Keeping GEN-Y Hitch Production Moving
How EQ Systems helps GEN-Y Hitch meet the demands of OEM
production with reliable hydraulic solutions and responsive support
When an OEM production line depends on your product, quality is only part of the equation. Components need to arrive consistently, perform reliably, and be backed by a supplier that understands how quickly manufacturers need answers when questions arise.
That was the challenge facing GEN-Y Hitch when the Indiana-based towing products manufacturer developed a tire carrier program for Grand Design.
GEN-Y Hitch is known for its patented torsion-flex hitch technology and manufactures a range of premium towing products, including adjustable drop hitches, fifth-wheel king pins, weight distribution systems, and OEM-integrated towing solutions. The company serves the RV, trailer, agricultural, and automotive aftermarket industries and supplies major RV manufacturers including Grand Design, Forest River, Jayco, and Renegade.
When GEN-Y needed a hydraulic solution for its Grand Design Tire Carrier, the company turned to EQ Systems.
Developing a product for a major RV manufacturer meant GEN-Y needed a hydraulic supplier capable of meeting the expectations of an OEM production environment. Quality and dependable lead times were essential, but GEN-Y also wanted a partner that could work alongside its team during product development and continue supporting the program as it moved into production.
“We needed more than a parts supplier; we needed a company that understood the RV OEM world and could move at the pace our customer expected,” said Jason Helmuth, OEM Sales Director at GEN-Y Hitch.
That combination of manufacturing experience, engineering support, and responsiveness made EQ Systems a natural fit.
EQ Systems supplies the hydraulic components used in GEN-Y's Grand Design Tire Carrier. Helmuth said the partnership began during development, with the EQ team working with GEN-Y to specify the right hydraulic solution for the application. That support continued as the product transitioned into production and volumes increased.
For GEN-Y, EQ's familiarity with the requirements and expectations of RV manufacturers helped make the process easier.
“EQ’s responsiveness on engineering questions and their familiarity with RV OEM requirements made the integration process much smoother than it would have been otherwise,” Helmuth said.
The relationship also extends beyond engineering and components. Consistent communication has played an important role in keeping the program moving.
For GEN-Y, supplier performance ultimately affects its own ability to deliver for its customers. Helmuth said the hydraulic system has performed reliably in the field, helping GEN-Y maintain the quality expected by Grand Design. At the same time, consistent component quality and dependable deliveries have helped GEN-Y meet its own production and shipping commitments.
“The hydraulic system has performed reliably in the field, which directly protects our reputation with Grand Design, one of our most important OEM accounts,” Helmuth said.
That reliability is especially important in an OEM environment, where one missing or delayed component can have consequences far beyond a single order.
“When questions come up, we get answers quickly, and that kind of communication matters a lot in a production environment where a delay on one component can stall an entire line,” Helmuth said.
Helmuth described GEN-Y's overall experience with EQ Systems as very positive and sees similarities between the way EQ supports its customers and the way GEN-Y approaches its own OEM relationships.
“EQ operates the way we try to operate with our own OEM customers, responsive, straightforward, and committed to standing behind their product,” Helmuth said.
For manufacturers evaluating a hydraulic supplier for an OEM application, Helmuth said the value of the relationship comes down to quality, consistency, and communication.
“If you're looking for a hydraulics partner for an OEM program, EQ Systems understands what that commitment means, quality, consistency, and communication. They've been a dependable part of our supply chain, and we'd recommend them to other manufacturers without hesitation,” Helmuth said.
For EQ Systems, the GEN-Y partnership is an example of what successful OEM support looks like, providing the right components while also delivering responsiveness, expertise, and reliability manufacturers need to keep production moving.
EQ Systems, 19300 Grange St, Cassopolis, MI 49031
574-264-3437 | 1-800-846-9659