PleasureMate

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In a converted service storage building on Blue Star Memorial highway in South Haven, Indiana Bill Rasmussen and his brother-in-law, Charles Rehfeld, founded PleasureTime Industries on April 10, 1967. Manufacturing of the PleasureMate camping trailer begin immediately at a goal rate of about six units a day. The company had already made commitments to produce and sell 400 trailers by August 1, 1967 to a dealer organization serving the surrounding seven-state region and priced on the retail market at around $1,395 (equivalent to about $11,500 in 2017 dollars). The trailer business was nothing new to either Rasmussen or Rehfeld. Rehfeld operated South Haven Mobile Homes and Sales, a trailer court, for several years prior. Nine years earlier Rasmussen was employed building mobile homes with a firm in Indiana and had been associated with his trade ever since. Up until March 1, 1967 he was vice-president in charge of sales for Travel Equipment Corp., in Elkhart, Ind. but quit his job to go into business with Rehfeld.

By November 1967 plans were announced to introduce two new trailer lines and to build a new two-story addition to their current plant to accommodate expanded production. Production was expected to hit 2000 trailers in 1968 and employment was expected to increase from 18 to 40 persons. By October of 1968 production estimates were met and the company employed 90 persons. Additional plans were made to add a third addition to their original building. Bill Mullen of Saginaw was awarded as the top Midwest salesman. Growth came quickly to the new company as they continued to expand their market share into Texas and Canada.

On November 22, 1968 Bill Ramussen disclosed that an agreement to purchase Pleasure- Time Industries was made by Poloron Products, of New Rochelle, New York. The sale was consummated within a few weeks following the approval by the Securities Exchange Commission. No changes to plant operation or location was planned while Rasmussen retained the title as president and Rehfeld, vice-president.

PleasureTime Industries was acquired by Karrion, Inc sometime in late 1972. Details of the acquisition are unknown as of this writing but most likely Poloron sales estimates were never realized and the company divested itself of recently acquired non-core assets. Most likely the PleasureMate camper did not survive into the 1980s. Details of the company's demise remain unknown as well.