For those of us that do a lot of towing, the name Valley is synonymous with hitches, trailer brakes and ball mounts. When I spotted them at the 2009 SEMA Show, I decided to drop in for a visit.
I spent some time talking with Mike McCann, director of marketing, for Valley Towing Products and learned what we can expect to see in the future.
“Valley has made a lot of changes in the past 6 months and we went from a company being owned by Thule to be self-owned and the key part of that is that Valley is now a company that is run by people who use RV’s and tow rigs,” McCann said.
“We understand this industry and know where it’s been and where it’s going. We’ve got a lot of exciting products coming out, like a new Blackbird and Phantom.”
For those of you that haven’t heard the news, the Phantom (P/N 32811) is a time-based unit engineered with Valley’s exclusive F.E.T. brake control technology, which uses components that emit less heat and allow for the development of a smaller brake control. It is small, measuring 3 inches wide by 3.75 inches long and 1 inch high, which means it can mount practically anywhere in the vehicle. The new Blackbird brake control (P/N 32812) is a more-powerful version of the Phantom featuring an easy-to-read digital display that communicates trailer settings and diagnostic alerts for trailer disconnect, short circuits and charging system errors. The unit is designed to support trailers with two, four, six and eight brake systems.
“We’ve made a lot of advances and redesigns this year; like separate head and yokes on our 5th wheels, and these innovations are all about safety and ease of use, McCann added. We focusing on all the little things that make it easier and safer for the consumer.”
Valley sees the popularity of smaller tow rigs as the economy tightens, even the small crossover vehicles like the Nissan Rogues with a Class I or Class II hitch. McCann insists that the end-user still has to have a good, solid hitch and a brake controller because these vehicles have more weight behind them than they have in the tow vehicle.
Valley also recognizes that people are looking for convenience, and functionality. “Today’s products have to be safe and they have to be convenient. People are shopping on the Internet and they know the features and benefits before they buy. To help out these consumer, Valley will be launching a brand new website and it’s going to have a huge area about towing and frequently asked questions,” he said.
“If I can offer the consumer anything, they should know the safe tow rating of your vehicle and that information comes in the owner’s manual. Also, consumers need to evaluate how they are going to use the vehicle and that will determine the kind of towing options they need,” McCann said.