Month: October 2024

BRADENTON, Fla. – PowerMax Converters, a leading manufacturer of Power Solutions to the RV industry, announced that it will reopen for business on Friday, Oct. 11, following temporary closures due to Hurricane Milton. The company’s operations were disrupted earlier this week when the Category 3 storm made landfall Wednesday evening, causing widespread damage across the region, according to a release.

Despite facing challenging weather conditions, and with the eye of Hurricane Milton passing directly overhead, PowerMax has confirmed that its facilities sustained minimal damage and are ready to resume normal operations on Friday

“We are incredibly grateful for the support of our employees, local partners, and the community during this time,” said Graham McWilliam, VP of Sales at PowerMax Converters. “Our top priority was ensuring everyone’s safety, and we’re pleased to announce that we can reopen this Friday to continue serving our customers.”

Customers can expect regular service from Friday onwards, with the company pledging to prioritize any outstanding orders affected by the storm.

For more information, please contact PowerMax Converters at 941-201-8041.

The post PowerMax Converters Plans to Reopen Friday After Milton first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

OHI is committed to providing our members with the tools and resources needed to ensure their outdoor hospitality businesses are not only successful but compliant with industry regulations. MPLC (Motion Picture Licensing Corporation) does just that, according to a release from the outdoor hospitality trade association.

MPLC offers a solution that allows campgrounds and RV parks to legally enhance their guest experience through the showing of movies and TV programs. OHI members have exclusive access to the deepest discounts with MPLC in the industry.

MPLC is the global leader in public performance licensing, representing Hollywood’s biggest names like The Walt Disney Company, Universal, Paramount, and Pixar, among others. For more than 35 years, MPLC has helped businesses and organizations legally show television and film content in public spaces outside of traditional theaters. This includes campgrounds, community venues, bars, hotels, and many other businesses where guests and customers gather. By securing an MPLC Blanket License, you ensure that your park can legally entertain visitors while complying with federal copyright law.

The distinction between private and public performance is important under U.S. copyright law. While guests can watch movies in their homes without a license, any public space, whether indoors or outdoors, requires one if movies or TV shows are shown. MPLC makes this process simple, affordable, and fast, so you can focus on what matters most: delivering memorable experiences to your guests. With just a few clicks, you can secure the rights to stream, broadcast, or show DVD content to your visitors, ensuring you remain compliant and avoid any legal risks.

MPLC’s Blanket License provides campgrounds and RV parks with:

• Unlimited showings of movies and TV programs covered by MPLC’s vast catalog of rightsholders.
• No complicated reporting requirements, making the license easy to manage.
• Comprehensive coverage, allowing you to show films in any indoor or outdoor public space within your park.
• Exclusive OHI member pricing designed to save you money while keeping you covered.

As an OHI member, you gain access to discounted rates on MPLC’s Blanket License, which provides coverage for parks of all sizes. Whether you’re showing a movie on a big screen for a summer night gathering or streaming TV shows in your common area, this license ensures that you’re operating within the bounds of copyright law.

For additional details on how to utilize your OHI membership to secure an MPLC Blanket License, visit ohi.org/discounts.

The post OHI Touts MPLC’s Blanket License for Enhancing Guest Stays first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

AUSTIN, Texas – Roamly, a leading digital insurance platform owned by The Outdoorsy Group, today announced a partnership with National Insurance Inspection Services (NIIS) to streamline claims processing through the implementation of a cutting-edge pre-loss inspection tool for recreational vehicles. This collaboration will expedite legitimate claims and enhance the overall policyholder experience.

“We’re excited to partner with NIIS on this important initiative,” said Jeff Cavins, CEO of Roamly. “More than a third of Americans admit to exaggerating damages on their claims. Until now, there’s never been a reliable way for the insurance industry to protect itself. Our innovative technology represents a fresh approach: it’s a departure from the industry’s usual tactics of raising rates or restricting coverage – practices that are widespread but often leave consumers frustrated and underserved.”

How Pre-Loss Inspections Accelerate Claims Processing

Roamly policyholders in the recreational vehicle (RV) market can now opt-in to the self-inspection option immediately upon purchasing a policy and complete an e-survey provided by NIIS to document the condition of their new RV. This process provides an accurate depiction of the pre-loss condition of the vehicle, aiding risk assessment and ensuring faster compensation for legitimate claims.

In a world where the attention economy is increasingly strained, customers are seeking faster, more efficient insurance services. The new tool addresses this demand by providing a more streamlined claims process, reducing processing times.

“Insurance should provide peace of mind and quick support when needed,” said NIIS President, Curtis Goldsborough. “We’ve proven the value of self-inspection in the property insurance space. Through this partnership with Roamly, we’re excited to bring this same value to the world of auto insurance.”

How Insurance Fraud is Driving Up Consumer Costs

The partnership comes at a crucial time when insurance costs are at an all-time high. According to the Insurance Information Institute, insurance fraud costs the average U.S. family between $400 and $700 per year in increased premiums. This partnership aims to address the issue by predicting and preventing fraud, ultimately lowering premiums for good actors.

The new policyholder e-survey will initially serve RV owners, but has the potential to expand to standard passenger auto insurance across all Roamly partnerships in the future.

Roamly and NIIS are confident that over time this approach will not only speed up claim payouts for policyholders but also create a more transparent and efficient insurance ecosystem.

About Roamly

Roamly, owned by The Outdoorsy Group, is the first API-enabled, digital insurance platform with an embedded offering that brings RV insurance to make owners’ vehicles ‘rent ready.’ Roamly provides a suite of unique digital insurance products that eliminate the commercial use exclusion clause that prohibits online renting activity. Roamly underpins outdoorsy.com and allows other peer-to-peer marketplaces to embed professional and personal insurance products – such as rental insurance, trip and travel insurance, and protections such as weather and roadside assistance – directly to customers through simple booking flows. For more information, visit www.roamly.com.

About National Insurance Inspection Services (NIIS)

National Insurance Inspection Services is a leading provider of self-inspection technology in the property insurance industry. With over 40 years of inspection experience and millions of inspections completed, NIIS partners with many of the nation’s top insurance carriers on their self-inspection initiatives. To learn more, please visit https://www.nationalis.com.

The post Roamly Launches Inspection Tool to Combat Insurance Fraud  first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

NORTHERN INDIANA – Industrial diversification, placemaking investments, regional collaboration, a mindset shift, talent retention and attraction strategies are some of the factors local elected and business leaders – inlcuding Jason Lippert, CEO of Elkhart-based Lippert Components – credited for the momentum the South Bend-Elkhart region is experiencing at IBJ Media’s Engage Indiana series event highlighting Elkhart, Marshall and St. Joseph counties, according to a report by Inside Indiana Business.

For an area still largely regarded for its manufacturing prowess, the northern Indiana region is experiencing what its leaders refer to as a renaissance. KemKrest CEO Amish Shah, who moderated the panel session Tuesday, took attendees back to 14th century Italy, explaining how those living in the moment were not even aware of the generational impact their actions would have.

“Indiana hasn’t seen this kind of economic prosperity in over 40 years, so I want to alert you all, just so we can name it properly,” Shah said. “We are all living in a renaissance in this region. I want you to know that because I want you to walk around with a swagger.”

…

Third-generation business leader Lippert shared his views on how company culture can also be essential for attracting to and retaining talent in the region.

“Culture can be a competitive advantage if we do it right, if team members can come every day and feel like they work at a place that’s consistent, leadership aligns with their values, they tend to want to stay longer,” Lippert said. “We also partner with Ivy Tech; we upskilled over 400 people in the last year and a half. That’s one of the things we talk about when we bring people in for an interview.”

…

Click here to read the full report by Inside Indiana Business.

The post Jason Lippert, Other Panelists Share Keys to Regional Growth first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

WASHINGTON — Inflation in the United States dropped last month to its lowest point since it first began surging more than three years ago, adding to a spate of encouraging economic news in the closing weeks of the presidential race, according to an Associated Press report.

Consumer prices rose just 2.4% in September from a year earlier, down from 2.5% in August, and the smallest annual rise since February 2021. Measured from month to month, prices increased 0.2% from August to September, the Labor Department reported Thursday, the same as in the previous month.

But excluding volatile food and energy costs, “core” prices, a gauge of underlying inflation, remained elevated in September, driven higher by rising costs for medical care, clothing, auto insurance and airline fares. Core prices in September were up 3.3% from a year earlier and 0.3% from August. Economists closely watch core prices, which typically provide a better hint of future inflation.

Taken as a whole, the September figures show that inflation is steadily easing back to the Fed’s 2% target, even if in a gradual and uneven pattern. Apartment rental costs grew more slowly last month, a sign that housing inflation is finally cooling, a long-awaited development that would provide relief to many consumers.

Click here to read the full Associated Press report.

The post U.S. Inflation Reported at 2.4%, Lowest Since February 2021 first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

Ben Hirsch of Camper’s Inn RV and his daughter, Avery, talk about the dealership’s humanitarian efforts in North Carolina with Bob Zagami and John DiPietro of the New England RV Dealers Association (NERDA) for this week’s “RVing in New England” show.

The post Campers Inn’s Hirsch Describes Helene Relief Efforts in N.C. first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

FAIRFAX, Va. – The RV Dealers Association (RVDA) is honoring 19 RV manufacturers/brands with Quality Circle Awards for achieving the highest scores in the association’s 30th Annual Dealer Satisfaction Index (DSI) survey.  These brands/manufacturers received at least 15 dealer responses and scored 4.25 or above on a 5-point scale in overall dealer satisfaction in the association’s survey conducted June through September.

The towable RV manufacturers/brands receiving awards are (in alphabetical order by manufacturer):

• Airstream
• Alliance RV (Avenue, Paradigm, Valor, Delta)
• Brinkley RV (Model G & Z)
• Coachmen (Apex, Spirit)
• Cruiser RV (Avenir, Shadow Cruiser, MPG, Stryker, Essence, Embrace)
• East to West (Travel Trailers & Fifth Wheels)
• Forest River (Flagstaff, Rockwood, Palomino, Columbus, Puma, Wildcat, Cardinal)
• Grand Design RV (Imagine, Momentum, Reflection, Solitude, Transcend)
• Intech RV (Flyer, Luna, Sol, Terra)
• Jayco
• Keystone RV (Cougar, Hideout, Hideout Retreat, Montana, High Country, Springdale, Residence)
• KZ RV (Connect, Connect SE, Connect Mini, Durango, Durango Gold, Venom, Sportsmen, Sportsmen Sportster, Sportsmen Classic)
• Shasta (Travel Trailers)
• Venture RV (SportTrek, SportTrek Touring, Stratus).

The motorized RV manufacturers receiving awards are (in alphabetical order):

• Airstream; Coachmen (Class Bs)
• Dynamax
• East to West (Alita, Entrada)
• Entegra; Forest River (Class As)
• Jayco
• Leisure Travel Vans/Triple E, Pleasure-Way
• and Winnebago (Class Bs & Cs)

When rating their brands/manufacturers, RVDA asks dealers to express, confidentially, their level of satisfaction on four core issues:

• Reliability/quality
• Parts
• Warranty
• Sales

“The DSI results recognize top-rated manufacturers in several important areas of dealer and customer support, which is more important than ever as the industry works to reduce Repair Event Cycle Time,” said RVDA Chairman of the Board Ryan Horsey of Parkview RV Center in Smyrna, DE.   “Thanks to all the dealers who responded to the survey and congratulations to the manufacturers who earned Quality Circle Awards this year.”

RVDA received DSI responses from 585 dealership locations in the U.S. and Canada that included 2,632 brand ratings, an average of 4.5 per dealer.  A summary of the DSI survey aggregate results will appear in the November issue of RV Executive Today.

The top-rated manufacturers will be recognized and receive their awards during the RV Dealers Convention/Expo at Paris Las Vegas.

RVDA is the national association representing RV retailers. The association’s members include RV dealers, RV rental operators, and RV AfterMarket sales and service locations.  RVDA of Canada is a national, volunteer federation of provincial and regional RVDA associations which exists to protect and promote the interests and welfare of RV dealers across Canada in order to enable the industry to maximize its potential.

The post RVDA Recognizes Top-Rated RV OEMs/Brands in DSI Survey first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

In this episode of RVBusiness Capitol Talk, Rick Kessler and Sherm Goldenberg are joined by RV Dealers Association (RVDA) President Phil Ingrassia, Chris Andro of Hemlock Hill RV in Southington, Conn., and Travis Creech of Rex & Sons RV near Wilmington, N.C.

The discussion talks about the ongoing recovery efforts from Hurricane Helene and the expected impact of Hurricane Milton. Ingrassia explains the RV Dealers Employee Emergency Relief Program, and Creech explained the process of becoming a FEMA-authorized vendor, and the typical timeline it takes for FEMA to provide RVs to natural disaster victims. For his part, Andro offered a preview of the upcoming RV Dealers Convention/Expo.

RVBusiness Capitol Talk is sponsored by Airxcel Inc.

The post Capitol Talk: Dealers Discuss Hurricanes, RVDA Convention first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

EDITOR’S NOTE: With local officials still dealing with the devastation from Hurricane Milton, RVBusiness will look to provide coverage Friday of how the storm impacted RV dealerships, parks and campgrounds.

In related news, RVB posted a Capitol Talk video today with RVDA President Phil Ingrassia, Chris Andro of Hemlock Hill RV and Travis Creech of Rex & Sons RV. During that discussion, which you can view here, Ingrassia explained the association’s RV Dealers Employee Emergency Relief Program, and Creech explained the process of becoming a FEMA-authorized vendor.

In addition, OHI, formerly known as the National Association of RV Parks & Campgrounds, has available an OHI Foundation Disaster Relief Fund, the proceeds of which will go directly to campgrounds affected by this and other natural disasters.

Also, we’re sharing the interview between Ben Hirsch of Camper’s Inn RV and his daughter, Avery, who talk about the dealership’s humanitarian efforts in North Carolina with Bob Zagami and John DiPietro of the New England RV Dealers Association (NERDA) for this week’s “RVing in New England” show.

And allow us to also highlight RVDA’s announcement today of the 19 RV manufacturers/brands to be recognized with Quality Circle Awards for achieving the highest scores in the association’s 30th Annual Dealer Satisfaction Index (DSI) survey. If not for Hurricane Milton, this news would have been the top story of the day.

Following that is a selection of Hurricane Milton coverage from various media sources.

The post Residents Reeling as Hurricane Milton Slams Into Florida first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

The Big Truck Big RV channel on YouTube did a walk-through review of the new Riverside Retro 145 BT.

The RVBusiness Featured Video is sponsored by CURT, a Lippert towing brand.

The post OEM Showcase: Riverside Retro 145 BT Cab-Over Travel Trailer first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.