Chateau History
Both Class C and B+ motorhomes are built on a cut-away chassis typically Ford but some are built on the Chevy chassis or the Mercedes Sprinter chassis. The Class C and the B+ motorhomes are also commonly referred to as mini-motorhomes.
Chateau was originally manufactured by Four Winds International Corporation of Elkhart, Indiana. Four Winds was founded in 1990 by Steven Hicks and Kenneth Geljack Jr. and from the beginning they manufactured travel trailers and Class C motorhomes under the Chateau brand. In 1992 Thor Industries acquired Four Winds International Corporation from the founders. The trailer production was moved over to Dutchmen a previous Thor Industries' acquisition. The motorized production remained with Four Winds International and was expanded to include Class A motorhomes.
In 2004 Four Winds International launched its version of the Class B+, the Chateau Citation. The Class B+ was re-introduced to the motorhome market around 2001 and it gained popularity quickly. A Class B+ is slightly smaller than a comparable Class C motorhome. There is one major difference, where a Class C has sleeping accommodations above the cab (driver/passenger) this area on a Class B+ is only large enough to house an entertainment centre. The initial attraction of the Class B+ was that it was smaller than any Class C on the market but offered more space than the comparable Class B (van-style) motorhome at a more affordable price.
In 2010 with the impact of the recession Thor Industries decided to merge the different motorized companies to control costs and improve their competitive advantage. As such, Damon Motor Coach and Four Winds International were merged to create Thor Motor Coach. Bill Fenech became the new President of Thor Motor Coach. Mr. Fenech was instrumental in managing the transition and consolidation of the motorized production of these two organizations into one.
In 2009 The Hitch House was looking to expand its product offering of Class C motorhomes. The Hitch House had been a dealer for Bigfoot Industries, a Canadian Class C manufacturer. Bigfoot built some of the industries highest quality Class C motorhomes but unfortunately it did not survive the market downturn. The Hitch House was in need of a good manufacturer to fill the void. Tom Stoate approached Matt Thompson, then Vice-President of Damon Motor Coach to recommend a good quality Class C manufacturer. The Hitch House had been Matt Thompson's dealer when Matt was the Regional Sales Representative for Damon. Matt knew the Hitch House well and Tom believed that Matt would be able to recommend a good fit for The Hitch House and our customers. Matt made arrangements for Tom to meet with Dana Simon, Vice-President of Four Winds International.
It was difficult for Matt to make that recommendation as he was developing a business plan for Damon to go to market with a Class C line. However Matt knew that Four Winds International was the best option for The Hitch House. Tom Stoate and Dave McKee met with Dana Simon at the 2009 Hershey RV Show in Hershey, Pennsylvania and an arrangement was agreed upon. The Hitch House became the new Ontario dealer for Chateau Class C and Chateau Citation Class B+ motorhomes.