Video: RecPro Showcases Portable Waste Tank Cover

From RecPro: Need a cleaner, more convenient way to travel with your portable waste tank? RecPro’s Portable Waste Tank Cover is designed to protect your tank from dirt, debris, and harsh weather—all while giving your setup a sleek, finished look. Made to fit RecPro’s 36-gallon portable waste tank, this durable cover is available in blue or black and features three sturdy buckles to keep everything secure while you’re on the move. No zippers, no hassle — just easy protection. Visit us at https://recpro.com

The post Video: RecPro Showcases Portable Waste Tank Cover first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

OHI Seeking Support in Wisconsin for Legislative Fix  

Working directly with legislators in Madison and a team of lobbyists, OHI announced an important step has been taken toward a legislative fix that will be a win for the seasonal camping consumer, and a win for all privately-owned campground small businesses in Wisconsin, according to a release from the national association representing RV park, campground and glamping businesses in Wisconsin and across the country.  

This action, which will be introduced in September by Rep. Kevin Petersen (R-Waupaca) and Sen. Rachael Cabral-Guevara (R- Appleton) to clarify existing legislation, the release continued. The proposed clarification is what the Wisconsin state legislature intended in the repeal of the personal property tax starting in 2024 and will ensure a seasonal camper’s personal property located within a licensed campground is treated the same as any other personal property that became permanently exempted from property taxation with the passage of Act 12. You can read the text of the bill here

OHI is working closely with the Wisconsin Association of Campground Owners (WACO) to ask all Wisconsin campground owners/operators and their campers to take action today in support of this issue, the release stated.

OHI has created two letters in its Advocacy Action Center: one specifically for Wisconsin campground owners/operators (which can also be shared with staff), and a second letter customized specifically for seasonal campers; and is asking campground owners/operators to take two specific grassroots actions in support of this action: 

1.    Submit a personal letter on behalf of your business (this link can be shared with your staff as well): https://www.votervoice.net/OHI/Campaigns/128761/Respond 

2.    Email this link to all your seasonal campers so they can submit a personal letter as well: https://www.votervoice.net/OHI/Campaigns/128762/Respond 

“OHI has been focused on this fix from the beginning when Jim Button, chair of OHI’s Board of Directors and owner of Evergreen Campsites in Wild Rose, Wisconsin, first raised it at the local level,” says David Basler, CSO and SVP of Government Affairs for OHI. “Once this action is taken, it will translate to substantial tax savings for campgrounds and seasonal campers in Wisconsin.” 

This will be a two-phase grassroots campaign to flood legislative offices with letters of support now and then again when the bill is officially introduced sometime in September.

“Our highest priority is the well-being of Wisconsin campground owners and operators, and that’s why making sure this comes to fruition is so important,” says Scott Kollock, owner of Vista Royalle Campground and president of WACO. “Tackling issues together as a united front is the best way to see success. We’re looking forward to seeing this across the finish line with OHI and the state of Wisconsin. “

If you have any questions about the bill or this grassroots campaign, please email the OHI government affairs team at [email protected].  

The post OHI Seeking Support in Wisconsin for Legislative Fix   first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

THOR Names Meadows VP of Financial Controls, Risk

ELKHART, Ind. – THOR Industries Inc. (THO) has promoted Angie Wilcox Meadows to become Vice President of Financial Controls and Risk, according to a post on the company’s LinkedIN page.

According to the post: “With this promotion, Angie will expand her responsibilities, continuing to ensure our internal audit efforts are as efficient and effective as possible, while also further reinforcing our robust control and financial risk mitigation framework.”

According to her personal LinkedIN page, Wilcox Meadows has been with Thor for just over four years. Before joining the company, she worked as the Chief Financial Officer for LORAC Cosmetics in Valencia, Calif.

The post THOR Names Meadows VP of Financial Controls, Risk first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

GuestView: How Data, AI Can Transform RV Business

EDITOR’S NOTE: The following is a GuestView by Kishore Rajgopal & Justin Marvin of Rapidious, which provides an AI-powered SaaS platform that helps RV dealerships optimize pricing, manage inventory, and boost profits. Rajgopal is the founder and CEO and Marvin is the co-founder and senior vice president for Rapidious.

Are you running your RV dealership on gut feel? If any of the following sounds familiar, it’s time to rethink your approach:

  • You price and order RVs based on gut instinct
  • You reorder the same models just because they sold last time
  • You spend hours pricing inventory, but your prices are out of date most of the week
  • You believe the lowest price always wins
  • You rely on data from outside sources, like Google, rather than your own data for pricing and appraisals
  • You trust your sales team’s “feel” for the market more than hard data

If so, you’re not alone—but you’re also leaving money on the table. Savvy retailers blend customer data, sales trends, product info, local events, hyper-local demand signals, and even housing prices to make smarter decisions. The result? They know what customers want, when they want it, and how much they’ll pay.

Retailers have spent years perfecting the art of using data to drive sales, boost margins, and outsmart the competition, such as P&G’s Daily Demand Sensing that allows it to forecast with precision.

Procter & Gamble collaborates closely with retailers, receiving frequent point-of-sale (POS) data feeds. They integrate this real-time data with insights about local events, weather forecasts, and historical purchasing patterns. This detailed approach delivers highly accurate demand predictions—down to the product, city, zip code, and even weekly level. The result? Improved production planning, optimized logistics, and enhanced retailer partnerships, ensuring products supplied align precisely with customer demand.

This strategy accelerates inventory turnover, significantly reducing capital tied up in excess stock across warehouses and distribution channels. By pulling daily sales data, P&G cut forecast errors by over 50% and reduced safety stock by 10%.

How Retailers Use Data—and How RV Dealers Can, Too

Savvy retailers blend customer data, sales trends, product info, local events, hyper-local demand signals, and even housing prices to make smarter decisions. The result? They know what customers want, when they want it, and how much they’ll pay.

Here’s how you can apply these retail best practices to your dealership:

Demand Forecasting. Stock what sells: Retailers use data to keep shelves stocked with what customers want; no more, no less. Use sales history, seasonality and local trends to predict which RVs will move fastest, yielding fewer slow-movers and more inventory turns.

Pricing Optimization. Get paid what you’re worth: Dynamic pricing—commonly seen with airline tickets and hotel rooms—is a strategic approach retailers use to adjust prices based on real-time demand, availability, and consumer willingness to pay. Retailers analyze purchasing patterns by product, geography, and timing (monthly, weekly, daily) to pinpoint optimal pricing. For example, school supplies typically drop in demand after the school year begins, prompting targeted discounts to clear excess stock. Similarly, fashion items command premium pricing at the start of a new season but often require deeper discounts later as interest wanes. Effective dynamic pricing means discounting just enough to drive sales without leaving money on the table by unnecessarily reducing prices for customers who would have willingly paid more.

Most RV dealers rely on gut feel or past experience to price units, occasionally referencing outside sources for comparable unit pricing. But what happens when there’s a sudden shortage of popular RV models, or when local events dramatically boost demand—such as major RV shows, seasonal travel peaks, or local festivals?

For instance, consider the surge in demand for compact travel trailers ahead of summer vacation season. With real-time data on sales velocity, inventory levels, and competitor pricing within your regional market, you could confidently adjust your prices upward during peak periods. This data-driven strategy ensures you’re neither leaving money on the table nor pricing units too high to deter customers.

Eventually, just as successful retailers do, RV dealerships could leverage AI-driven tools for precise initial price recommendations, backed by detailed justifications. The result? Increased walk-ins, quicker sales, and stronger profit margins.

Smarter Ordering. Don’t just replace… Anticipate: Retailers don’t just reorder what sold; they anticipate what’s next, so order units based on upcoming demand, not just what’s missing from your lot. This keeps your inventory fresh and relevant.

Many dealerships habitually reorder the exact make-model-trim of an RV after it sells, a strategy that leaves money on the table and clutters lots with units that no longer reflect customer preferences.

Instead, consider this scenario: your data indicates an increasing local demand for mid-sized, family-friendly travel trailers due to upcoming summer vacations. At the same time, interest in luxury Class A motorhomes is declining in your region. Using this insight, you shift your procurement strategy—ordering more mid-sized trailers while scaling back on luxury Class A models.

Additionally, inventory analytics can show if your dealership has an excess of certain units and shortages of others, allowing intelligent redistribution and timely adjustments. This targeted, data-informed approach ensures your inventory remains precisely matched with what customers want to buy, accelerating sales and enhancing dealership profitability.

Lot and Space Optimization: Make every inch count: Retailers use data to decide which products get prime shelf space.Arrange your lot to highlight high-demand models and make it easy for customers to find what they want, speeding up deal closures.

Take the case of successful RV dealerships operating with just modest two-acre lots. Despite limited space, such dealers turn inventory seven times faster than average by carefully selecting and positioning units based on data-driven insights. How did they do it?

First, dealerships should analyze sales data to pinpoint which RV floor plans, brands, and price points are most appealing to customers. With this insight, strategically place these high-demand models in prime, easily visible locations on the lot, guiding customer attention naturally toward your strongest offerings. Conversely, slower-moving units or models requiring deeper discounts can be placed further back, subtly encouraging buyers to explore preferred options first.

Additionally, optimizing the sequencing of units listed on dealership websites can significantly influence customer decisions. By displaying high-demand and popular units prominently on inventory pages—and adjusting this positioning dynamically based on the day, week, or seasonal buying trends—dealerships can maximize online customer engagement and conversion rates.

This approach illustrates the tremendous potential awaiting dealerships that embrace strategic lot and space optimization, transforming limited space into a powerful sales advantage.

The Payoff: Why Data-Driven Dealers Win

The RV industry lags behind retail, e-commerce, and hospitality in using data, but that’s changing fast. Here’s what you stand to gain:

  • Better Pricing and Discounting: Use real-time data to set competitive prices and attract more buyers
  • Improved Appraisals: Data-backed appraisals mean better margins and more trust with customers
  • Faster Deal Closures: Show customers the data behind your deals to close sales faster and reduce walkouts
  • More Time with Customers: Spend less time on manual pricing and more time building relationships
  • Deeper Customer Insights: Analyze feedback to improve service, train staff, and boost satisfaction
  • Smarter Use of AI: Let AI spot patterns and recommend actions you might miss

Getting Started: Build Your Data Foundation

You don’t need to be a tech wizard to get started. Here’s how:

  • Get your customer and sales data in order
  • Make sure your inventory system and website are in sync
  • Develop a consistent pricing approach
  • Gather competitor intelligence, legally and ethically

Remember: Tools are only as good as the discipline behind them. It’s not about buying the latest software, it’s about using data to make better decisions, every day.

This diagram summarizes the foundations for leveraging AI for smarter decision making…

Trust the Machine—Even When It Feels Uncomfortable

During a blizzard, a major railroad’s network ground to a halt. Managers ignored the AI’s routing advice, trusting their gut instead. When the CEO insisted they follow the AI’s recommendations, the system was back on track within a week. The lesson? Sometimes, the machine really does know best.

AI and machine learning can now make recommendations as sophisticated as a seasoned expert even if they can’t always explain why. The most successful companies trust the data, act on it, and improve over time. The sure-shot way to derail AI and any data-driven decision making is to take the stance that “I will implement these decisions only after I am convinced…”

Industries like credit cards, hospitality and retail are ahead because they chose to work with AI and not second-guess it. RV dealers who commit to embrace AI and institutionalize data-driven decision-making will emerge winners.

Gen AI: Leveling the Playing Field for All Dealers, including Independent Dealers

Generative AI (Gen AI), often nowadays just referred to as AI, is changing the game. What used to take a month — analyzing sales data, designing new screens, building prototypes — now takes days. Research, sentiment analysis, and competitor intelligence are faster and more accessible than ever.

This isn’t just for the big guys. Gen AI puts enterprise-level tools in the hands of independent dealers, letting everyone compete on a level playing field.

In more mature industries like retail and consumer packaged goods (CPG), brands and retailers routinely collaborate through sophisticated digital portals that facilitate data sharing, communication, and joint planning.

Giants like Walmart and Target have built proprietary portals, while third-party platforms serve smaller players, offering access to sales performance, category trends, and real-time demand and inventory insights. These tools enable brands to plan procurement, manufacturing, and logistics with precision, aligning supply with actual market demand. The result? Faster inventory turns, lower carrying costs, and more responsive operations. It’s time the RV industry embraced a similar model.

A shared RV Dealer–Manufacturer Collaboration Portal would enable dealers to place orders directly with manufacturers, while giving manufacturers a clear, data-backed view of dealer-level sales trends and customer demand. This would empower brands to manufacture and price more intelligently, reducing overproduction and unsold inventory. In turn, dealers benefit from faster delivery, better stock alignment, and improved sell-through rates.

Such a platform would unlock collaborative forecasting, smarter planning, and tighter value chain integration, creating a win-win for both sides of the RV ecosystem.

The Road Ahead

The RV business is at a crossroads. Dealers who embrace data and AI will turn inventory faster, close more deals, and build stronger customer relationships. Those who stick to gut feel risk being left behind.

Retailers have shown us the way. Data and AI aren’t just buzzwords; they’re proven tools for growth and profitability. Start small, stay disciplined, and trust the process. The future of RV dealerships belongs to those who use data to drive decisions, not just instincts.

The post GuestView: How Data, AI Can Transform RV Business first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

GuestView: How Data, AI Can Transform RV Business

EDITOR’S NOTE: The following is a GuestView by Kishore Rajgopal & Justin Marvin of Rapidious, which provides an AI-powered SaaS platform that helps RV dealerships optimize pricing, manage inventory, and boost profits. Rajgopal is the founder and CEO and Marvin is the co-founder and senior vice president for Rapidious.

Are you running your RV dealership on gut feel? If any of the following sounds familiar, it’s time to rethink your approach:

  • You price and order RVs based on gut instinct
  • You reorder the same models just because they sold last time
  • You spend hours pricing inventory, but your prices are out of date most of the week
  • You believe the lowest price always wins
  • You rely on data from outside sources, like Google, rather than your own data for pricing and appraisals
  • You trust your sales team’s “feel” for the market more than hard data

If so, you’re not alone—but you’re also leaving money on the table. Savvy retailers blend customer data, sales trends, product info, local events, hyper-local demand signals, and even housing prices to make smarter decisions. The result? They know what customers want, when they want it, and how much they’ll pay.

Retailers have spent years perfecting the art of using data to drive sales, boost margins, and outsmart the competition, such as P&G’s Daily Demand Sensing that allows it to forecast with precision.

Procter & Gamble collaborates closely with retailers, receiving frequent point-of-sale (POS) data feeds. They integrate this real-time data with insights about local events, weather forecasts, and historical purchasing patterns. This detailed approach delivers highly accurate demand predictions—down to the product, city, zip code, and even weekly level. The result? Improved production planning, optimized logistics, and enhanced retailer partnerships, ensuring products supplied align precisely with customer demand.

This strategy accelerates inventory turnover, significantly reducing capital tied up in excess stock across warehouses and distribution channels. By pulling daily sales data, P&G cut forecast errors by over 50% and reduced safety stock by 10%.

How Retailers Use Data—and How RV Dealers Can, Too

Savvy retailers blend customer data, sales trends, product info, local events, hyper-local demand signals, and even housing prices to make smarter decisions. The result? They know what customers want, when they want it, and how much they’ll pay.

Here’s how you can apply these retail best practices to your dealership:

Demand Forecasting. Stock what sells: Retailers use data to keep shelves stocked with what customers want; no more, no less. Use sales history, seasonality and local trends to predict which RVs will move fastest, yielding fewer slow-movers and more inventory turns.

Pricing Optimization. Get paid what you’re worth: Dynamic pricing—commonly seen with airline tickets and hotel rooms—is a strategic approach retailers use to adjust prices based on real-time demand, availability, and consumer willingness to pay. Retailers analyze purchasing patterns by product, geography, and timing (monthly, weekly, daily) to pinpoint optimal pricing. For example, school supplies typically drop in demand after the school year begins, prompting targeted discounts to clear excess stock. Similarly, fashion items command premium pricing at the start of a new season but often require deeper discounts later as interest wanes. Effective dynamic pricing means discounting just enough to drive sales without leaving money on the table by unnecessarily reducing prices for customers who would have willingly paid more.

Most RV dealers rely on gut feel or past experience to price units, occasionally referencing outside sources for comparable unit pricing. But what happens when there’s a sudden shortage of popular RV models, or when local events dramatically boost demand—such as major RV shows, seasonal travel peaks, or local festivals?

For instance, consider the surge in demand for compact travel trailers ahead of summer vacation season. With real-time data on sales velocity, inventory levels, and competitor pricing within your regional market, you could confidently adjust your prices upward during peak periods. This data-driven strategy ensures you’re neither leaving money on the table nor pricing units too high to deter customers.

Eventually, just as successful retailers do, RV dealerships could leverage AI-driven tools for precise initial price recommendations, backed by detailed justifications. The result? Increased walk-ins, quicker sales, and stronger profit margins.

Smarter Ordering. Don’t just replace… Anticipate: Retailers don’t just reorder what sold; they anticipate what’s next, so order units based on upcoming demand, not just what’s missing from your lot. This keeps your inventory fresh and relevant.

Many dealerships habitually reorder the exact make-model-trim of an RV after it sells, a strategy that leaves money on the table and clutters lots with units that no longer reflect customer preferences.

Instead, consider this scenario: your data indicates an increasing local demand for mid-sized, family-friendly travel trailers due to upcoming summer vacations. At the same time, interest in luxury Class A motorhomes is declining in your region. Using this insight, you shift your procurement strategy—ordering more mid-sized trailers while scaling back on luxury Class A models.

Additionally, inventory analytics can show if your dealership has an excess of certain units and shortages of others, allowing intelligent redistribution and timely adjustments. This targeted, data-informed approach ensures your inventory remains precisely matched with what customers want to buy, accelerating sales and enhancing dealership profitability.

Lot and Space Optimization: Make every inch count: Retailers use data to decide which products get prime shelf space.Arrange your lot to highlight high-demand models and make it easy for customers to find what they want, speeding up deal closures.

Take the case of successful RV dealerships operating with just modest two-acre lots. Despite limited space, such dealers turn inventory seven times faster than average by carefully selecting and positioning units based on data-driven insights. How did they do it?

First, dealerships should analyze sales data to pinpoint which RV floor plans, brands, and price points are most appealing to customers. With this insight, strategically place these high-demand models in prime, easily visible locations on the lot, guiding customer attention naturally toward your strongest offerings. Conversely, slower-moving units or models requiring deeper discounts can be placed further back, subtly encouraging buyers to explore preferred options first.

Additionally, optimizing the sequencing of units listed on dealership websites can significantly influence customer decisions. By displaying high-demand and popular units prominently on inventory pages—and adjusting this positioning dynamically based on the day, week, or seasonal buying trends—dealerships can maximize online customer engagement and conversion rates.

This approach illustrates the tremendous potential awaiting dealerships that embrace strategic lot and space optimization, transforming limited space into a powerful sales advantage.

The Payoff: Why Data-Driven Dealers Win

The RV industry lags behind retail, e-commerce, and hospitality in using data, but that’s changing fast. Here’s what you stand to gain:

  • Better Pricing and Discounting: Use real-time data to set competitive prices and attract more buyers
  • Improved Appraisals: Data-backed appraisals mean better margins and more trust with customers
  • Faster Deal Closures: Show customers the data behind your deals to close sales faster and reduce walkouts
  • More Time with Customers: Spend less time on manual pricing and more time building relationships
  • Deeper Customer Insights: Analyze feedback to improve service, train staff, and boost satisfaction
  • Smarter Use of AI: Let AI spot patterns and recommend actions you might miss

Getting Started: Build Your Data Foundation

You don’t need to be a tech wizard to get started. Here’s how:

  • Get your customer and sales data in order
  • Make sure your inventory system and website are in sync
  • Develop a consistent pricing approach
  • Gather competitor intelligence, legally and ethically

Remember: Tools are only as good as the discipline behind them. It’s not about buying the latest software, it’s about using data to make better decisions, every day.

This diagram summarizes the foundations for leveraging AI for smarter decision making…

Trust the Machine—Even When It Feels Uncomfortable

During a blizzard, a major railroad’s network ground to a halt. Managers ignored the AI’s routing advice, trusting their gut instead. When the CEO insisted they follow the AI’s recommendations, the system was back on track within a week. The lesson? Sometimes, the machine really does know best.

AI and machine learning can now make recommendations as sophisticated as a seasoned expert even if they can’t always explain why. The most successful companies trust the data, act on it, and improve over time. The sure-shot way to derail AI and any data-driven decision making is to take the stance that “I will implement these decisions only after I am convinced…”

Industries like credit cards, hospitality and retail are ahead because they chose to work with AI and not second-guess it. RV dealers who commit to embrace AI and institutionalize data-driven decision-making will emerge winners.

Gen AI: Leveling the Playing Field for All Dealers, including Independent Dealers

Generative AI (Gen AI), often nowadays just referred to as AI, is changing the game. What used to take a month — analyzing sales data, designing new screens, building prototypes — now takes days. Research, sentiment analysis, and competitor intelligence are faster and more accessible than ever.

This isn’t just for the big guys. Gen AI puts enterprise-level tools in the hands of independent dealers, letting everyone compete on a level playing field.

In more mature industries like retail and consumer packaged goods (CPG), brands and retailers routinely collaborate through sophisticated digital portals that facilitate data sharing, communication, and joint planning.

Giants like Walmart and Target have built proprietary portals, while third-party platforms serve smaller players, offering access to sales performance, category trends, and real-time demand and inventory insights. These tools enable brands to plan procurement, manufacturing, and logistics with precision, aligning supply with actual market demand. The result? Faster inventory turns, lower carrying costs, and more responsive operations. It’s time the RV industry embraced a similar model.

A shared RV Dealer–Manufacturer Collaboration Portal would enable dealers to place orders directly with manufacturers, while giving manufacturers a clear, data-backed view of dealer-level sales trends and customer demand. This would empower brands to manufacture and price more intelligently, reducing overproduction and unsold inventory. In turn, dealers benefit from faster delivery, better stock alignment, and improved sell-through rates.

Such a platform would unlock collaborative forecasting, smarter planning, and tighter value chain integration, creating a win-win for both sides of the RV ecosystem.

The Road Ahead

The RV business is at a crossroads. Dealers who embrace data and AI will turn inventory faster, close more deals, and build stronger customer relationships. Those who stick to gut feel risk being left behind.

Retailers have shown us the way. Data and AI aren’t just buzzwords; they’re proven tools for growth and profitability. Start small, stay disciplined, and trust the process. The future of RV dealerships belongs to those who use data to drive decisions, not just instincts.

The post GuestView: How Data, AI Can Transform RV Business first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

RVIA Advocacy Efforts Lead to Deadline Extension

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has announced a six-month extension to its PFAS reporting deadline. Originally set for January 1, 2026, the new reporting deadline is now July 1, 2026. This announcement is a result of the advocacy efforts of the RV Industry Association, industry partners, and widespread concern expressed by the manufacturing community about the lack of time to comply with the rapidly approaching reporting deadline. This extension applies to manufacturers who make, sell and/or distribute products in Minnesota containing intentionally added PFAS. 

The decision to extend the deadline was based in part on the concerns raised by the RV Industry Association and others, who emphasized that the original deadline was impracticable due to the volume of data being requested, the complexity of supply chains (especially for manufacturers of complex products), and the fact that the final rule has yet to be published and the reporting platform has not been implemented. 

This decision will provide much-needed time to collect the required information. The RV Industry Association’s advocacy efforts included two sets of written comments, a formal meeting with Minnesota Pollution Control Agency staff, verbal testimony during the May 22 public hearing and participation in extensive coalition activities.

View the announcement from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.

For more information, please contact Bill Erny, Senior Manager of Regulatory Affairs, at [email protected]

The post RVIA Advocacy Efforts Lead to Deadline Extension first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

UFP Factory Built Expanding its Footprint in Elkhart

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – UFP Factory Built, a division of UFP Industries, Inc. (NASDAQ: UFPI), has announced its acquisition of certain assets of National Supply LLC, a leading supplier based in Elkhart, Indiana effective July 14, 2025. This strategic move further strengthens UFP Factory Built’s position as a critical components and solutions provider to the recreational vehicle (RV) industry, building upon its previous acquisition of a manufacturing plant in Twin Falls, Idaho location.

National Supply LLC, a key partner to the RV manufacturing sector, is a material supplier to Forest River, a Berkshire Hathaway company and one of the largest RV manufacturers in North America. The acquisition of Elkhart based assets of National Supply, complements UFP Factory Built’s distribution arm – UFP Distribution’s product offering. This new acquisition and other recent strategic investments significantly enhance UFP Factory Built’s ability to supply essential components to both motorized and towable segments of the RV industry.

“Many key employees critical to the day-to-day operation of the Elkhart-based facility of National Supply are joining our team. I am excited to welcome them to the team,” said Eric Brumbaugh, VP of UFP Distribution.

“This represents our commitment to deepen our relationships with the biggest players in the RV manufacturing industry and provide quality and innovation to RV construction.”, he added.

Executive VP of UFP Factory Built Chad Eastin reiterated that UFP will continue to make strategic investments to expand its product range and service capabilities to better serve its customers in the RV industry.

UFP Factory Built is a division of UFP Industries, Inc., a leading global manufacturer and distributor of wood and wood-alternative products. UFP Factory Built provides innovative solutions and essential components to various factory-built housing and commercial manufacturing sectors, including the cargo trailer and recreational vehicle industry.

National Supply LLC, based in Elkhart, Indiana, is a supplier of components to the recreational vehicle manufacturing industry.

The post UFP Factory Built Expanding its Footprint in Elkhart first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

LKQ Announces Second Quarter Results for 2025

ANTIOCH, Tenn. – LKQ Corporation (Nasdaq: LKQ) today reported second quarter 2025 financial results and provided updated outlook for 2025, according to a press release.

Second Quarter 2025 Financial and Operating Results

Revenue for the second quarter of 2025 was $3.6 billion, a decrease of 1.9% compared to $3.7 billion for the second quarter of 2024. Parts and services organic revenue decreased 3.4% (2.7% decrease on a per day basis), the net impact of acquisitions and divestitures decreased revenue by 1.0%, and foreign exchange rates increased revenue by 2.3% year over year, for a total parts and services revenue decrease of 2.1%.

Net income2 was $192 million compared to $185 million for the same period of 2024. Diluted earnings per share2 was $0.75 compared to $0.70 for the same period of 2024, an increase of 7.1%.

On an adjusted basis, net income1,2 was $225 million compared to $261 million for the same period of 2024. Adjusted diluted earnings per share1,2 was $0.87 compared to $0.98 for the same period of 2024, a decrease of 11.2%.

The Company’s focus on cost reduction measures has resulted in more than $125 million in costs taken out over the past 12 months with an additional $75 million targeted for 2025.

North American organic revenue outperformed the market even as repairable claims across the entire industry declined 9%. In Europe, the Company has replaced more than 25% of the leadership team and continues to focus on reducing costs, rationalizing SKU’s and enhancing revenue opportunities, including entering into a strategic partnership to expand our salvage business.

Strategic Initiatives

  • Simplify Business Portfolio and Operations: Streamlining operations by focusing on our non-discretionary businesses, divesting non-core assets, and enhancing efficiencies, in collaboration with qualified advisors to ensure comprehensive evaluation and execution of strategic decisions.
  • Expand Lean Operating Model Globally: Continuing to scale lean operating model across all regions to drive productivity, improve execution, and accelerate decision-making.
  • Invest and Grow Organically: Investing in our core businesses to achieve above market growth and drive market share gains.
  • Pursue Disciplined Capital Allocation Strategy: Capital allocation remains focused on maximizing shareholder value.

Commenting on the quarter, Justin Jude, President and Chief Executive Officer, said:

“We are executing on our three-year plan outlined at our September 2024 Investor Day and are confident in our strategy. We have no doubt we have the size, scale and an unmatched distribution network that are the best in the industry. Our results this quarter reflect a Company that is in transformation. We will move faster and harder to simplify our business and reduce costs. As we sharpen our focus on people, process and performance, we will be well positioned to capitalize as the cycle in our sector turns. We are committed to delivering better results for our customers, employees and partners and importantly, creating more value for shareholders.”

Cash Flow and Balance Sheet

Cash flow from operations and free cash flow1 were $296 million and $243 million, respectively, for the second quarter of 2025. Cash flow from operations and free cash flow1 were $293 million and $186 million, respectively, for the six months ended June 30, 2025. As of June 30, 2025, the balance sheet reflected total debt of $4.5 billion and total leverage, as defined in our credit facility, was 2.6x EBITDA.

Returning Capital to Shareholders

During the second quarter of 2025, the Company invested approximately $39 million to repurchase 1.0 million shares of its common stock and distributed $78 million in cash dividends. For the six months ended June 30, 2025, the Company returned approximately $235 million to its shareholders by investing approximately $79 million to repurchase 2.0 million shares of its common stock and distributing $156 million in cash dividends. Since initiating the stock repurchase program in late October 2018, the Company has repurchased approximately 66.5 million shares of its common stock for a total of $2.9 billion through June 30, 2025. An aggregate balance of $1.6 billion remains for potential additional stock repurchases through October 25, 2026. On July 22, 2025, the Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.30 per share of common stock, payable on August 28, 2025, to stockholders of record at the close of business on August 14, 2025.

2025 Outlook

“As we look ahead, we are focused on executing on our strategic initiatives to deliver improved financial results. We will continue to follow a disciplined capital allocation strategy that returns capital to shareholders. Our strategy includes driving efficiencies and simplifying our business and portfolio as we look at ROIC as a constant measure. We are navigating through the cyclical issues in our marketplace and will have a stronger Company that is well-positioned when the market turns,” stated Rick Galloway, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.

Based on a confluence of macroeconomic factors in both North America and Europe, coupled with the results this quarter, LKQ is lowering its full year outlook. In North America, the Company is not seeing a recovery in the repairable claims and tariff uncertainty continues. In Europe, general economic softness and geopolitical unrest are drivers of an uncertain environment.

For 2025, management updated the outlook as set forth below:

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

This release contains (and management’s presentation on the related investor conference call will refer to) non-GAAP financial measures within the meaning of Regulation G promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission. Included with this release are reconciliations of each non-GAAP financial measure with the most directly comparable financial measure calculated in accordance with GAAP.

Conference Call Details

LKQ will host a conference call and webcast on July 24, 2025 at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time (7:00 a.m. Central Time) with members of senior management to discuss the Company’s results. To access the investor conference call, please dial (833) 470-1428. International access to the call may be obtained by dialing (404) 975-4839. The investor conference call will require you to enter conference ID: 409932.

Webcast and Presentation Details

The audio webcast and accompanying slide presentation can be accessed at (www.lkqcorp.com) in the Investor Relations section.

A replay of the conference call will be available by telephone at (866) 813-9403 or (929) 458-6194 for international calls. The telephone replay will require you to enter conference ID: 696574. An online replay of the audio webcast will be available on the Company’s website. Both formats of replay will be available through July 31, 2025. Please allow approximately two hours after the live presentation before attempting to access the replay.

About LKQ Corporation

LKQ Corporation (www.lkqcorp.com) is a leading provider of alternative and specialty parts to repair and accessorize automobiles and other vehicles. LKQ has operations in North America, Europe and Taiwan. LKQ offers its customers a broad range of OEM recycled and aftermarket parts, replacement systems, components, equipment, and services to repair and accessorize automobiles, trucks, and recreational and performance vehicles.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements and information in this press release and on the related conference call, including our outlook for 2025, as well as remarks by the Chief Executive Officer and other members of management, that are not historical are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and are made pursuant to the “safe harbor” provisions of such Act.

Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding our outlook, expectations, beliefs, hopes, intentions and strategies. These statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors including those identified below. All forward-looking statements are based on information available to us at the time the statements are made. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

You should not place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements. Actual events or results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. The risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ from the events or results predicted or implied by our forward-looking statements include the factors set forth below, and other factors discussed in our filings with the SEC, including those disclosed under the captions “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024 and in our subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. These reports are available at the Investor Relations section on our website (www.lkqcorp.com) and on the SEC’s website (www.sec.gov).

These factors include the following (not necessarily in order of importance):

activist investors could cause us to incur substantial costs, divert management’s attention, and have an adverse effect on our business.

our operating results and financial condition have been and could continue to be adversely affected by the economic, political and social conditions in North America, Europe, Taiwan and other countries, as well as the economic health of vehicle owners and numbers and types of vehicles sold;

we face competition from local, national, international, and internet-based vehicle products providers, and this competition could negatively affect our business;

we rely upon insurance companies and our customers to promote the usage of alternative parts;

intellectual property claims relating to aftermarket products could adversely affect our business;

if the number of vehicles involved in accidents or being repaired declines, or the mix of the types of vehicles in the overall vehicle population changes, our business could suffer;

fluctuations in the prices of commodities could adversely affect our financial results;

an adverse change in our relationships with our suppliers, disruption to our supply of inventory, or the misconduct, performance failures or negligence of our third party vendors or service providers could increase our expenses, impede our ability to serve our customers, or expose us to liability;

future public health emergencies could have a material adverse impact on our business, results of operation, financial condition and liquidity, the nature and extent of which is highly uncertain;

if we determine that our goodwill or other intangible assets have become impaired, we may incur significant charges to our pretax income;

we could be subject to product liability claims and involved in product recalls;

we may not be able to successfully acquire businesses or integrate acquisitions, and we may not be able to successfully divest certain businesses;

we have a substantial amount of indebtedness, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and our ability to obtain financing in the future and to react to changes in our business;

our senior notes do not impose any limitations on our ability to incur additional debt or protect against certain other types of transactions, and we may incur certain additional indebtedness under our credit agreement;

each of our credit agreement and CAD Note imposes operating and financial restrictions on us and our subsidiaries, which may prevent us from capitalizing on business opportunities;

we may not be able to generate sufficient cash to service all of our indebtedness, and may be forced to take other actions to satisfy our obligations under our indebtedness, which may not be successful;

our future capital needs may require that we seek to refinance our debt or obtain additional debt or equity financing, events that could have a negative effect on our business;

our variable rate indebtedness subjects us to interest rate risk, which could cause our indebtedness service obligations to increase significantly;

repayment of our indebtedness is dependent on cash flow generated by our subsidiaries;

a downgrade in our credit rating would impact our cost of capital;

the amount and frequency of our share repurchases and dividend payments may fluctuate;

existing or new laws and regulations, or changes to enforcement or interpretation of existing laws or regulations, may prohibit, restrict or burden the sale of aftermarket, recycled, refurbished or remanufactured products;

we are subject to environmental regulations and incur costs relating to environmental matters;

if we fail to maintain proper and effective internal control over financial reporting in the future, our ability to produce accurate and timely financial statements could be negatively impacted, which could harm our operating results and investor perceptions of our Company and as a result may have a material adverse effect on the value of our common stock;

we may be adversely affected by legal, regulatory or market responses to global climate change;

our amended and restated bylaws provide that the courts in the State of Delaware are the exclusive forums for substantially all disputes between us and our stockholders, which could limit our stockholders’ ability to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with us or our directors, officers or employees;

our effective tax rate could materially increase as a consequence of various factors, including U.S. and/or international tax legislation, applicable interpretations and administrative guidance, our mix of earnings by jurisdiction, and U.S. and foreign jurisdictional audits;

if significant tariffs or other restrictions are placed on products or materials we import or any related counter-measures are taken by countries to which we export products, our revenue and results of operations may be materially harmed;

governmental agencies may refuse to grant or renew our operating licenses and permits;

the costs of complying with the requirements of laws pertaining to data privacy and cybersecurity of personal information and the potential liability associated with the failure to comply with such laws could materially adversely affect our business and results of operations;

our employees are important to successfully manage our business and achieve our objectives;

we operate in foreign jurisdictions, which exposes us to foreign exchange and other risks;

our business may be adversely affected by union activities and labor and employment laws;

we rely on information technology and communication systems in critical areas of our operations and a disruption relating to such technology and systems, including cybersecurity threats, could harm our business;

business interruptions in our distribution centers or other facilities may affect our operations, the function of our computer systems, and/or the availability and distribution of merchandise, which may affect our business;

if we experience problems with our fleet of trucks and other vehicles, our business could be harmed;

we may lose the right to operate at key locations; and

The post LKQ Announces Second Quarter Results for 2025 first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.