Kevin Molick is a custom cabinet contractor and outdoorsman. The idea of building a teardrop trailer for his camping adventures intrigued him so he built one to suit his needs. It wasn’t long before he was getting inquires on social media about how one of these trailers could be purchased which moved him to start building more trailers. By the end of 2016 he had built and sold 12 of these custom made trailers.
“We are proud to present a product that we are enthralled to make,” says Kevin Molick, Timberleaf’s founder. “After four decades of experience as a designer and a cabinetmaker, I decided to start making these trailers full-time to create something that would enable comfortable travel and outdoor adventures for others”.
Timberleaf Trailers was started in the spring of 2016. Inspired by the clean and elegant design of mid-century, handmade American teardrop campers, Timberleaf Trailers combines vintage design and contemporary functionality seamlessly. Each trailer is built to order with optional features and customizable interiors.
In September, 2016 Kevin sought consulting assistance to explore international sales since he was receiving international inquiries. He met with the Small Manufacturers Advantage team who agreed but determined it would be beneficial to optimize his processes before proceeding.
Manufacturers Edge also became involved and worked with Kevin providing assistance in implementing lean manufacturing techniques streamlining the assembly process. In addition, they conducted a Kaizen event to help resolve manufacturing issues the company was experiencing with the hatch assembly. Together they also developed a training matrix for new employees that sets expectations, defines skill attainment and can be used as a performance assessment tool. By harnessing employee involvement they created a highly motivated and talented staff which has become one of the company’s greatest assets and cause for their success.
Timberleaf has an effective and mobile friendly website coupled with an active presence on social media which creates a consistent backlog of orders. As demand continued to escalate Kevin expanded the assembly space and added staff to handle this influx of volume in 2017.
Kevin says, “We build these because we believe that the road is rewarding—that adventure does not stay in only one location. We make these teardrops to open up new horizons, to allow you to bring comfort with you, and to help you make lifelong memories”.
