraps the front of this trailer, On some models we have also added aluminum rims, this increases longevity of the rim and gives the trailer a polished look. The XR Sport comes standard with Flo thru vents and utilizes slim line LED lighting throughout the exterior of the trailer.
There are many color options available to you, here we feature our “Camo Edition” this is a limited edition trailer with only a few models available. This unique trailer would be great for hauling your side by side on your next hunting trip! Because of the many features this trailer has such as the extra height and heavy duty flooring we have been getting a lot of positive feedback from customers who use the trailer for more commercial and industrial uses as well.
Whatever you chose to use this trailer for, you will be satisfied with the quality and workmanship that Southland Trailers provides For more information, please contact your local Flaman Trailer Dealer.
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The New Roll off Dump Trailer is truly a versatile unit. The same chassis can serve as a cargo trailer, flatdeck or dump unit. Currently Southland trailers has released the garbage bin attachment, with the above other attachments soon to follow. We are pretty excited at Flamans to be the first to bring this new unique paradigm changing trailer to the market place.
Often when you drive to a construction site there are multiple trailers present. Cargo Trailers serving as mobile tool cribs or a job site shack. Flat decks for hauling equipment, garbage bin on the ground, and dump trailer for moving dirt or landscaping. Imagine the possibilities and cost shavings of having all these functions combined with one chassis. What if you have two or three job sites!
You only need to register and maintain only one trailer instead of multiple units or if you are renting eliminate rental fees for the occasional rentals by purchasing a cost effective attachment. Additionally the attachments can be spotted and picked up at your convenience and you do not have to worry about the theft of your trailer.
These units are due to be released the middle of March just in time for the start of the spring construction season.
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We are really excited about this new four by eight foot dump trailer we have in stock at our Flaman locations.
The product is constructed with an all tubing frame which provides ample strength and allows the wiring to be enclosed. The trailer rides on a 5200 lb spring axle..plenty of payload for an acreage heck plenty of payload for a landscaping contractor! A gas shock on the tool box lid is a nice touch as well as the light mounted on the underside of the lid for when you are working at dawn or dusk. Robust jeep style fenders plus plank brackets for building up the already ample height side walls.
All around a Must see! Must have! trailer at a very reasonable price!
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