Archive for RV business
RV sales are picking up in 2010.
Posted by: | CommentsAfter the worst year in 18 years, RV sales are showing a turn around, according to a Daytona Beach News-Journal article.
Despite the worst year for recreational vehicle sales in 18 years, industry officials are smiling on the eve of the 2010 Central Florida RV Show that starts Thursday at the Volusia County fairgrounds in DeLand.
They are seeing a turnaround from 2009.
Shipments of RVs from manufactures to retailers rose during the second half of the year, compared to 2008. And snowbird visitors to recreational vehicle parks and campgrounds are up across the Sunbelt.
"And attendance at the RV shows are up as is our walk in traffic," said Larry McNamara, chief operating officer of Giant Recreation World with sales and service facilities in Ormond Beach, Orlando and Melbourne. "(The RV industry is) seen as a rule as an economic indicator. When things are good, sales are up. But when things are bad, it’s very bad."
Read the rest of the Daytona Beach News-Journal article: RV sales revving up.
RV sales slowly rising
Posted 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.
Heartland expects to begin manufacturing Fleetwood Branded RVs within 12 Months
Posted by: | CommentsAccording 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
Posted 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.
Strong Attendance at RV Shows may indicate RV industry Resurgence
Posted by: | CommentsConsumers 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.
Signs of Recovery in Elkhart’s RV Country?
Posted 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.
Winnebago working hours up
Posted by: | CommentsMore sales means more work.
For some Forest City, Iowa’s Winnebago Industries employees, it means some employees worked during part of the traditional extra holiday time off, according to the Globe Gazette of Mason City, Iowa.
While most had their normally-scheduled holidays of Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, some were set to work New Year’s Eve, company spokeswoman Sheila Davis said.
Winnebago employees typically have an extra week or two of vacation over the Christmas and New Year’s holidays, she said.
Read the full article at the Globe Gazette
Class A Motorhome page update and move
Posted by: | CommentsRV Manufacturer content pages are being moved from Haw Creek to new RV Manufacturer pages at rv.exit78.com.
The first of the new pages, Class A Motorhome and Motor Coach Manufacturers, has been completed at the new location and the old page has been updated.
Eventually, all new and updated content will be at the new location, but, for the near term, updates for the RV Manufacturer pages will continue to be made in both locations.
KOA and Airstream featured on Fox Business News
Posted by: | CommentsJim Rogers, CEO of Kampgrounds of America, and Bob Wheeler, CEO of Airstream, talk about the improving prospects for both RVs and camping on December 29th, 2009. Bob Wheeler says that 2010 will see a significant recovery for the RV industry. According to Jim Rogers, KOA had record occupancies in the summer of 2009 for various reasons, including people staying closer to home and the price of fuel. RV camping business at KOA was up 14%. Fifteen percent of the KOA visitors were first-timers.
Proposed Country Coach RV bankrupcy deal
Posted by: | CommentsAn RV dealer from Texas would buy motor homes and invest millions in return for a half stake in the company
A Texas RV dealer will buy six Country Coach motor coaches and invest $4 million in return for a 50 percent equity stake in the company as part of a proposed deal intended to allow the RV maker to emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, according to documents filed this week in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Eugene.
In addition, Recreation Live LLC of Schertz, Texas, would commit to buying an increasing number of coaches in the future, and open at least three “factory stores,” according to a July 14 letter of intent between the recreational vehicle dealer and RV maker.
For the full article, see The Register Guard (Eugene, Oregon)
