The leadership communications specialist CloudQast has taken delivery of a 1964 ‘classic’ Airstream Globe Trotter caravan.

The CloudQast Airstream Globe Trotter caravan.

This 16-feet long example of touring history will become CloudQast’s ‘creative headquarters’ in St Albans – the venue for the creative scriptwriting for CloudQast’s many video-based learning and development (L&D) materials.

CloudQast director, Damian Gaskin, explained, “Being ‘creative’ types, we decided that we needed somewhere that’s both iconic and out-of-the-ordinary in order to bring out the best in us, as we grapple with developing the linear and interactive videos that our customers need. When the Globe Trotter caravan became available, it seemed the obvious choice!”

Weighing in at 2,910 pounds, the Airstream Globe Trotter comprises an all-metal, all-riveted body with double rubber-sealed doors and windows which are ‘aircraft tight’, with vibration-proof fastenings.

The Airstream marque dates from the Great Depression in the USA, in the late 1920s. A law graduate, named Wally Byam, who worked for a magazine publisher, wrote an article on building a camping trailer – but, soon, people began complaining about errors in the published piece.

Keen to discover the problem, Byam began building trailers in his own back yard. It soon became his full-time occupation and he called his new company, Airstream.

Then, around 1935, Byam became associated with William Hawley Bowlus, a pioneer in aeroplane design who’d been involved with the historic aeroplane, ‘The Spirit of St. Louis’. In 1936, following Bowlus’ bankruptcy, Byam bought some of the Bowlus equipment, re-employed some of his workers and re-badged the company’s aluminium trailers as ‘Airstream’.

Of more than 400 travel trailer builders operating in the USA in 1936, Airstream was the sole survivor of the Depression.

“Like Airstream, CloudQast aims to be both iconic in its products and services,” observed Damian.

“In the most recent world recession, which began in 2008, like Airstream, we had to innovate and produce something entirely new – services that our clients didn’t even know they needed. Like Airstream, we’re a successful survivor in today’s rapidly changing business world.”

CloudQast's Damian Gaskin, entering CloudQast's new creative centre.