If you missed the report in the prior Masthead blog post on this week's IBHS hurricane wind test on houses, please read that now, before proceeding.
Thanks to feedback from MHPros, we've now posted a new and more public focused article, with additional facts at this link:
which has side by side photos – like the one below – and other facts you can share with anyone in the general public, local media, public officials or other industry pros.
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The roof tears off at under 100 MPH on the site built house, but
holds in a Wind Zone 1 Manufactured Home.
Now, let's share one of the off-the-record comments that have come in from pros like yourself.
“Not being an engineer, I never thought about the attachments causing the problem. I think this is great news. Since I have been in the M. H. industry I have had to deal with the high wind topic. Now the question becomes, what are we going to do with this info? Why was this only being reported on one station? How can we get the word out? I challenge the industry to act while the iron is hot!”
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Ronnie Richard, recently retired industry veteran from American Homestar, and prior Texas Manufactured Housing Association chairman, posted this public comment:
“Great for the industry but for a casual TV viewer I'm afraid all they saw were the visuals of an MH being destroyed. It would be great for MHI to get the B roll and produce a professional video with more emphasis on the structure that did not fail.”
An off-the-record comment, from yet another respected and successful industry leader:
“…knowing the media, which, in my opinion, favors site built housing, they will only show the MH’s that were damaged.”
Indeed, the bulk of the visuals in the NBC news report did focus on the spectacular failure rather than the more amazing site built house failure or the success of the manufactured home that had the proper attachment.
Or how about this one:
“As far as marketing and MHI, I don't think that is really a priority for them plus budget is a problem, I'm sure. Producing this video is a no-brainer to me.”
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As part of a fact-packed and thoughtfully detailed guest column we plan to publish soon, Ron D'Ambra, System Built Sales Director for Professional Warranty Service Corporation, said this.
“…I do believe the proper additional information should have accompanied the testing and the article…to assure readers that the article was indeed accurate and based on the industry's construction standards that are in place…to assure every home-buyer the steps taken to protect their property and investments.”
In other words, Ron suggests that more background and facts would reassure both existing and prospective buyers of the quality of modern manufactured homes. Good points!
I won't quote, but will paraphrase a number of comments on the manufactured homes that were tested. A number of sources told me that the homes were purchased from a retailer and represented the least expensive manufactured home available in that market.
Let's think about this last point, which begs many questions, but also calls for a strong statement.
If that's true, here we see a far more expensive site-built house failing, while the least expensive manufactured home that had a properly attached car port didn't fail. Amazing!
Let's close with part of the first quote:
“Now the question becomes, what are we going to do with this info? …How can we get the word out? I challenge the industry to act while the iron is hot!”
On the Masthead, we couldn't agree more.
This is yet another time for the industry to step up and act. Why not have a group of companies and/or associations sponsor a new video, all who do get their logos on it, etc.. An MH INDUSTRY Video. Do a professional one, like we did at the Louisville Show. Why not include interviews with key people in that video?
Why not get the story of a hurricane and tornado survivors in MHs into it? They are out there, as the article linked above on MHLivingNews proves!
That's about as powerful a message as we could get today that flies in the face of the common misconceptions.
Such a video could make weather men, media and public officials think again.
A good video would cause some who wrongly 'fear' our homes to better understand, embrace and buy them.
Indeed the industry needs to act while the iron is hot. ##
(Photo credits are stills from the video by NBC News' Today Show.)
L. A. 'Tony' Kovach ManufacturedHomeLivingNews.com | MHProNews.com | Business and Public Marketing & Ads: B2B | B2C Websites, Contract Marketing & Sales Training, Consulting, Speaking: MHC-MD.com | LATonyKovach.com | Office 863-213-4090 Connect on LinkedIN: http://www.linkedin.com/in/latonykovach
