A RV manufacturing industry executive says that, as a result of the recent recession, the move to lightweight RVs is probably going to be permanent.
The ”Great Recession” probably has made permanent the RV industry’s move toward lighter weight, ”greener” units, Wilbur Bontrager, Jayco Inc. chairman and CEO, told a northern Indiana television audience this weekend (April 10-11).
“I’ve been through a couple of these downturns,” Bontrager said. ”We’re seeing a lot of the same dynamics where we, along with all the other manufacturers, have gone into building lighter weight products. This time around, I believe it will stick.
”This time around, we have technology, we have materials and suppliers who can produce components that can be lighter weight and greener. In the past, this has been more difficult.”
Read the full RVBusiness article – Bontrager: Lightweight Movement Will Stick
Other RV, Camping and Outdoors News and Information:
3rd Annual Roaming Times Green RV Award
Roaming Times, a leading RV review and RV consumer report website has selected Earthbound RV travel trailers as the 2010 Green RV of the Year.
David B. Hoefer, Earthbound’s VP of sales and marketing said:
"We’re at the cutting edge. Instead of traditional RV-building methods, we’ve turned to experts in other fields, such as automotive and plastics…”
The V-2 Earthbound being produced has already eliminated all wood and wood by-products. “Earthbound has leaped ahead with the use of composites, thermoplastics, and lightweight hybrid structural materials. We’ve been partnering with major international composite suppliers for over 8 years.”
Earthbound trailers are eco-friendly and lightweight. “We have the potential to add 11 million new customers to the towable RV buying market. Our RVs are towable with vehicles that are already parked in many of today’s family driveways.”
Read the rest of the Roaming Time’s announcement: Roaming Times’ Green RV of the Year Award 2010 – The Earthbound travel trailer.
Other RV, Camping and Outdoors News:
- Smokies campsites reopen with stimulated improvements, WBIR, Knoxville, Tennessee (use of federal stimulus funds for park improvements.
- New Report Reveals Full Extent of Public Outrage at Forest Service Concessionaire Policies, Fly Rod & Reel Online
- FEMA trailers at discount prices, todaysthv.com, Channel 11, Little Rock – Buyer beware!
- Teardrop trailer makes her a happy camper – The Daytona Beach News-Journal
- Jeep introduces campers built by Livin’ Lite, RV Daily Report
- Cost of sleeping under stars gets astronomical…Fees for your site, reservation, firewood — even getting through the gate — are on the rise, The Vancouver Sun
- Vermont state parks expect upswing, WCAX.com
An Ann Arbor fuel cell manufacturer, Adaptive Materials, announced earlier this week that it had been awarded $3 through the Michigan Centers of Energy Excellence Program (COEE).
Adaptive Materials currently manufactures two different fuel cells — a 50-watt fuel cell that delivers portable power to soldiers in the field and a 250-watt unit that powers unmanned military vehicles. The company’s 250-watt unit is the basis for its RV and consumer leisure market fuel cell; Adaptive Materials’ fuel cells can provide the auxiliary power needed for TVs, radios, laptops, microwaves, and other creature comforts in an RV.
Unlike other fuel cells that run on hydrogen or other hard to source fuels, inexpensive and globally available propane, butane and LPG power all Adaptive Materials fuel cells.
Adaptive Materials is the world’s first company to develop, demonstrate and deliver a portable, affordable, and fuel flexible solid oxide fuel cell system.
Read the rest of the article from WWJ 950 News Radio’s Great Lakes Innovation and Technology Report(GLITR) website: Adaptive Materials Gets $3 Million COEE Funding.
Heartland Recreational Vehicles LLC is planning to buy and equip a 125,000 square-foot manufacturing facility for $2,6 million and create up to 265 jobs over the next 3 years. In February, the company purchased the last active towable RV trademarks from Fleetwood Enterprises Inc.
“Elkhart’s recreational vehicle industry continues to show resilience in the face of a tough national economy,” said Mitch Roob, Secretary of Commerce and chief executive officer of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation. “Heartland’s investment further proves that Elkhart’s traditional industries will play an equal part with emerging sectors in bringing new opportunities to this region.”
Heartland Recreational Vehicles, which employs more than 900 associates across North Central Indiana, plans to begin hiring additional manufacturing and supervisory associates immediately as the new product lines are phased in. The acquisition of the former Fleetwood brands will allow Heartland to expand into markets in the western United States.
Read the rest of Heartland’s press release at Inside Indiana Business – RV Maker Announces Expansion Project
The economy is loosening up and people seem to be changing the way they vacation. These, along with other factors, are resulting in improved RV sales, according to an article in the Denver Business Journal.
Recreational vehicle (RV) dealers report big sales increases, and RV show organizers say there’s been higher attendance at their events in early 2010.
The number of RV units shipped from national manufacturers to dealers rose by 116 percent from January 2009 to January 2010, from 7,300 units to 15,800, according to the Reston, Va.-based Recreation Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA). The numbers have spurred RVIA officials to predict shipments will increase 30 percent this year, a predictor of vehicle sales.
That growing interest in motorized homes and non-motorized trailers was visible at two Denver-area RV shows this year. Attendance at January’s Colorado RV Adventure Travel Show at the Colorado Convention Center rose by 24 percent over last year. And it was up 14 percent at March’s Colorado RV, Sports, Boat and Travel Show at the National Western Complex, said Vilma Fraguada, regional manager for Affinity Events, organizer of both shows.
Read the rest of the Denver Business Journal article: RV dealers expect much better sales this year
If 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!
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.
Update: Arizona State Parks to Close
January 16, 2010
According to major news sources, including the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, and The Washington Post, major budget shortfalls in Arizona will result in the closure of 13 state parks by June. Eight others have already been closed.
The Los Angeles Times:
The New York Times:
The Washington Post:
In a Huffington Post editorial, Chad Campbell, the House Democratic Whip in the Arizona State Legislature, describes the reappropriation of a quarter of a million dollars meant for state parks:
It’s ironic that, in today’s rough economic times, state parks are being closed. During the Great Depression, construction of state parks provided need work for thousands of young men in the Civilian Conservation Corps.