RV sales slowly rising
By · CommentsWith the economy appearing more stable, cautious affluent retirees are beginning to looking at higher end RVs again while midrange customers are shopping for smaller and less expensive units.
A Des Moines Register article says:
An estimated 15,000 people are expected to file through the Varied Industries Building this weekend to look at vehicles, from massive motor homes to 12-foot towable trailers. Industry officials and stock analysts said the once-ravaged RV business is still a long way from its 2004 peak. But signs continue to point skyward, at least slightly, after a disastrous 2008 and early 2009.
Statistics from the Recreational Vehicle Industry Association show wholesale shipments of RVs peaked at 390,500 in 2004, then fell 59 percent to about 159,500 in the next five years.
Shipments in December from manufacturers to dealers were up 150 percent compared with December 2008, according to a report from analysts R.W. Baird & Co. last week. Industry numbers predict deliveries will grow nearly 28 percent this year, from 159,500 last year to 203,500 in 2010.
Read the rest of the Des Moines Register article.
According to an Elkhart Truth article, Heartland paid $306,000 for the rights to the Fleetwood names.
Prowler, Mallard, Gearbox and all the brand names that once distinguished Fleetwood travel trailers and fifth wheels now belong to Heartland Recreational Vehicles LLC.
The towable manufacturer bought the Fleetwood trademarks from the bankrupt Fleetwood Enterprises for $306,000 in a transaction that was finalized this week. Heartland bought the rights to the names only as they pertain to travel trailers, explained Len McGill, in-house counsel for Fleetwood Enterprises, noting the RV maker would be limited in applying these monikers to products other than towables.
Company officials did not return a phone call Thursday, but in a press release Heartland stated it expects to begin manufacturing towables under the newly acquired brands within the next 12 months.
Read the rest of the Elkhart Truth article.
Heartland RV Acquires Fleetwood Towable Trademarks
By · CommentsIn a press release, Heartland Recreational Vehicles, LLC, announced the acquisition of towable trademarks for such names as Prowler, Pioneer and Wilderness.
ELKHART, Ind., Feb. 3 /PRNewswire/ — Heartland Recreational Vehicles, LLC ("Heartland"), the fastest growing manufacturer of towable RVs in America, today announced that it has acquired the remaining active trademarks of the towable brands from Fleetwood Enterprises, Inc. As one of the leading former manufacturers of towable RVs in North America, Fleetwood has some of the most recognized and iconic brands in the industry.
"This is an exciting transaction for Heartland. Fleetwood’s towable brands have long been among the most widely recognized names in the towable RV segment, with loyal customers and an extensive dealer network. By acquiring the trademarks of Fleetwood’s towable products, we will enhance Heartland’s brand portfolio with industry leading names such as Prowler, Pioneer and Wilderness," said Brian Brady, CEO of Heartland.
Read the rest of the press release from PRNewswire.
Texas Campgrounds
By · CommentsIf you’re from Texas or interested in camping in Texas, TexasCampgrounds.com has undergone a major revision.
THE #1 website for RV parks and campgrounds in the great state of Texas just got better! Perhaps the most improved feature on TexasCampgrounds.com is also the most used – the Find a Park page. Now you can refine your search more than ever by browsing for parks that are a specific mileage from a great attraction or separating parks by those that only have Wi-Fi or even looking by parks with special deals. To find a park with one click, just use the ‘Quick Search’ function on the left
The new TexasCampgrounds.com has also kept the great features and tools of before, including online ordering of the 2010 edition of the award winning RV Travel & Camping Guide to Texas plus the ongoing Gas Card contest
Check ‘em out if you’re camping in Texas!
Another Large Offroad Recreational Vehicle
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The is one of two large offroad recreational vehicles we saw parked at one of the trailheads in Arches National Park on September 24, 2007. The other offroad RV was of similar size but on a different truck chassis. Later we saw both vehicles again, parked at a picnic area.
This RV is built on a Mercedes Benz Unimog frame.
September 24, 2009
Arches National Park
Gallery: Arches National Park
See more of our Image Galleries at Haw Creek.
Estes Park, Colorado
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Estes Park, September 5, 2009
Located in Larimer County, Colorado, Estes Park is a popular summer resort and the eastern entrance into Rocky Mountain National Park. The town lies along the Big Thompson River. It is named after Joel Estes, who founded the town in 1859.
Trail Ridge Road, the highest continuous road in the United States, runs from Estes Park through Rocky Mountain National park to Grand Lake on the western side of the continental divide.
The town suffered severe damage in July 1982 from flooding caused by the failure of Lawn Lake Dam. In October, 2009, a fire in the Park Theatre Mall – caused by a natural gas water heater in a small closet – destroyed eleven businesses and several apartments. The building had been built in 1914 to house Stanley Steamers.
Gallery: Estes Park and then up to Trail Ridge – September 5, 2009
See more of our Image Galleries at Haw Creek.
A Fast Boat
By · CommentsOr, at least it looks fast, to me.
In May, we visited The Mariners’ Museum in Newport News, Virginia. One of the areas of the museum is The International Small Craft Center.
From a collection of over 150 small craft, the Mariner’s Museum staff have arranged 75 vessels in a 17,500 square foot center.
The collection includes finely finished Chris-Crafts, simple dugouts, fragile, thin racing shells and much more.
My nautical experience was primarily on a large submersible, but I do appreciate other vessels. The symmetry of this bow on shot of this beautiful wooden hulled boat caught my eye.
I generally try to take photos of the descriptions of displays, but, in this case, I don’t have any further information.
I’ve added 2 new Virginia photo galleries to my Haw Creek site – The Mariners’ Museum in Newport News and images from the Virginia Beach ocean front. All of the photos were taken on May 10, 2009.
Gallery: The Mariners’ Museum, Newport News, May 10, 2009
See more of our Image Galleries at Haw Creek.
Consumers are flocking to 2010 RV shows, which may indicate that the economy and the RV industry are headed for growth, according to a press release by the Recreational Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA).
More than 50,000 consumers attended the Florida RV Super Show in Tampa this month, up 12 percent over last year’s strong attendance. Attendance at the Grand Rapids (MI) RV Show doubled over last year’s number with more than 20,000 consumers attending. And at the Ohio RV Super Show, 33 percent more consumers showed up this year than last year. The large crowds at these shows have pleasantly surprised organizers and dealers, who say that, in addition to stronger attendance, sales are also much improved over last year.
“Sales were awesome — just like the old days,” said Bob Sanders, sales manager for Dusty’s RV, about the highly successful Florida show. “We wrote 170 deals at the show, compared with 58 last year.” Sanders added that sales were across the board and included 40 motorhomes.
Read the rest of the RVIA press release.
Big Offroad RV
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On September 24, 2007, we saw this big boy parked at one of the trailheads in Arches National Park. There was another large offroad recreational vehicle parked nearby. Later we saw both vehicles again, parked at a picnic area.
As best as I’ve been able to find online, this RV is built on a Mercedes Benz Unimog frame.
Gallery: Arches National Park
See more of our Image Galleries at Haw Creek.
Signs of Recovery in Elkhart’s RV Country?
By · CommentsSome people are heading back to work in hard hit Elkhart County – often in different jobs than they had before, and sometimes at a lower pay. According to a South Bend Tribune article, hope is on the rise in the area’s recreational vehicle (RV) industry as well as other industries.
The unemployment rate here, driven by job cuts at factories that made Elkhart County the capital of recreational vehicle manufacturing, spiked in March to 18.9 percent. But it has fallen steadily since, reaching 14.5 percent in November while the national rate climbed to 10 percent.
Part of the drop in unemployment may be due to hiring at a handful of RV makers like Heartland RV in Elkhart, which recently held a job fair after announcing it would add 400 jobs by March. For jobless workers who have spent months scrimping to keep up with mortgages, the job fair was a welcome first step in returning to the life they used to know.
Other RV makers also have begun hiring, albeit slowly, as orders from dealers have picked up in the past few months. Dealers don’t generally discuss sales figures, but two economists who follow the industry have predicted a slight rebound in production for 2010.
Read the rest of the South Bend Tribune article.
