RV Business

BERNARDSVILLE, N.J. – Spacious Skies Campgrounds has named Logan Miller to the role of president of the 15-campground collection, effective immediately. Miller was most recently director of finance of the fast-growing, three-year-old organization.

“We are abundantly proud to add Logan to the top tier of our management team, and we are confident that he will continue to strengthen our company with his solutions-oriented leadership style, enhanced by his comprehensive understanding of how all the elements of our business work together,” said Ali Rasmussen, co-founder of Spacious Skies Campgrounds. “We simply wouldn’t have achieved half of what we have without Logan, and we trust him implicitly as we forge our path through this rapidly evolving space.”

Miller was recruited as employee No. 1 of Spacious Skies Campgrounds in June 2021, first as acquisitions associate and later, director of finance. In those roles, Miller oversaw the company’s expansion from one campground to a portfolio of 15, wearing many hats along the way by contributing to everything from hands-on site design to promotional strategies, in addition to his official finance-related functions. Throughout the duration of his tenure thus far, the company’s revenue has grown by nearly 54 percent.

“I am honored and excited to lead Spacious Skies through its continued evolution as the premier provider of easy-to-access outdoor hospitality,” said Miller. “The Spacious Skies brand is poised to lead a new era of growth and innovation, and we will continue to embrace new opportunities, elevate our standards and create memorable experiences for our guests.”

Ali Rasmussen and her husband Eric Rasmussen co-founded the company in March 2021. Since the company’s establishment, Eric has served as president of the company and will now be taking a step back from the day-to-day functions while continuing to maintain investor and lender relations, as well as overseeing a new Rasmussen venture – a shaved ice franchise called Rainbow Snow.

About Spacious Skies Campgrounds

Spacious Skies Campgrounds is a fast-growing owner and operator of RV campgrounds with RV, tent, cabin and glamping sites across 15 locations from Maine to Georgia. The company’s mission is to offer a fun, relaxing and authentic campground experience in destinations with abundant outdoor recreation and attractions. Spacious Skies Campgrounds is executing a regional growth strategy while at the same time improving amenities at all properties to provide guests consistent and reliable accommodations, service and access to the great outdoors. For more information, visit www.spaciousskiescampgrounds.com.

About Rainbow Snow

Rainbow Snow is a new shaved-ice franchise launching in the summer of 2024. Potential franchises can learn more about franchise opportunities here.

The post Spacious Skies Campgrounds Names Logan Miller President first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

RENO, Nev. – Dragonfly Energy Holdings Corp. (Nasdaq: DFLI), an industry leader in energy storage and manufacturer of lithium-ion batteries, today announced a strategic partnership with Stryten Energy, a leading North American battery manufacturer, for the licensing of the Dragonfly Energy’s Battle Born Batteries® brand of lithium-ion batteries. The agreement, with a potential value of up to $30 million, grants Stryten Energy a license to market and distribute Dragonfly Energy’s Battle Born Batteries globally. Stryten Energy plans to leverage its vast distributor and customer network to introduce Battle Born Batteries branded products to new business-to-business (B2B) markets, including military, automotive, marine, power sports, lawn & garden and golf carts. 

“At Dragonfly Energy, we’re incredibly proud to see the Battle Born Batteries brand take this leap forward into new end markets,” said Dr. Denis Phares, chief executive officer of Dragonfly Energy. “The love and trust our customers have placed in our products has been humbling, and the potential to see our lithium batteries on shelves at major retailers, alongside other leading brands’ components, not only is a testament to their enduring quality but makes them more accessible to consumers nationwide.  We believe that Stryten Energy’s extensive reach and shared commitment to innovation will make this agreement the beginning of a truly mutually beneficial relationship, and we’re confident it will unlock increased growth for both companies.

The partnership between Dragonfly Energy and Stryten Energy will focus on battery design, contract manufacturing and licensing of Battle Born Batteries products for new B2B end markets where the Company does not currently have a presence in. Dragonfly Energy will continue its independent operations in existing markets such as recreational vehicles (RV), off-grid properties, heavy-duty trucking, stationary storage, and oil and gas. The potential value of the licensing agreement is $30 million, comprised of an upfront payment of $5 million to Dragonfly Energy and subsequent mid-single digit royalty payments based on Stryten Energy’s product volume using the licensed branding, with a tiered structure reaching up to an additional $25 million, at which point Stryten Energy will be required to pay a nominal annual license fee. Additional fees will apply for battery design and contract manufacturing services outside of the licensing agreement and are expected to provide additional revenue to the Company.

Stryten Energy is a leading U.S.-based manufacturer of energy storage solutions, providing advanced lead, lithium and vanadium batteries to customers across the transportation, industrial, military and government sectors.  With a workforce of over 2,500 employees and ten manufacturing plants, Stryten Energy is a respected supplier in the energy storage market. Through a nationwide customer base of automotive aftermarket retailers and battery distributors, this exclusive business-to-business licensing deal is poised to expand brand awareness and market reach of Battle Born Batteries while offering Stryten Energy’s customers reliable, trusted and powerful lithium-based power solutions.

“At Stryten Energy, we’re focused on providing premium energy storage solutions to our customers,” said Mike Judd, chief executive officer of Stryten Energy. “This partnership with Dragonfly Energy will allow us to expand our transportation product portfolio and provide our customers access to the well-known Battle Born Batteries brand of quality lithium batteries. We’re excited about the market potential this collaboration holds and look forward to continuing to explore future opportunities as we grow our relationship with Dragonfly Energy.”

To ensure the same high level of quality customers expect from the Battle Born Batteries brand, Dragonfly Energy will initially contract manufacture all batteries distributed by Stryten Energy at the Company’s facility in Northern Nevada until Stryten Energy establishes its own domestic manufacturing footprint.  This partnership will encompass a mix of existing Battle Born Batteries products, with a strong focus on the development of new battery models specifically tailored to Stryten Energy’s target markets. This approach will allow Stryten to leverage the proven performance of Battle Born Batteries while offering unique solutions to its diverse customer base. Dragonfly Energy remains committed to providing exceptional technical support for all Battle Born Batteries products and will continue to grow their support team along with increasing demand. 

“The impact of this partnership with Stryten Energy for the wider proliferation of the Battle Born Batteries brand cannot be understated,” said Tyler Bourns, chief marketing officer at Dragonfly Energy. “We believe this agreement not only allows us to expand the brand into a wider range of previously untapped markets, but also leverages Stryten Energy’s vast retail and distribution customer network to significantly increase our brand awareness. We believe this is a major step forward in our mission to make Battle Born Batteries a household name across North America.”

For more information about Dragonfly Energy, visit DragonflyEnergy.com. To learn more about Stryten Energy, visit Stryten.com.

The post Dragonfly to License Battle Born Batteries with Stryten Energy first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

PORTLAND, Ore. – The Dyrt, the No. 1 app for camping availability, photos and reviews, has announced the Top 9 for K-9s: The Most Dog-Friendly Campgrounds in The U.S. for 2024. Camping is for the dogs, and we mean that in the best way possible. According to The Dyrt’s 2024 Camping Report presented by The All-New Toyota Tacoma, more than half of campers (53.7%) brought their four-legged friends along with them in 2023.

The Dyrt also found that 46.8% of campers list RVing as their primary camping type. If you think about it, it’s a perfect match. All the comforts of home and your best buddy, or buddies, traveling comfortably alongside you. No surprise then that five of the nine campgrounds in the Top 9 for K-9s cater primarily to RVs.

Speaking of being catered to, the No. 1 campground this year is 4 Paws Kingdom Campground & Dog Retreat in Rutherfordton, North Carolina. Yes, “Dog” is right there in the name. This property truly prioritizes pampering pooches, right down to not allowing any humans under the age of 18 for optimal relaxation and minimal fur tugging. 4 Paws is set on nine acres and some of the individual campsites even have fenced-in yards.

“People love camping for a lot of the same reasons that dogs love camping,” says Sarah Smith, founder of The Dyrt. “You get out of the house, immerse yourself in nature, explore, see some wildlife, sit by a fire, sleep in the great outdoors. When we take Brandy (aka The Dyrt Dog) camping with us, I know she’s having as much fun as we are.”

Top 9 for K-9s is the official close to The Dyrt awards season, which started with The Glampys and was followed by the Best Places to Camp Regional and National awards, presented by Toyota Tacoma, and the Best Places to RV presented by State Farm.

Using AI to sift through The Dyrt’s millions of user-generated reviews, photos and tips of U.S. campgrounds, we identified campgrounds that were not just dog-friendly, but dog-welcoming. They are ranked based on reviews, photos, accommodations and amenities offered. Here’s to the dog days of summer! Who wants to go for a ride?!

1. 4 Paws Kingdom Campground & Dog Retreat — North Carolina: Doggy heaven on Earth
2. Wagonhammer RV Park & Campground — Idaho: Welcome to off-leash island
3. Lake George RV Park — New York: Bark Park hits the mark
4. Alum Creek State Park — Ohio: Fenced-in fields for big and small dogs
5. Tahoe Valley Campground — California: Dogs want to go to Tahoe too
6. Campground at James Island County Park — South Carolina: 643 acres of exploring
7. Chatfield State Park — Colorado: 69-acre, fenced-in dog park
8. First Landing State Park — Virginia: 20 miles of trails and Chesapeake Bay beach
9. Santa Fe Skies RV Park — New Mexico: Trails, a dog park and unmatched mountain views

All nine campgrounds earned positive reviews from The Dyrt campers, a group which is becoming more proactive in seeking out campgrounds that meet their needs as pet owners. The 2024 Camping Report found that when it came to adding amenities, the only things property owners added more than dog parks were Wi-Fi and pickleball courts.

“We’ve never been to a park like this one and highly recommend it if you can get in,” says The Dyrt camper Gabi B. about top-ranked 4 Paws Kingdom. “We’ll be back for sure!”

About The Dyrt

The Dyrt is the most comprehensive camping resource with millions of user-generated reviews, photos and tips for every RV site, cabin, glamping and tent camping location, including all public, private and free camping areas in the United States. The Dyrt is how campers search, save and book camping of any type anywhere in the U.S. With The Dyrt PRO, campers get reservations at sold-out campgrounds, advanced maps, discounts on camping and more. The Dyrt is the No. 1 camping app and receives more than 30 million visits from campers each year because The Dyrt has it all. www.thedyrt.com

The post The Dyrt Lists the 9 Most Dog-Friendly Campgrounds in 2024 first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

Elvis Presley’s 1962 Lockheed L-1329 JetStar has spent most of its existence unused by the original buyer himself, who died just a few months after his purchase. After spending decades collecting dust in New Mexico, a YouTuber named Jimmy Webb bought the vehicle for $260,000. Webb bought the aircraft, which lacked engines and cockpit controls at the time he purchased it and hoped to fly it again. However, he was disappointed to find it was hardly possible as the parts needed were not in production. Refusing to give the JetStar a repeat of the past few owners, Webb decided to do something interesting. He got to work and converted the jet to a recreational vehicle (RV), all while sharing the process with his subscribers on YouTube.

The post Video: Elvis Presley’s Famous JetStar Gets Converted into an RV first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

The RV Technical Institute opened registration today, Aug. 6, for its Level 3 Electronics Workshop, which will take place Sept. 17-18 at RVTI’s facility in Elkhart, Ind., according to a News & Insights report by the RV Industry Association (RVIA). The course covers everything needed for the Level 3 Electronics Specialist Upgrade, with suppliers teaching the following:

• Winegard and Dish Outdoors: Satellite Systems
• ASA Electronics: Logic Control Systems
• Lippert and Firefly: Controller Area Network (CAN)

The RV Technical Institute’s Level 2 or higher certification is a pre-requisite to attend this event. A $50 non-refundable registration fee required. Failure to meet the certification level pre-requisite will forfeit the registration fee and registration will be cancelled.

The RV Technical Institute’s Level 3 workshops focus on five different specialty areas for RV technicians who are interested in further developing their knowledge of RV systems and components. Specifically, Level 3 teaches students to perform advanced diagnostics, troubleshooting, and repairs on one or more of the following systems: electrical, chassis, slide-out, electronic, and appliances. Technicians who achieve certification in all five specialties earn their Level 4 Master Certification. 

To make it easier to get all the training needed to achieve Level 3 and ultimately Level 4, the RV Technical Institute has been hosting Level 3 workshops throughout the year, with each week focusing on one of the five specialty areas. Each week covers ALL training hours needed in the specific specialty area. After successfully completing the training, each participant will have accumulated enough hours to earn their Level 3 Specialty in that category. For those attending all five, they will earn their Level 4 Master Certification.

Not able to attend these training courses? No worries — additional Level 3 courses are still being offered year-round through the RV Technical Institute’s authorized supplier trainings.

For questions, more information, or to be added to the wait list, please contact the RV Technical Institute at 574-549-9080. 

Register here for the Electronics Workshop

The post Registration Opens for RVTI Electronics Workshop in September first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

NORCROSS , Ga., – EasyCare has announced a full suite of F&I products, services, and solutions designed for RV, marine, and powersports markets under the EasyCare brand. This announcement follows the acquisition of National Auto Care (NAC) in January 2023, RV and marine agency Relentless Dealer Services in August 2023, and powersports agency and provider Rider’s Advantage in July 2024.

These acquisitions demonstrate EasyCare’s commitment to dealers in the adventure channel, including RV, marine, and powersports. The merging of solutions offered by EasyCare, NAC, and Relentless Dealer Services, along with the renowned Rider’s Advantage brand positions EasyCare as a dynamic provider, offering comprehensive protection products, outsourced financial services for dealers, a consumer membership club, and extensive sales, F&I, compliance, and fixed ops training to dealerships.

“The launch of EasyCare is an incredible milestone that creates more opportunity in the RV, marine, and powersports space,” said Tony Wanderon, CEO of EasyCare. “With our products, services, and training, EasyCare is a strategic guide that helps dealers in the adventure channel thrive.”

“Our recent acquisitions have allowed us to unify our adventure solutions under the EasyCare and Rider’s Advantage brands, delivering a complete solution for dealerships,” said Courtney Hoffman, EasyCare’s Chief Revenue Officer. “We’re excited to continue our rapid growth in this channel, leveraging our expertise and dedicated teams.”

To accompany the launch of the combined EasyCare adventure portfolio, a new web experience showcases the adventure F&I products by channel, plus services, and solutions to help dealers succeed. Adventure Club, our complimentary consumer membership club, is featured prominently as a Why Buy Here value proposition for RV dealers. To learn more visit https://easycare.com/adventure/.

Dealers can connect with EasyCare and Rider’s Advantage at industry events in the remainder of 2024, with booths at RV Hall of Fame in September, RV Dealers Association (RVDA) in November, and Marine Retailer’s Association of the Americas (MRAA) in December.

About EasyCare

Since 1984, EasyCare has helped some of the most successful dealerships in the nation drive results in their stores with a full suite of F&I products, forward-thinking training, dealership development, dealer wealth building, and a best-in-class claims experience. EasyCare has the only F&I products named a “MotorTrend Recommended Best Buy” for franchised, RV, marine, and powersports dealers and has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. EasyCare is part of the APCO Holdings family of brands, which has protected over 24 million customers, paid over $3.7 billion in claims, supports over 12,000 dealers, and has over $1B in dealer wealth under management. For more information about EasyCare, please visit easycare.com.

The post EasyCare Finds ‘New Heights,’ with Full Suite of F&I Solutions first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

TROY, Mich. – Champion Homes Inc., formerly known as Skyline Champion Corporation (NYSE: SKY), today announced financial results for its first quarter ended June 29, 2024.

First Quarter Fiscal 2025 Highlights (compared to First Quarter Fiscal 2024)

• Net sales increased 35.1% to $627.8 million
• U.S. homes sold increased 35.7% to 6,538
• Total backlog increased 28.2% to $405 million from the sequential fourth quarter
• Average selling price (“ASP”) per U.S. home sold increased 3.0% to $91,700
• Gross profit margin contracted by 170 basis points to 26.2%
• Net income decreased by 10.7% to $45.8 million
• Earnings per diluted share (“EPS”) decreased 11.2% to $0.79
• Adjusted net income increased 3.5% to $53.0 million
• Adjusted earnings per share (“Adjusted EPS”) increased 2.2% to $0.91
• Adjusted EBITDA increased 12.2% to $75.0 million
• Adjusted EBITDA margin contracted by 250 basis points to 11.9%
• Net cash generated by operating activities of $84.6 million during the quarter
• Repurchased $20.0 million of shares under the previously announced share repurchase program

“I am excited to announce that our shareholders approved our corporate company name change to Champion Homes, Inc. during our annual meeting this year. The name change aligns with our previously launched Champion Homes flagship brand supporting a unified Company, our purpose of championing home attainability and the customer experience, as well as the company’s direct-to-consumer marketing and digital expansion,” said Mark Yost, Champion Homes’ president, and chief executive officer.

“In addition, I am pleased to report Champion Homes delivered strong results for the first quarter of fiscal 2025,” he continued. “Throughout the quarter, we experienced an increase in demand for our homes evidenced by growing sales and backlog. This positive trend reflects the benefits of our strategic investments in expanding our retail footprint and capitalizing on the growing need for attainable housing in the market. As we continue to advance our strategic initiatives, expand our capabilities, and strengthen our value proposition, Champion Homes is ideally positioned to drive growth and deliver value to our shareholders for the foreseeable future.”

First Quarter Fiscal 2025 Results

Net sales for the first quarter fiscal 2025 increased 35.1% to $627.8 million compared to the prior-year period. The number of U.S. homes sold in the first quarter fiscal 2024 increased 35.7% to 6,538 driven by sales of $151.5 million from the Regional Homes acquisition and healthy demand in the community sales channel. The ASP per U.S. home sold increased 3.0% to $91,700 primarily due to the higher mix of retail units sold during the quarter. The number of Canadian factory-built homes sold in the quarter decreased to 167 homes compared to 221 homes in the prior-year period due to softening demand in certain markets.

Gross profit increased by 26.6% to $164.2 million in the first quarter fiscal 2025 compared to the prior-year period. Gross profit margin was 26.2% of net sales, a 170-basis point contraction compared to 27.9% in the first quarter fiscal 2024. Gross margin contraction reflects lower ASPs on wholesale new homes sold, a shift in product mix, the ramping of previously idle facilities and the impact of purchase accounting from the Regional Homes acquisition.

Selling, general, and administrative expenses (SG&A) in the first quarter fiscal 2025 increased to $108.8 million from $70.4 million in the same period last year. SG&A during the quarter increased due to the Regional Homes acquisition, including a charge of $7.9 million for the change in the fair value of the contingent consideration, as well as higher variable compensation. SG&A as a percentage of net sales was 17.3%, compared to 15.2% in the prior year period.

Net income decreased by 10.7% to $45.8 million for the first quarter fiscal 2025 compared to the prior-year period. The decrease in net income was driven by lower gross margin as a percentage of sales and higher SG&A expenses for the quarter.

Adjusted EBITDA for the first quarter fiscal 2025 increased by 12.2% to $75.0 million compared to the first quarter fiscal 2024. Adjusted EBITDA margin for the quarter was 11.9%, compared to 14.4% in the prior-year period.

As of June 29, 2024, Champion Homes had $548.9 million of cash and cash equivalents, an increase of $53.9 million in the current quarter. The company repurchased approximately 292,000 shares of its common stock during the quarter for approximately $20 million. On Aug. 1, 2024, the Board of Directors refreshed the amount of the share repurchase program back up to an aggregate amount of $100 million.

About Champion Homes, Inc.

Champion Homes, Inc. (NYSE: SKY) is a leading producer of factory-built housing in North America and employs approximately 8,800 people. With more than 70 years of homebuilding experience and 48 manufacturing facilities throughout the United States and western Canada, Champion Homes is well positioned with an innovative portfolio of manufactured and modular homes, ADUs, park-models and modular buildings for the single-family, multi-family, and hospitality sectors.

In addition to its core home building business, Champion Homes provides construction services to install and set-up factory-built homes, operates a factory-direct retail business with 72 retail locations across the United States, and operates Star Fleet Trucking, providing transportation services to the manufactured housing and other industries from several dispatch locations across the United States.

Champion Homes builds homes under some of the most well-known brand names in the factory-built housing industry including Skyline Homes, Champion Homes, Genesis Homes, Regional Homes, Athens Park Models, Dutch Housing, Atlantic Homes, Excel Homes, Homes of Merit, New Era, Redman Homes, ScotBilt Homes, Shore Park, Silvercrest, Titan Homes in the U.S. and Moduline and SRI Homes in western Canada.

The post Skyline Champion Shares Name Change, Q1 Financial Report first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

Brian Allred, former vice-president of sales and marketing for Ultra-Fab products passed away this morning (08/06/24).  Brian’s friends and especially his wife Tammie and his three children are mourning his unexpected passing.

“Allred played a major role in the growth of Ultra-Fab from the 1990s through 2022”, said Raymond Padgett, current VP of sales and marketing for Ultra-Fab.  “His decades of experience have been missed since his he left Ultra-Fab, but we have remained fast friends.  Obviously, I was shocked to hear the news.  Everyone at Ultra-Fab wishes the best for Tammie and the rest of his family”.

There will not be a typical funeral, but his wife will be arranging a Celebration of Life ceremony in a couple of months per Brian’s wishes.

The post Former Ultra-Fab Exec Brian Allred Passes Unexpectedly first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

Brian Allred, former vice-president of sales and marketing for Ultra-Fab products passed away this morning (08/06/24).  Brian’s friends and especially his wife Tammie and his three children are mourning his unexpected passing.

“Allred played a major role in the growth of Ultra-Fab from the 1990s through 2022”, said Raymond Padgett, current VP of sales and marketing for Ultra-Fab.  “His decades of experience have been missed since his he left Ultra-Fab, but we have remained fast friends.  Obviously, I was shocked to hear the news.  Everyone at Ultra-Fab wishes the best for Tammie and the rest of his family”.

There will not be a typical funeral, but his wife will be arranging a Celebration of Life ceremony in a couple of months per Brian’s wishes.

The post Former Ultra-Fab Exec Brian Allred Passes Unexpectedly first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

The “Camper Report Show” is a weekly feature of Camper Report, which is part of the RV LIFE family of RVing websites that provide RV forums, RV trip planning tools and mobile apps, and one of the largest campground databases around. Co-hosted by Bob Zagami and John DiPietro – RV industry veterans in their own right – the Camper Report Show has partnered with RVBusiness by providing RV industry insider information supplied exclusively by RVB.

This week, the program celebrates 10 years of RVing with Marc & Julie Bennett, the founders of RV Love. Learn all about their journey and resources they offer. DiPietro also spotlights Fireside RV Rental, a company offering RV rental services and many more resources for RVers. Learn how they can help you start your own RV rental, storage, repair shop, and more with their business programs.

Subscribe to Camper Report: https://bit.ly/CamperReportYT

The RVBusiness Featured Video is sponsored by Curt, a Lippert Brand.

The post ‘Camper Report’ Features RV Love, Fireside RV Rentals first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.