RV Business

ELKHART, Ind. – This Sept. 23-25, in conjunction with the Elkhart Dealer Open House, the RV/MH Hall of Fame will once again host the industry’s suppliers, offering an opportunity to show in front of the wholesale side of the industry, according to a release from the Hall of Fame.

To ensure participation in the 2024 show, all registrations and payments are required to be submitted by Aug. 31.

This event has been refered to as “The premiere supplier exhibition to show in front of dealers, manufacturers, and others.” For 2024, the Hall has once again expanded the show with the addition of a 36,000 square foot Eastern Wing that has been designed with this event specifically in mind. Indoor booths are still available as of August 13th, but you must act quickly to ensure your place in the show. Pre-registration for attendees of the show is up significantly over previous years.

“If you have not registered, please secure your spot as soon as possible because booth space is going quickly. Click here to visit the website for the brand new show layout, registration forms, and other information important for exhibitors,” the release stated.

 Standard booth price for 2024 is $3,500 per indoor booth and $2,500 per outdoor booth with specialty booths available upon request.

When submitting a registration, Show Director and Hall of Fame President Darryl Searer will assist in selecting a booth. For questions or help registering, contact Searer at 574-903-3850.

The post RV Hall Supplier Show Registration, Payment Due Aug. 31 first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

VAIL, Colo. – Harvest Hosts, a membership program offering RVers access to 9,000+ unique RV camping locations, announced today its acquisition of Escapees RV Club, one of the oldest RV organizations providing community, events, education, discounts and resources to support and enhance the RV lifestyle. This expansion reflects Harvest Hosts’ commitment to creating safe, memorable, and community-focused experiences for RVers throughout North America, according to a release.

EDITOR’S NOTE: RVBusiness first reported on this acquisition on July 18 (See: “Harvest Hosts Takes Lead Mgt. Role in Escapees RV Club”) and a follow-up story on Aug. 6 (See: “Harvest Hosts’ Holland Reviews the Escapees Acquisition”).

Founded 46 years ago by Joe and Kay Peterson, Escapees RV Club has long been a pillar of RV travel. With its vibrant support network, the club has become an essential resource for RVers, offering a wide array of services and fostering a strong sense of community. Harvest Hosts is honored to carry the torch moving forward, ensuring a robust RVing experience for newcomers and lifelong travelers alike.

As part of the deal, Harvest Hosts has acquired the Escapees membership platform, including memberships, events, education and community services. Travis and Melanie Carr, Co-CEOs of Escapees RV Club, will continue to operate the mail service and campgrounds without interruption, and Escapees members will continue to receive their associated member benefits as normal. The acquisition aims to enhance the RV lifestyle and create a more comprehensive network by leveraging the strengths and resources of both companies.

“We are extremely excited to welcome Escapees RV Club into the Harvest Hosts family,” said Joel Holland, CEO of Harvest Hosts. “With a shared passion for enhancing the RV lifestyle through exceptional experiences and a vibrant community, it was a natural fit to bring the two organizations together. This allows us to dedicate more resources towards expanding the offerings for both memberships while reinforcing our commitment to building the greatest RV club in the world.”

As part of the transition, Harvest Hosts has retained the Escapees RV Club staff, ensuring jobs are preserved under the new leadership. This continuity will allow members to receive the same level of service from the people they have come to know and trust.

“We are immensely proud of the legacy and values that Escapees RV Club has built,” said Travis and Melanie Carr, the former President/Co-CEO and Vice President/Co-CEO of Escapees RV Club. “With Harvest Hosts, we have found a partner whose vision and dedication to the RV community aligns with our own. We are confident that under their leadership, our members will not only continue to receive the exceptional service they expect, but will also find value in the expanded opportunities this brings.”

This union benefits the members of both organizations and strengthens Harvest Hosts’ footprint in the RV community. With shared resources and expertise, Harvest Hosts is poised to offer the most comprehensive network of experiences and superior services for RVers, nurturing a more connected and supportive community. Both companies are committed to maintaining high standards for their members, who are the heart of everything they do.

About Harvest Hosts

Harvest Hosts, the largest private RV camping network in North America, provides a complete network of offerings to streamline the road travel and camping experience – with a collection of companies that includes Boondockers Welcome, a community of RVers allowing guests to stay overnight on their property for free; CampersCard, a campground discounts and benefits program; CampScanner, an alert service to book sold-out campgrounds; and Brit Stops, a membership connecting motorhome tourists in the UK and Ireland with small businesses for overnight stays. The company’s mission is to advance the technology and accessibility of the RVing and campground industry, making traveling while supporting national parks, local small businesses and communities easier than ever.

To learn more, visit: www.harvesthosts.com, www.boondockerswelcome.com, www.camperscard.com, www.campscanner.com, www.britstops.com; download the Harvest Hosts app on iOS here and Android here.

About Escapees RV Club

Since 1978, Escapees has been a leader in supporting those who pursue the RVing lifestyle. The club was founded by full-time RVers, Joe and Kay Peterson, at a time when there was no support group for full-timers. Today, the club continues to grow and transform itself according to the needs of its members, supporting them through benefits, educational and social opportunities. Learn more about what is available to Escapees RV Club members at www.escapees.com.

The post Harvest Hosts Announces Acquisition of Escapees RV Club first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

The “Big Truck Big RV YouTube channel does a walk-through tour of the 2025 Wildwood Grand Lodge 42 Veranda by Forest River.

The post OEM Showcase: FR’s Wildwood Grand Lodge 42 Veranda first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

TAMPA, Fla. – Lazydays Holdings, Inc.  (NasdaqCM: GORV) will announce its second quarter 2024 financial results no later than before the market opens on Aug. 16. A conference call to discuss the results is scheduled for the same day at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time.

The conference call may be accessed by telephone at 877-407-8029 / +1 201-689-8029. To listen live on the Lazydays website or for replay, visit www.lazydays.com/investor-relations.

The post Lazydays Schedules Release of Second Quarter Results first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

EDITOR’S NOTE: The following is an excerpt of an article by Gordon White for Truck Camper Magazine.

nuCamp RV has rocketed its technology to the next level and brought fully automated lamination in-house. nuCamp now has some of the most advanced technology we’ve ever seen in a camper factory. The impact is nothing less than a sea change.

This past June, we visited the nuCamp RV headquarters in Sugarcreek, Ohio. This was our sixth time visiting the company since they launched the Cirrus line of truck campers in 2015. During each of those visits, we saw factory and manufacturing improvements and evolutions, but nothing like what we saw this year.

When we first walked the Cirrus production line in 2015, they were sourcing their exterior wall laminations from an outside vendor. This was fantastic for efficiency as the camper walls were shipped to nuCamp ready to go. After installing the windows and decals, the walls were sent to the production line and fastened to units.

The downsides to this approach are cost and control. An outside vendor requires a markup for profitability, and they are in control of production scheduling and quality. Nearly every camper company that works with outside vendors would rather bring production in-house, especially during economic peaks and valleys.

It should be no surprise that nuCamp has now brought their exterior wall laminations in-house. And they didn’t just purchase the ubiquitous hot melt applicator and pinch roll lamination machine. nuCamp has invested millions into state-of-the-art Morbidelli machining centers, a C.R. Onsrud CNC machine, and Edge Automation motorized NORD Drivesystems, and more. We’re talking about a major technological sea change at nuCamp, and it was on display everywhere in the plant.

Click here to read the full report by Truck Camper Magazine.

The post ‘Truck Camper Magazine’ Showcases nuCamp Technology first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

WASHINGTON — Wholesale price increases in the United States eased in July, suggesting that inflation pressures are further cooling as the Federal Reserve moves closer to cutting interest rates, likely beginning next month, according to an Associated Press report.

The Labor Department reported Tuesday that its producer price index — which tracks inflation before it reaches consumers — rose 0.1% from June to July. That was down from a 0.2% rise a month earlier. And compared with a year earlier, prices were up 2.2% in July. That was the smallest such rise since March and was down from a 2.7% year-over-year increase in June.

The July wholesale figures reflect a broad and steady slowdown in price increases, which peaked at a four-decade high in mid-2022 but are now moving toward the Fed’s 2% inflation target. On Wednesday, the Labor Department will release the most well-known inflation measure, the consumer price index.

Click here to read the full Associated Press report.

The post US Wholesale Inflation Cooled in July; Rate Cuts Next? first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

The 2024 RVBusiness Top 50 RV Dealer Awards program has entered its next phase, as more than 220 dealerships have been nominated by RV manufacturers – which is believed to be a record amount.

Those nominated dealers, in turn, have been invited to complete their respective entries and return them to Barb Riley, ([email protected]) of BJ Thompson Associates, which coordinates the Top 50 program each year. Entries must be postmarked by Aug. 23.

Now in its 14th year, the RVBusiness Top 50 program celebrates those North American RV dealerships that, in the eyes of an esteemed panel of independent judges, best exemplifies dealer excellence in customer and community service. An announcement of the 2024 Top 50 winners will be made closer to the RV Dealers Convention/Expo, and winners will be presented at a special Nov. 13 reception during the RV Dealers Convention/Expo at Paris Las Vegas,

As part of the process, emails were sent in June to RV manufacturers, inviting them to nominate their dealer partners for Top 50 consideration. OEMs were asked to carefully consider their selections, as the ideal nominees for this program are not necessarily their largest dealers, but those who promote best practices in all aspects of their businesses, including customer service, operational innovation, employee training and certification, charitable outreach and general excellence in overall business practices.

In turn, those nominated dealers will be asked to submit an application, which are due by mid-August so that a panel of high-profile industry representatives can review them and finalize selections during a two-day in-person session in early September at the RV/MH Hall of Fame in Elkhart, Ind.

Once again, the Top 50 roster will include five exemplary “Blue Ribbon” dealerships plus three special distinctions — the Gaylord Maxwell Innovation Award recognizing creative business strategies, the Arthur J. Decio Humanitarian Award bestowed upon a U.S. or Canadian dealer who has excelled at charitable endeavors, and the Sherman Goldenberg Award for Excellence in Digital Marketing. The specialty awards are sponsored by Airxcel Inc., Wells Fargo DF, and RV Trader, respectively.

“We’re delighted to have received so many nominations, and we’re encouraged that so many dealers have taken the time to complete an entry,” said Rick Kessler, publisher and executive editor of G&G Media Group LLC, the Elkhart-based source of RVBusiness and Woodall’s Campground Magazine.

The post Entry Deadline Looms for RVB’s Top 50 Dealer Awards first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

The 2024 Aftermarket Conference is underway in Orlando, Fla., according to a News & Insights report by the RV Industry Association (RVIA). RVBusiness is attending the event and will provide coverage.

This week, suppliers and distributors will meet in one-on-one “appointment sessions” to pitch new products while taking advantage of key networking opportunities.

Attendees will also hear a keynote presentation from Andrew Davis on The Loyalty Loop, featuring the six small things individuals can do to create a great aftermarket customer experience.

This event is the perfect opportunity to develop strategies for expanding the market segment and discuss opportunities for future growth.

The post RVIA’s Aftermarket Conference Kicks Off in Orlando, Fla. first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. – Winnebago Industries, Inc. (NYSE: WGO) today announced key changes to its executive leadership team to bolster its position as the trusted leader in the premium outdoor recreation market and drive its next phase of growth.

After four years with the company, Winnebago brand President Huw Bower will step down from his role on Aug. 31, 2024. During his tenure with the company, Bower helped guide the business through unprecedented times, brought several new industry-leading innovations to the market, and built a committed team across the brand’s motorized and towable RV businesses.

Chris West, currently Senior Vice President of Winnebago Industries enterprise operations and Barletta Boats, has been named President of the Winnebago Outdoors businesses – Winnebago-brand motorhomes, Winnebago-brand towables, and Winnebago-brand specialty vehicles – effective Sept. 1, 2024. West was hired in 2016 to lead the company’s Enterprise Operations, with responsibility for the entire manufacturing, supply chain, and quality value streams across the Winnebago Industries portfolio.

Over the past eight years, West has worked closely with the company’s RV and marine businesses, built deep outdoor industry relationships, and driven significant progress and improved capabilities across key areas such as employee safety, manufacturing, strategic sourcing/supply chain management, quality, and business excellence. West also spearheaded the integration of the company’s Barletta Boats acquisition in 2021 and has provided executive oversight to a pontoon business now chasing double-digit market share growth.

“Winnebago Industries believes that time spent outside is priceless and we are committed to building a best-in-class leadership team that can deliver on our promise to elevate every moment outdoors for our partners and customers,” said Winnebago Industries President and CEO, Michael Happe. “We thank Huw for his contributions to our team and our business and welcome Chris to his new role. Our company has gone through a significant transformation over the last several years, but we know the best is yet to come for our team and portfolio of premium brands as we continue to grow our influence, impact and share of the RV and marine industries.”

Prior to joining Winnebago Industries, West served as vice president of global supply chain for Joy Global, a worldwide mining equipment manufacturer and held several other key leadership positions in the agricultural equipment manufacturing and aircraft interior manufacturing industries. A search for West’s prior Senior Vice President – Enterprise Operations role will begin immediately.

In addition, Barletta Boats President, Jeff Haradine will join the Winnebago Industries executive leadership team and report directly to CEO Michael Happe, effective September 1, 2024. Haradine has been with Barletta since its inception and has been a critical driver of Barletta’s strong growth trajectory.

“Jeff has been a key part of Barletta’s impressive trajectory, first as a sales leader and then as president of the business over the last two years,” said Happe. “I look forward to having his people-first approach and deep marine industry insights on our top leadership team.”

About Winnebago Industries

Winnebago Industries, Inc. is a leading North American manufacturer of outdoor lifestyle products under the Winnebago, Grand Design, Chris-Craft, Newmar and Barletta brands, which are used primarily in leisure travel and outdoor recreation activities. The Company builds high-quality motorhomes, travel trailers, fifth-wheel products, outboard and sterndrive powerboats, pontoons, and commercial community outreach vehicles. Committed to advancing sustainable innovation and leveraging vertical integration in key component areas, Winnebago Industries has multiple facilities in Iowa, Indiana, Minnesota, and Florida. The Company’s common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and traded under the symbol WGO. For access to Winnebago Industries’ investor relations material or to add your name to an automatic email list for Company news releases, visit http://investor.wgo.net.

The post Chris West Named President of the Winnebago Brand first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

EDITOR’S NOTE: The following is the latest list of RV recalls compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Per strict NHTSA protocols, manufacturers will next notify its dealer partners of the recall notice. Each notice will include details of the affected vehicles as well as the appropriate remedy.

Jayco, Inc. (Jayco) is recalling 125 2024-2025 Entegra Anthem, Aspire, Cornerstone, Reatta, and Reatta XL motorhomes. The battery cables may not be the correct size, in the correct location, or they may be improperly tightened, which can cause an electrical short or allow the cables to overheat. Dealers will inspect the battery cables, and repair or replace them as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed August 30, 2024. Owners may contact Jayco customer service at 1-800-283-8267. Jayco’s number for this recall is 9903611.

TAXA LLC (TAXA) is recalling 863 2021-2024 Mantis trailers. The gaskets and brackets could fail to stabilize the freshwater tank, allowing the tank to move and detach from the trailer. Dealers will replace the gaskets and brackets, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed September 20, 2024. Owners may contact TAXA customer service at 713-861-2540.

Forest River, Inc. (Forest River) is recalling 20 2025 Freelander motorhomes. The Federal Placard indicates 30 seat-belted positions in the rear, when the correct number of belted positions is 3. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 120, “Wheels and Rims – Other than Passenger Cars” and 49 CFR Part 567, “Certification.” Forest River will mail owners new Federal Placards, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 8, 2024. Owners may contact customer service at 1-574-825-8602. Forest River’s number for this recall is 210-1824.

The post NHTSA Releases its Most Recent Installment of RV Recalls first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.