Sherman Goldenberg

The Recreation Vehicle Dealers Association of Canada is asking its member dealers to submit their views to the Canadian government as part of a grass roots “consultation process,” which is in response to an ongoing tariff debate between Canada and the U.S. and is aimed at keeping business between the two countries on an even keel.

It’s all part of a continuing effort on the part of Canada’s RV industry, amid ongoing threats of tariffs and counter-tariffs, to remind Parliament of the significance of the RV trade within the country – much of which is fueled by U.S. imports at a time when the Government of Canada is issuing a notice of intent to implement a second round of tariffs.

“The RVDA of Canada is urging its members to participate in the Department of Finance Canada’s tariff consultation process, as the proposed tariffs on an additional $125 billion in U.S. imports could have significant implications for the RV industry,” RVDA of Canada President Eleonore Hamm stated on Monday (March 17). “Many RVs, parts and accessories are imported from the United States, and the introduction of new tariffs could lead to increased costs for dealers and consumers alike.

“Higher prices may reduce affordability and demand,” she added, “potentially impacting sales and the overall market. By voicing their concerns, dealers can help ensure that policymakers understand the potential consequences of these tariffs on the Canadian RV sector.

“It is crucial for our dealers to actively engage in this consultation process to advocate for fair trade policies that support a healthy and competitive industry,” said Hamm. “If these tariffs are implemented, businesses could face unexpected financial pressures, affecting profitability and customer accessibility.

“By responding to the consultation,” she said, “dealers have the opportunity to highlight the importance of cross-border trade, emphasize the economic contributions of the RV industry, and push for policies that minimize disruption. The RVDA of Canada strongly encourages its members to make their voices heard and help shape decisions that will impact their businesses and consumers alike.” 

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The Canadian Recreational Vehicle Association (CRVA) reviewed year-end 2024 sales and shipment data in a Tuesday (March 11) release, and at the same time addressed its concerns about the potential impact of U.S. tariffs and its collective wish for “the preservation of free and fair trade between the United States and Canada.”

In a release that underscores the overall dimensions of U.S.-Canadian RV trade, CRVA President Shane Devenish reports fourth quarter 2024 shipments totaling 7,478 units compared to 6,303 units in 2023, representing a year-over-year increase of 18.6%.

RVDA of Canada, quoting Statistical Surveys Inc., reports that third quarter retail sales activity totaled 3,658 units. And when compared to the wholesale shipment figure of 7,478 units, Canadian RV dealer inventory levels “significantly increased” during the period, which would be considered normal.

CRVA reports that 2024 wholesale shipments into Canada totaled 30,338 units versus 26,171 in 2023, representing an overall year-over-year increase of 15.9%

“The Canadian Recreational Vehicle Association (CRVA) recognizes the importance of providing insights and guidance to our industry partners and stakeholders,” stated Devenish in the release. “However, given the current uncertainty surrounding potential tariff measures between Canada and the United States, we will not offer forward-looking guidance at this time. 

“For decades,” he added, “the recreational vehicle industry in Canada and the United States has enjoyed a strong and mutually beneficial relationship. Our manufacturers, dealers and consumers have long relied on an integrated supply chain and seamless cross-border trade that has supported tens of thousands of jobs and contributed significantly to both economies.

“The RV sector in particular has thrived under this cooperation, ensuring that high-quality products reach consumers and dealers in both countries efficiently and competitively.

“As we face challenges posed by trade uncertainties, CRVA remains hopeful that our respective governments will prioritize restoring the longstanding relationship and friendship we have enjoyed. We believe a return to fair and reciprocal trade will continue to benefit manufacturers, dealers, and consumers on both sides of the border.

“CRVA,” he concluded, “is committed to working collaboratively with all stakeholders to advocate for a resolution that protects our industry and ensures continued growth and stability for the future.”

Devenish, meanwhile, told RVBusiness that demand for RVs remains strong in Canada, and the Canadian industry has been expecting another solid season this year. “The threat of tariffs – and the potential impact on both sides of the border – is not something we ever imagined would become a concern,” he noted. “The RV industry is dependent on the preservation of free and fair trade between the United States and Canada.”

The post Canadian RV Association Appeals for ‘Free & Fair Trade’ first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

RV consumer rally season gets underway in an impressive way in March with the Family RV Association (FRVA) – formerly known as the Family Motor Coach Association (FMCA) – among several key national retail event organizers rolling out spring shows for thousands of current and prospective RV consumers from coast to coast.

FRVA’s 110th International Convention & RV Expo takes place the rest of this week, March 12-15 at the Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter in Perry, Ga. – site of 13 previous FMCA conventions – in an event that had logged registrations for some 1,400 coach owners and prospective RVers at last count, according to Pamela Kay, director of communications for the venerable Cincinnati-based, not-for-profit club.

“It’s a great opportunity for RV owners to get together with people who share their passion for the lifestyle,” said Kay regarding her organization’s first international convention under its new name introduced last year to more fully reflect its membership, which currently encompasses owners of all types of RVs.

This year’s FRVA rally will include “RV Essentials” seminars tooled for those who are simply “RV curious” and not necessarily current coach owners, said Kay, whose 120,000-member Cincinatti, Ohio-based organization is planning to facilitate two national rallies a year going forward while billing itself as the world’s largest not-for-profit association for RV owners. “They can attend seminars on topics ranging from chassis maintenance to microwave cooking,” she told RVB. “There are exhibits for them to view. There’ll be RVs on display at the RV Expo as well as all kinds of components for people to see. Any imaginable RV-related product will be on display.”

Just for fun – and fun is clearly still an essential ingredient in FRVA’s rally formula — this week’s convention is embracing a pirate-related theme. “There’ll be live entertainment along the way,” added Kay. “They have some special events taking place related to a theme of ‘Return to Perry: Lafitte’s Lost Treasure.’ It’s loosely based on French pirate and privateer Jean Lafitte. They’re doing a lot of fun pirate-related things including a drop-anchor, meet-and-greet and a ‘Buccaneer Boom Fest Fireworks Show.’

Rally attendees will also have an opportunity to meet influencers Kevin and Patrice McCabe, hosts and producers of the Discovery Channel’s “RV There Yet?” travel series, now beginning its fourth season. “They will be filming a future episode of ‘RV There Yet?’ during the convention,” said Kay, “and they’re actually taking over the Georgia Grown Building and turning it into the ‘RV There Yet? Discovery Zone.’ They’ll have an interactive RV marketplace going there with product demos and seminars. Some Winnebago RVs will be featured in there. And then, there’s an area where people can watch past episodes of the RV show.”

Among the other key national rallies currently on deck is the Escapees RV Club’s Escapade, a well known annual event taking place March 16-21 in Tucson, Ariz. And while it’s the organization’s 64^th Escapade and is open to both on-site campers and walk-in attendees, it’s actually the first under the auspices of new owner Harvest Hosts which announced its acquisition of the 46-year-old Carr family’s member-organization in mid-2024.

With it came greatly expanded campground options for Escapees members.

This being Livingston, Texas-based Harvest Host’s largest annual event with a wide variety of seminars, social gatherings, nightly entertainment and vendor options, the 2025 Escapade at the Pima County Fairgrounds also caters to new RVers.

In addition, high-profile Texas-based dealership Fun Town RV’s busy DFW RV Party is set to take place March 13 to 16 at the iconic AT&T Stadium, home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys in Arlington, Texas. In fact, Fun Town CEO Jarrod McGhee calls it the “biggest and best” show in Texas, with last year’s rendition having drawn an estimated 50,000 attendees.

“We are thrilled to bring the DFW RV Party back to AT&T Stadium,” said McGhee in a release, adding that this year’s show will feature expanded exhibit space and a greater variety of vendors. “Our goal is to create an experience that transcends a regular RV show – to make it a true party with free parking, admission and family fun for all. This event is our way of celebrating the RV community and offering them the best of what Fun Town RV offers.”

Overland Expo SoCal, in turn, is slated for March 15-16 at the OC Fair and Event Center in Costa Mesa, Calif., and is billed as “the world’s premier event for overland adventure enthusiasts, drawing thousands of attendees looking to shop the latest brands in adventure travel gear, participate in the event’s education sessions and enjoy entertainment like film showcases and live music.”

 This being the expo’s first year in California, where a strong local community of off-road enthusiasts combined with access to abundant public lands and trails contributes to Southern California’s reputation as an overlanding hub, Overland Expo SoCal “will showcase more than 300 top-tier gear exhibitors, 50 expert instructors and more than 100 hours of hands-on education, live demonstrations and workshops tailored to all experience levels.”

This Overland event is expected to draw thousands of showgoers. “This may be our first event in Southern California, but we feel right at home in such an active overlanding community,” said Jessica Kirchner, vice president of consumer events for Emerald, owners of Overland Expo. “Camping is already sold out, and we’re expecting thousands of attendees in addition to more than 300 exhibitors – all of which will help make this event a success.”  

The post FRVA, Escapees, Fun Town & Overland Rallies Underway first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

The Work Truck Association, better known as NTEA, is wrapping up its annual Work Truck Week 2025 today at the Indiana Convention Center in downtown Indianapolis where some 530 exhibitors showcased their commercial wares for four days to a rather impressive crowd of business attendees – a significant minority of which are well known in the national recreational vehicle business.

Exhibitors launched new trucks, components and a wide variety of related equipment during the week at press conferences in the main exhibit hall and a separate new exhibitor pavilion housing some 25 companies..

Among the exhibitors, as RVBusiness reported earlier this week, were Freightliner Custom Chassis, Crane Composites, Cummins Inc., CURT, Dexter, Dometic, Eberspaecher Climate Control Systems, Genesis Products, Ford Pro, Go Power, Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC, Meyer Distributing, Utilimaster (a Shyft Group brand) and the Blue Bird Body Co.

Also part of the agenda for 50-year-old NTEA, a 2,100-member trade group that bills its show as “North America’s largest work truck event,” was a Ride & Drive and a Green Truck Summit.

Images Courtesy of Work Truck Week 2025

The post NTEA’s Work Truck Week 2025’s Wrapping Up in Indianapolis first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

Those who monitor LinkedIn may have noticed the recent milestone reached by Lippert Components Inc. (LCI) Senior Vice President of Operations and Customer Support Services Marc Grimes: His 25^th anniversary with the Elkhart, Ind.-based component supplier and as an executive within the RV industry.

Curious about his perspective, RVBusiness spoke with Grimes, who was a leadership trainee in January of 2000 when he first joined Lippert, now a 70-year-old, publicly held, 13,000-employee firm with more than 100 locations in the U.S. and overseas in the RV, marine and other markets.

In his current position, Grimes oversees some manufacturing locations around the country, works with LCI’s dealer relations, OEM support, pricing, product development  and “a little bit of everything.”

And that, from all indications, will remain the status quo for the foreseeable future for Grimes, a father of four who works at the company’s Elkhart headquarters and lives in nearby Nappanee with his family including spouse and fellow Lippert team member Michilah Grimes,

It’s worth noting that Michilah, who’s been with LCI herself for nearly 10 years and currently serves as LCI’s social impact strategist and corporate partnerships, is well known to a lot of industry people because of the central role she’s played in hosting LCI’s numerous charitable events including the annual Boys & Girls Club auction.

Suffice to say that Marc Grimes has seen a lot of changes over the years at Lippert – far more than he was able to summarize in a quick telephone interview.

“Wow. I mean, obviously one of the key takeaways over the years is the fact that we have built relationships with a lot of our manufacturing partners,” Grimes responded. “We’ve cultivated a variety of different product lines. And as we’ve developed those relationships and grown the product lines, it’s just exponentially expanded our influence on the community and just everything that we do.

“It’s been an amazing ride,” he added. “There are always going to be challenges, but there are also incredible opportunities and the people that I’ve met, and the partnerships I’ve formed have been invaluable. I genuinely believe that the strength of our team is rooted in these connections, and it’s rewarding to see how our collective efforts have not only strengthened our company but also enhanced our community.”

That’s saying something after 25 years, isn’t it? “I think so,” Grimes confided. “I’ve raised a family here, and built a career I am proud of, have a wonderful wife, and we’re heavily involved in our communities, the schools and the nonprofits.”

And one of his chief takeaways at this point regarding LCI as a company looking down the road is to continue his long-term working relationship with LCI President & CEO Jason Lippert. “Yes,” noted Grimes, “he’s one of the reasons that I stay at Lippert and why I’ve stayed there as long as I have. His vision and leadership have been instrumental in guiding the company through various challenges. Working alongside him has not only shaped my career, but has reinforced my commitment to the company’s mission.”

“Yes,” Grimes continued, “I think that’s one thing about the RV industry is that it’s a family and that’s one of the things that makes it great. I’ve learned so much from my experiences and from the people around me. It’s not just achieving milestones; it’s about the journey and relationships that have been built along the way. I love seeing the success that everyone’s had and want to do everything I can to support it in the future. And that’s what gets me up every day.”

That’s even more the case in a charitable-minded company like LCI, maintained Grimes. “Business as a force for good is one of the things that, really, over the last decade we’ve tried to perpetuate in the industry — just what can we do to make our communities, our people and our relationships better. And it just travels down the line, people pay it forward. So that’s the exciting part.”

As for his 25^th anniversary, Grimes said he’s been gratified by the response of his fellow workers. “After they posted something on LinkedIn, I was overwhelmed by the number of thank-you messages from team members, both current and former. It meant a lot to me, the relationships that I’ve built, that people I haven’t talked to in 10, 15 years reached out and said thank you for being a part of my journey at Lippert.”

The post Marc Grimes Reflects on 25 Years at Lippert Components first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

TAMPA, Fla. – The 2025 edition of the Florida RV SuperShow is in the books. North America’s largest retail RV show, the event celebrated its 40th anniversary this year and despite chilly temps and a rainy Sunday, the overall vibe among organizers, OEMs and suppliers was clearly positive.

Dave Kelly, executive director of the Florida RV Trade Association, organizer of the event held annually at the Florida State Fairgrounds east of Tampa, said the show, while smaller than recent editions, was still a hit among those in the industry.

“It was fantastic for four days and it was an absolute monsoon yesterday,” Kelly said this morning. “I don’t remember having a day where it rained that much. There would be a heavy, heavy wave. Then it would let up. Then it would sprinkle. Then we had the second and third waves that came through. When people wake up in the morning and its rainy out their plans change completely.”

Other than Sunday, however, the numbers were “just incredible. Saturday had 20,000-plus people. It was wall-to-wall. We had just about maxed out the public parking.” He surmised consumers, anticipating rain on Sunday, changed their plans and decided to visit the show on Saturday.

Overall, attedance this year was down from last year’s 75,123 with 68,612 passing through the turnstiles this year. In 2023, there were 79,813 attendees.

Even so, “From what I’m hearing, dealers and manufacturers were really happy with everything they got,” Kelly said. “It didn’t set any records or anything, but everyone I’ve talked to said they did very well.”

Kelly’s observations were mirrored by most dealers and manufacturers.

Ben Hirsch, COO of Campers Inn RV, a privately held 36 store-dealer network based in Jacksonville, Fla., had worked shows over the previous week in Pittsburgh, Tampa and Boston. And that said, his view of the U.S. RV market is clearly positive on the doorstep of 2025.

“So, for the shows that I’ve been to, it’s been pretty good,” Hirsch told RVB Sunday from the Boston RV & Camping Expo held at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. “The customers are honestly very interested and some of the objections that they’ve had over the last few years aren’t as big of a deal right now, including interest rates. It seems like customers are well aware of the interest rates that they’re going to be quoted.

“And while they may have gotten a decent amount for their previous trade-in, they seem to realize that they might have bought during inflated pandemic pricing. So, most of them are aware that they might have some negative equity in their RVs.

“Bottom line, it feels more normal than the last couple show seasons, and that’s good. And as far as traffic goes, Tampa’s an outside show and it was very cold there, so they saw some slight decreases year over year from some of the numbers I saw, but with the weather that didn’t surprise me.”

Ron Fleming, the interim CEO of Tampa-based Lazydays RV, says traffic at his publicly held company’s Tampa Show display was off somewhat, a fact that he largely attributes to inclement weather, especially on the last day of the popular retail venue.

Also contributing to the 45-year-old, publicly held dealership’s Tampa performance, he told RVB, was the fact that a couple of his key OEM’s had limited display space based on the luck of the draw.

“Well, the attendance seems off a little bit,” said Fleming on Saturday (1/18), who’s dealership currently has 22 stores, seven of which are under contract to be sold to Camping World. “The numbers show a very slight difference from last year. We saw solid sales for the first four days. Sunday’s weather was unfortunate, but we’re fairly pleased with the products, presence and results that we had. We’re cautiously optimistic about the results going forward and as far as the kind of action and interest that we’ll see generated from the show.”

Another dealership with a hand in the Tampa Show was Nokomis, Fla.-based Gerzeny’s RV World, a family-held retailer that also owns Class B motorhome builder Coach House Inc. And Coach House Vice President Steve Gerzeny, who remembers warmly the post-pandemic spike in sales, says he could sense a positive change in outlook among showgoers due to the new presidential administration.

“Well, with the new administration coming in with the whole hope of the United States of America becoming a better country and being like it was,” he maintained, “it certainly has people more excited than they have been the past four years. So, I think that there’s going to be a lot more common sense in our industry as a whole.”

Inclement weather aside, General RV Center CEO Loren Baidas sees things going “very well” thus far this year with “lots of positive customer interaction and continued interest in the RV lifestyle and new products” for his 21 stores nationwide – seven in Florida – and the U.S. RV marketplace in general.

“I think customers, again, are actively looking, whether they’re new to the RV business or are trading in current RVs and looking for the next model up or the trade-in to get exactly what they want,” said Baidas, who attended the Tampa Show on behalf of his 63-year-old, Wixom, Mich.-based dealership.

“So, we did see a lot of activity on that, and I think between lending institutions and banks staying active and aggressive and customers still willing to put money down, those two factors are going to push the industry forward hopefully here in 2025.”

Baidas, overall, sees the industry as “flat or slightly up this year.”

Giving the Tampa Show exceptional grades was Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.-based Blue Compass RV, which, according to Founder, CEO and President Jon Ferrando, “blew away” its all-time 2022 Tampa record by an impressive 20%.

“We were up 24% from 2024 even though attendance was down this year at the show,” said Ferrando, who appeared during the show in a Fox Business interview and felt there were several reasons for his 100-store dealership’s impressive showing.

“This year, we brought the most talented sales team we’ve ever had from across Blue Compass RV,” said Ferrando. “We doubled down to make sure all the displays were staffed up with Blue Compass talent and we also had strong support from our OEM partners, which always makes a difference. And the preparation, professionalism and sales energy from our teams from start to finish was equally impressive.

“Could have been even better if we didn’t have a monsoon on Sunday, but our teams in Blue Compass fashion hung in there and finished strong.

“We also had customers buying and willing to spend,” noted Ferrando, adding that the 175 products shown at eight displays covered a wide spectrum. “In fact, we sold 12 $1 million luxury Foretravels (Class A’s), which was a bright spot. But the real story was customers looking for great product at good values. So, we had excellent product that was at very good price points, and that equaled the magic formula.”

So, all things considered, it’s no surprise that Ferrando’s optimistic about the year ahead.

“I think there’s a lot of pent-up demand,” he maintained. “RV customers have confidence about the future, which is important when stepping into a large RV purchase, so we saw that in Tampa. And we’re also confident about our plan with our product lineup and the level of inventory that we’ll be stocking to drive sales increases in 2025 regardless of whether the industry is flat or up 10%. And I’m on the more optimistic side that the overall industry will be up in 2025.”

Manufacturers’ impressions of the show were mixed, but for the most part, they came away with a positive outlook for 2025.

Brian Clemens, general manager of Forest River’s motorized divisions, said despite the lower attendance and weather issues, “I felt pretty good about the traffic that was there. These were buyers. They came in asking all the right questions. We had people with lists trying to narrow down exactly what they were looking for. It wasn’t a matter of if they were going to buy. It was simply coming to the show to figure out what they were going to buy.”

He said the sense of urgency that encompassed the show during the COVID surge was gone, adding that several buyers came to check out units at the show that they planned to buy from their local dealers.

“They weren’t going to buy at the show. And obviously Forest River encourages buying locally and I think people feel good about that because they want service and they know buying locally gets them that,” Clemens said.

Class A gas sales were up significantly, he said, with Class Cs about the same as last year despite the lower atendance. Super Cs were down a bit, “but again, we had a lot of those buyers who wanted to go and buy local. But we had a lot of great conversations and we saw a lot of buyers who were there to narrow down their options and buy. All-in-all I was very happy with the show, the traffic and the actual conversations we were having.”

Ashley Bontrager Lehman, founder and CEO of Bristol, Ind.-based Ember RV, was pleased with results from the show and noted that even amid the torrents of rain on Sunday, “we had some people out yesterday that bought, believe it or not. But mostly it was a ghost town,” she said.

Generally, she believed the traffic was a little lower that the past couple of years, but felt good about consumer confidence, which “seemed higher than last year, so that’s a positive. I felt we experienced an increased interest in our larger bunkhouses and our specialty bunk product enjoyed incredibly high interest, with our patent-pending EmberTrack reconfigurable sleeping storage system.”

She said consumers seemed to be looking for versatility and flexibility.

“That seemed to be another theme this year that customers were looking for, flexibility in their RVs, which was great for us, and I felt like they were particularly interested in special uses, for instance, like robust off-grid solar packages, and then the ability to obviously camp away from a traditional campground seemed to be still pretty popular, if not more popular than years past for us. And overall, I feel like for 2025, I’m feeling optimistic and upbeat, so I think we’re off to a decent start.”

Bob Cira, directory of sales and product development at Syracuse, Ind.-based. Travel Lite RV, said his numbers were higher than last year’s at the show.

“We sold more this year that we did last year, and regarding the upcoming model year, we’re really confident we’re in the right segment, because the consumer seems to continually want smaller, lighter-weight, more affordable travel trailers,” he said. “We’re increasingly confident we’re in the right segment now.”

The show offered mixed results for Earl Williams, founder of Modern Buggy RV based in Edwardsburg, Mich., who said the show, from his perspective, seemed more suited to people who already own RVs and those looking for larger units.

He said he was “a little disappointed” in the show. It was Modern Buggy’s first Tampa show and he felt like overall traffic at regional shows like Minneapolis, Pittsburgh or Charlotte, N.C., worked better for his smaller, adventure-segment units.

“Tampa is so spread out, you can have double the amount of people there and not even realize it,” he said. “Even talking to some of the other OEMs, I think some of them were disappointed in the number of units they retailed. I wish I had more exciting news to report, like man, Tampa just absolutely just killed it. We sold units, we got units out. That was great, but Tampa felt like to me like more of a full-time camper show.”

He said many of the consumers he saw before the weekend were older and were in the market for larger units like fifth-wheels and motorized. Our units are smaller, aimed at “weekend warriers” and “we didn’t see a lot of those customers down there,” he said,

“We sold units, We got out as many units as do at other shows, so I was happy with that. I ended up leaving there feeling good, but my expectation was, ‘Oh, it’s Tampa. It’s the SuperShow.”

Despite the mild disappointment, Williams said he sold units and got good feedback from consumers, so it set the stage for model year and allows him to “take notes from all those customers and potential customers and say, ‘OK, how do we make the product better? How do I turn next Tampa into triple the success?'”

The post RV Industry Leaves Tampa Feeling Positive About 2025 first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

Although its name isn’t all that well known within the industry due to its moderate size and targeted product lines including wire harnesses and dash panels, 4-year-old, Syracuse, Ind.-based Quality Engineered Services LLC (QES) has posted a pretty impressive growth curve lately in the production of wire harnesses for the marine, bus, RV and specialty markets to the extent that it’s expanding its reach accordingly.

“About two years ago, we were primarily focused on wire harnesses and dash panels for the marine space and we came to a determination that diversification was something we should really entertain, and so we’ve done that,” Managing Partner Joel Devries told RV Business during a recent visit to its Syracuse plant, about a half hour south of the RV-building center of Elkhart.

“So, we diversified into two areas plus one we’re going to just call a specialty space, which involves some customers in the medical field in addition to the transportation bus market plus add-on components to the RV industry and so forth,” said Devries. “And, at the same time, we also started working in the RV space on coming up with an evolutionary – if you want to call it that – product where we’re professionalizing and we’re engineering (custom) electrical systems for RVs to take that to the next level.”

As a result, according to Chris Ganshorn, director of engineering for the 200-employee firm, current plans call for an expansion of the company’s physical footprint in 2025 with the opening of a second Syracuse plant supplementing a smaller existing facility in the nearby village of Cromwell. That will entail the February opening of an additional 54,000-square-foot space in a former PolarKraft marine manufacturing plant in mid-town Syracuse where all of the RV harness production will be housed.

And the current 45,000-square-foot Syracuse plant – already utilizing a million feet of wire a week as part of its current two-shift-a-day format – will then be dedicated to the marine and other business clients when the upcoming move is completed.

Looking ahead, QES expects to its employee count to perhaps grow by February by about 20% to approximately 250 after adding the new plant – assuming the nation’s business economy actually experiences a moderate uptick in 2025 as many industry people are anticipating.

“With the addition of our third facility, QES on January 1, 2025, will have over 100,000 square feet of manufacturing space,” said Ganshorn. “So, while we started primarily with a marine focus, we are growing quickly in the RV segment due to the increased focus on quality and efficiency gains realized in custom wire harnesses.

“QES has invested heavily in automated wire processing equipment along with a significant advancement in engineering design systems,” he explained. “One of the keys to QES’s success is our ability to turn a concept harness or panel into prototypes and production very quickly while maintaining a very high level of quality.”

At the same time, he added, QES is turning up its focus on towable RVs while continuing to upgrade design standards and test every wire harness that goes out the door.

“Warranty is also greatly reduced as wires are properly terminated, spliced and plugged,” Ganshorn explained. “Due to QES’s highly automated and very accurate wire processing equipment we are also able to improve the standard motorized wire harnesses to an automotive style of harness with molded connectors and dedicated circuits.”

In the big picture, meanwhile, Ganshorn and Devries feel that focusing on electrical systems is the right thing to do – ethically and commercially – inasmuch as electrical systems are generally in the top five – if not the top three – sources of warranty work.

“Electrical repairs are costly and lead to dissatisfied customers,” Devries added. “As technology continues to evolve in both the marine and RV spaces, the wire harnesses that connect these systems also have to improve. QES is on the front end of this trend and looks forward to growth in both the marine and RV industries.”

Although the boat business accounted for a majority of its business early on, however, Devries says the marine sector now accounts for less than half of QES’s business as the company grows in the other sectors to which it has turned for business.

“So, customer service is a big focus of QES,” Devries noted. “We spend a lot of time talking about that as a team and so we like to think that our service style and what we bring to the table, whether it be with our customer retention through our service support or through our engineering software system that Chris has developed, we have a new engineering system that’s, I think, cutting edge for our markets that we serve, and it puts us in a position to provide even a better base of service because of some of those infrastructure components we’ve put into QES.

“But then it’s also the fact that we’ve gotten into more automation with our equipment, so we can turn product quicker, more efficiently, higher quality. Our quality stands alone really in the spaces that we serve,” he said. “So, those are some of the reasons why I think we’ve caught fire and the customers that we served have been very responsive. New customers have come into the fold. Specific to the RV industry, we have, I think, five major RV customers now that are in the process of evolving their electrical systems with us, where we’re moving the electrical system to more of an automotive designed approach.”

The post Wire Harness Supplier QES Expands Business, Footprint first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

Forest River Inc.’s Doug Gaeddert, one of three senior managers who assumed new responsibilities in a recent corporate realignment announced by company founder and ongoing CEO Pete Liegl, paused recently for an RVBusiness interview that, among other things, sheds light on Forest River’s accelerating rate of change.

He also provided upbeat insights regarding last week’s (Nov. 12-15) 2024 RV Dealers Convention/Expo in Las Vegas.

“Yeah, I thought RVDA went great, especially coming as it did on the heels of the election, and I thought attendance was good,” said Gaeddert, a former divisional GM who managed much of Forest River’s towable business for 25-plus years and since August has assumed the title of President of Forest River’s RV Group – including both towable and motorized – for the Elkhart, Ind.-based division of Berkshire Hathaway Inc.

“And I can tell you that we had far and away the greatest attendance at a brand meeting there as we’ve ever had,” added Gaeddert. “Even though we had a large amount of space in the display area, they had to go get more chairs – and there still wasn’t enough room. People were standing. So, attendance was really good.”

Also taking on additional responsibilities in the recent senior management shift was David Wright, now responsible for Forest River’s Commercial Division, and former CFO Darrell Ritchie, who oversees Corporate Management.

And that, of course, is just a piece of the current evolution underway at 28-year-old, 14,000-employee Forest River, which also recently consolidated its cargo trailer production in Georgia and Indiana while closing California operations reportedly due to the elevated costs of doing business there.

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RVBusiness: So, Doug, what’s the RV world look like from your perspective during the last quarter of 2024?

Gaeddert: I think it’s an excellent time to finish out the year and to roll into 2025, and I’m particularly referring to the election, which was decisive. I think it put a lot of peoples’ fears to rest to an extent because it was a decisive election.

There’s been an immediate impact on the markets in addition to settling people down, which we knew was going to be the first of the major things going on right now. There was a pretty incredible hike in net worth on paper that occurred immediately afterwards. So, it was also reassuring to people and a very positive outcome for retail consumers who have been wondering what’s going to happen next.

RVB: Was that calming influence, in your view, due to the simple fact that the elections were over or because of who – Donald J. Trump – won the day?

Gaeddert: Well, I actually think it did have a lot to do with who won, Sherm, because of the go-forward policies on the table from an economic standpoint.

You know, looking at things a couple of months ago, we had several significant things to watch including the election coming up, which had the United States and really the globe in relative disarray. You had questions about what’s going to happen with the Fed, which everybody felt was going to lower the interest rate a quarter point and it did. And then we saw immediate responses on some hotspots around the globe – Russia-Ukraine, the Middle East and, to an extent, China and Taiwan.

So, I think there’s more of a sense of security that there will be some resolution to some of the global geopolitical situations that are going on with the odds going up that some of that gets resolved. I think all those things are affecting peoples’ overall outlook.

RVB: Closer to home, what’s the domestic RV market look like in general as well as for Forest River from your perspective?

Gaeddert: Well, as for the market, we’ve obviously been going through a little bit of a reset – a purging of the herd so to speak, right? And it happens cyclically, let’s just say every 10 years for a convenient number, keeping in mind that it varies somewhat over the years. But it’s somewhere in there.

So, we’re pretty close to being through that purge cycle when it comes to distribution in terms of both inventories and the number of dealers actually physically retailing RVs.I mean, there have been a lot of (dealer) defaults during the past couple of years.

RVB: Very interesting and an intriguing topic during times like these.

Gaeddert: Obviously the interest rates going down has been a positive. I just looked at two major dealers’ inventories and they’re in really good shape – in one case, in fact, right at 90% of their inventory was between zero and 270 days. And their inventory was about perfect going into November. I looked at a second one that was very similar – a little bit more aging, but otherwise probably close to what would have been the norm three years ago.

So, dealer inventories as a whole are pretty solid and manufacturing levels are in really good shape relative to retail.

As for Forest River, we’re on a nice roll right now when it comes to market share. The market’s down about 10% and I think we’re up right at 9% as far as market share gains this year with our total for RV’s posting almost a 7% gain, with nice pickups as well on the motorhome side in spite of the challenging market. And the world’s a little more stable than what it was a few weeks ago. So, I think it’s all good.

RVB: Taking everything into consideration, what’s your outlook for 2025?

Gaeddert: Well, I think we’ll see a continued drop at a measured pace in interest rates, which is obviously healthy. We’re going into ’25 in really good shape as far as the dealer inventories. And considering that we’re going into ’25 with some settling that’s occurred due to the election being over, I think 2025 looks really good.

Now, as far as how fast the market accelerates, I hope it’s not excessively fast. I hope it’s a nice manageable steady increase and that we just continually stay in sync as far as production rates and retail activity. Then take into account some of the long-term projects that we’ve got in the works thanks to Pete (Liegl) that maybe aren’t on the industry’s radar and aren’t in your trade magazines every day.

RVB: Long term projects like what?

Gaeddert: Well, for one thing, we’re working on a call center project. We’re working on a single part number across the company. We’re digging into the value of data analytics with our dealer partners. We’re communicating with the DMS (Dealer Management System) providers on best ways to integrate some data. We’ve enhanced our CRM (Customer Relationship Management) process with a marketing arm.

We’ve just finished a branding exercise that kind of culminated a little bit with the Expo (Forest River’s term for the Open House). And we’re enhancing tech training availability for our dealer body.

In addition, as you’re well aware, we made a decision to cease manufacturing in California and, at the same time, we made the commitment in California to really put together what I’m super excited about as far as a service center.

We’re working on a captive finance company, both wholesale and retail. We’re doing enhanced product testing on components, and appliances, etc. We’ve really kind of entered into a period where we do a 365 day-a-year product development program.

RVB: Those, frankly, are pretty impressive goals, most of which amount to news for the industry at large.

Gaeddert: And then the other thing is that we’ve got a fixed partner program that basically incentivizes dealers to sell product within 120 days and focus on turn and aging by reimbursing them interest if they participate in the program. They’ve got inventory levels that have to be maintained. But that’s really kind of caught another gear, too. And you can see the impacts on dealer inventory and aging as a result of that.

So, like I said, Pete’s got us in a position where we’ve got a lot of good things going that really are on the radar. And I probably shouldn’t have talked through all of them there, but for the list I did. But we’ve got a lot of great things going that bode well for customer experience, dealer performance, OEM performance and the industry as a whole.

RVB: Thanks. Doug, for working with us on this head-turning interview.

Gaeddert: I should add that while they’re not geared specifically towards it – and they’re not the sole reason – one of the major objectives that we’re working toward with these new initiatives is enhanced RECT – Repair Event Cycle Time – for an improved consumer experience, improved dealer performance, improved OEM performance and improved product performance. So, yeah, I’m totally juiced.

The post Forest River’s Gaeddert Sees Solid Post-Election RV Market first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

Current U.S. Senator and former RV industry executive Mike Braun’s victory in yesterday’s (11/5) Indiana gubernatorial election was almost a foregone conclusion for many observers in the historically conservative Hoosier State.

     And although Braun did face some pretty strong opposition from Democratic contender Jennifer McCormick, a former Superintendent of Public Instruction, it was a race that the Associated Press called fairly early in the evening when Republican Braun had accrued 54% of the vote, McCormick 41% and Libertarian Donald Rainwater 5%.

     As such, Braun, 70, the founder of 37-year-old aftermarket parts and accessories distributor Meyer Distributing Inc., based in Jasper, Ind, succeeds term-limited GOP Gov. Eric Holcomb, a popular governor who had appeared at RVB’s annual Power Breakfast on more than one occasion.

     Now it goes without saying that Braun’s new role won’t have any impact on Meyer’s business affairs. In fact, Braun told RVBusiness during his campaign that he’d retained only “a very small sliver” of equity in Meyer since his election to the U.S. Senate in November of 2018, having turned much of it over to the “next generation.” And he also stepped away from day-to-day management, although sons Jeff, now CEO; Jason, chief technology officer; and daughter Kristen, head of human resources and real estate, are still very much in the full-time mix at Meyer Distributing.

     Braun told the crowd at last night’s Indiana GOP Watch Party not long after his electoral victory was announced that his time in the Senate – along with his business experience — had prepared him to become governor as he addressed details regarding his transition team, policy development, agency reviews and planning for an inaugural event and celebration.

     All of those initial tasks can be distracting, he told WSBT-TV. “But the one thing, the way we were raised, is if you’ve got good principles and you stick to them – regardless of what you pursue – you’ll end up in the long run doing OK,” said Braun, the endorsed candidate of again-incumbent President Donald Trump. “It all comes back to faith, family and community.”

     Indeed, Braun, has frequently cited in a generic sense the lessons learned in his business career and how they continue to apply to his governmental work.

     “If you’re good at business, government’s a lot easier. And if you’re an entrepreneur, you can do a lot of good things in government and do it running a business as well,” he confided previously during a telephone interview. “And that’s what happened after I came back home (to Jasper) after business school at Wabash College. So, it’ll be because I learned a lot in the real world before I decided to get into government.”

     Looking back, Braun, who also got an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School, recalled how he ultimately “went with a little business that was struggling selling mostly to the farm market.” To keep the doors open, he started selling (RV) bumpers and running boards and other componentry made up in the Elkhart area, which, he said, didn’t amount to all that much at the time as Meyer Body Inc. in Haysville, Ind.

     The end result, long story short, was Meyer Distributing.

     “Over 17 years,” he told RVB, “we built that into a kind of regional business. And now it’s (Meyer) a national business – a company that I started from scratch, a distribution business selling auto and truck accessories, then moving into RV parts and accessories. And now we do a host of other things. And I had one little office in a used mobile home for 17 years. And now we have 90 locations in 40 states and three in Canada. So that’s the American dream. It took a while to really get going, though.”

     Braun’s goals as Indiana’s next governor, a job previously held by Republicans Mike Pence and Mitch Daniels, include improving state finances, reforming healthcare and tackling high energy costs plus issues like child care, affordable housing and rural broadband.

     “I think that Eric’s done a decent job,” said Braun. “Pence did a decent job. Mitch Daniels fixed it after we had 20 years of Democrats running it. And then I’ll take it, as an entrepreneur, to that next level because I’ve got more business experience than any of them when it comes to small, medium and large companies. And I come from a very entrepreneurial community and have the values of faith, family and community and have an agenda out there that’s going to emphasize freedom and opportunity. So, I’m going to roll all that into a way to take a dynamic state like Indiana and make it even better.”

The post Industry Veteran Braun to Take Reins as Indiana Governor first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

ELKHART, Ind, – The 24^th Annual Bids 4 Kids Dinner & Auction, a popular charitable event that’s drawn impressive support over the years around the RV-building capitol of Elkhart, Ind., was held Friday night (Oct. 4) in the Northern Indiana Event Center and RV/MH Hall of Fame’s newly expanded, 36,000-square-foot East Wing.

And once again, the results of the auction, featuring a memorable catered dinner and an appreciable crowd of RV industry players, didn’t disappoint the event’s leadership including LCI Industries Inc. President and CEO Jason Lippert who has personally spearheaded the fun-filled fundraiser dedicated to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Elkhart County for the last 17 years and currently co-chairs the event with LCI Social Impact Strategist Michilah Grimes.

This year’s unofficial auction revenues at press time: More than $1.75 million, a total that is particularly noteworthy on the heels of a couple of “tough years” for the nation’s RV business, Lippert told RVBusiness, adding that Elkhart usually ranks in the top three for Boys & Girls Club fund-raising nationally.

“It was great,” said Lippert, who especially wanted to commend Boys & Girls Club staffers Jamee Holmes and Matt Fischer for helping to set up and run the event. “I mean, we had a lot of familiar faces that are friends of the club and leaders of the industry show up and bid big. And a lot of people donated items and sponsored. So, those three things usually play the largest role in how we do. And just to have everybody come out and participate like they did and nearly set a record, it was pretty incredible.”

Obviously, those kinds of financial proceeds clearly stand out from the crowd among charitable fundraisers in general whether they’re in northern Indiana, New York City or L.A. as a result of Friday’s live and silent auctions and a wide array of cash donations. “You know, it’s just incredible that a little town like Elkhart can come together and raise more money than most of these big metro areas,” he told RVB.com.

Indeed, the prices paid for live Bids 4 Kids auction items in themselves are often pretty eye-catching. Consider these examples from Friday night in an auction gaveled by popular auctioneer Joe Mast and hosted on stage by local personality Vince Turner, a member of the Elkhart County Sports Hall of Fame and a longtime volunteer, along with his wife, Pat, for the Boys & Girls Club:

• A Weeklong 6-Bedroom Napa Valley Home Stay: $55,000
• 2 bottles of Caymus Cabernet Wine: $25,000 (sold 3 times)
• A Commemorative Winchester Wells Fargo Rifle: $20,000
• A Montana Big Sky Country Trip for Two People: $30,000
• An Italian “Ancient Charm” Experience for 4: $35,000 (sold twice)
• Exclusive Outing at Michael Jordan’s Fla. Golf Course: $37,500
• First Turn Seats for 2 at the 2025 Kentucky Derby: $30,000
• South African Adventures for Two: $17,500 (sold twice)
• Golf with Jason Lippert at Blackthorn: $17,500 (sold twice) 
• A cuter-than-heck male Cavapoo puppy: $20,000

Meanwhile, the Bids 4 Kids auction’s roster of up-front supporters was led by presenting sponsors Bill and Kristin Fenech, Consolidated Metals Inc., Jeffrey & Sabrina Kime, Lippert and Aunalytics.

The post Slideshow: Annual Bids 4 Kids Auction Earns About $1.75M first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.