The History of Escape Trailers
Every Escape trailer is built upon years of experience. We started building trailers out of a passion to create the best possible fiberglass trailer on the market and that passion continues today.
The Beginning - Reace and Tammy Harmatuik
In 1993, Reace started purchasing older fiberglass trailers and repairing them. People kept stopping and asking if the trailers were for rent. So, Reace started an RV rental company – Economy Travel Trailer Rentals.
1993
The First Escape
Our RV rental customers were asking for extra features in the fiberglass rental trailers. We hired our first staff member and were officially in the fiberglass trailer industry. We formed Escape Trailer Industries.
2002
Early Grower
We could only build one trailer at a time, and we didn’t have a demonstration trailer to use for marketing purposes, fortunately we had that one special customer who let us use their trailer for marketing. To improve Quality we brought the fiberglass and welding shops on site so that we had more control of the product development. As business continued to increase, we started experimenting with methods of how to sell the Escape Trailer.
2004
Building Customer Centric Relationships
In 2006 we tried to sell through Dealers. The challenge was customer relationship, we felt the key was understanding our customers and building products that fully satisfied their needs. We struggled with the lack of interaction with our customers. It did not allow us to follow our business model. So we closed down for six months, worked on the design and introduction of our Escape 5.0 fifth-wheel, and returned to direct sales.
2006
First Escape Rally
The first Escape Trailer rally. The start of an annual tradition open to all Escape owners or Soon to Be owners.
2009
Manufacturer Direct Sales
We quickly discovered that Customer direct sales with our manufactured product were superior to all others. A manufacturer with direct sales can afford to put an emphasis on Quality while maintaining a fair price for customers. The business grew quickly. In 2012 Escape Trailer Industries purchased the current property.
2012
Expansion
In 2016 we expanded with a 3rd building on the property. This was combined with renovations and upgrades to the existing facilities. We created a world class fiberglass manufacturing capability along with a revamped production line. Customer appreciation continued to grow as did our orders, and range of options.
2016
The New Beginning
We partnered in July 2018 with KV Private Equity, and began the next phase of our growth strategy. This gave us the extra support to take Escape to the next level.
2018
10th Year Rally Anniversary
The Escape rally has grown to over 150 trailers. We launched a new Maple interior, and continue to grow our brand. New customer relationship support tools, new configuration tools, and a host of other improvements specifically aimed at customer support and product quality.
2019
Continued Expansion
A customer driven project! After receiving requests for a family-friendly upgrade of the E19, we introduced the E21NE. While identical in floorplan it features a wider shell (which translates into a wider aisle), more storage and most importantly: a spacious u-shaped dinette.
2020
Introducing New Options
With the release of a third interior choice "Contemporary" many customers chose to brighten up their trailer. Next to “Maple” it became the second most liked color. We continue to “Built for You!” and new options found their way to Escape including Lithium Batteries and Composting Toilets for extended “boondocking”. This is also the year we launched the US Hub delivery program which by today reaches 17 locations across the States.
2021
E23 Prototype & Education
Excitement ran high as Escape welcomed the arrival of the molds and chassis for the brand-new E23. Promising to become an excellent new floorplan, we also utilized a Computer Numerical Control (CNC) cutting machine to improve our production methods. While the E23 became the forerunner, these methods would soon be applied to other floorplans. Additionally, our team introduced an interactive configurator tool to assist customers in making informed decisions about the many options available.
2022
E23 Launch + Escape Club Debut
We were blessed with amazing customers buying the E23 First Editions sight unseen! Thus, the first E23s made it into the wild. These units were preconfigured, allowing the team to build trailers with the same or similar options before venturing into a more custom-built approach. We also rolled out a brand-new ambassador program, the "Escape Club." Being incredibly grateful for the growth our customers provided to Escape, we decided to step up and significantly and increase rewards for showing their Escape and spreading the word.
2023
More Choices, More Places, More Escape
The E23 can now be fully custom-built with a wide range of options — including three versatile floorplans, colored shells, and interior choices designed for comfort and convenience. With large tanks and off-grid capabilities, it’s also proving to be a fantastic boondocking companion. While hosting our own Escape Rally this year, we also hit the road to attend rallies in Florida and Georgia. These gatherings are wonderful opportunities to connect and celebrate the Escape community — and we highly encourage you to join in the fun! We also kicked off a promising new partnership with Retro Renos in Jacksonville, Florida. This expert team will be helping with warranty work and more as we expand support in the region. Escape is growing — and now thriving in the Southeast USA!
