Month: July 2015

(July 17, 2015) -- The four-week moving average of initial claims, which attempts to smooth out some of the weekly volatility in the measure, rose to 282,500 from 279,250 in the previous week to mark the highest average since late April.

(July 17, 2015) -- With a family member near death, the renters wanted to return the RV to Phoenix so they could fly back to the Netherlands quickly. However, rather than pay a $600 drop fee to return the motorhome to Phoenix, they drove all night to get back to Chicago where they were assessed an bigger fee for returning the RV early.

(July 17, 2015) -- Born Free Motorhomes announced yesterday that RV World, with locations in Lakeland and Nokomis, Fla., is the newest dealer to carry the Born Free product line.

Ed Childress, president and CEO of Hayes Brake Controllers in Arab, Ala., announced recently that Bill Smith has joined the company as vice president of sales and marketing, effective June 29. According to a release, Smith, who replaces the retired George Cargo, is responsible for marketing Hayes products in the RV, OEM and specialty markets. […]

Elkhart, Ind.-based WFCO has just released an upgrade to its popular WF-511OH inverter, a 1,000-watt pure sine wave inverter that provides the electrical filtering needed for residential refrigerators in RVs. WFCO’s new WF-511OHP, which simplifies and provides certainty in product testing on the RV production line, replaces the WF-511OH model. As with the WF-511OH, the WF-511OHP features […]

It’s been a strong year for the sales of campers in northern Michigan. According to a report in UpNorthLive, an industry trade group says this year has set some records that have stood for decades. At Vacation Trailer Sales in Benzonia, Bill Workman says trailers have changed a bit since he started selling them in […]

Elkhart, Ind.-based Patrick Industries Inc., a manufacturer and distributor of building and component products for the recreational vehicle, manufactured housing and industrial markets, will release its second quarter 2015 financial results before the market opens on July 30. Patrick Industries will also conduct a conference call on July at 10 a.m. EDT to discuss second quarter results and […]

(July 16, 2015) -- Camping World gobbles up RV dealers, Thor Industries and Forest River take over RV manufacturers, Lippert Components buys up suppliers, Brown and Brown consolidates insurance companies and now LQK monopolizes the RV aftermarket. This should be raising red flags galore within the RV industry, especially in the RV aftermarket. Does this industry really want most of its dealers, suppliers, manufacturers and wholesale distributors controlled by a handful of companies?

This week’s “Rollin’ On TV” program looks at small camping trailers with profiles on: the Dub-Box, based on the iconic VW bus design; the Nest, a sleek trailer sporting European design; and the aluminum High Camp tear drop trailer. Also, Evanne Schmarder has a new AquaGo instant, continuous flow, hot water system installed in her older Jayco Eagle trailer […]

(July 16, 2015) — RVIA President Elect Frank Hugelmeyer officially joined RVIA on July 13 at the association’s headquarters in Reston, Va., to begin the transition process that will see him assume the top staff position when current RVIA President Richard Coon retires on Oct. 1.