Motorcoach, Travel Trailer & Camper Manufacturers
Industry Profile Report
Dive Deep into the industry with a 25+ page industry report (pdf format) including the following chapters
Industry Overview Current Conditions, Industry Structure, How Firms Operate, Industry Trends, Credit Underwriting & Risks, and Industry Forecast.
Call Preparation Call Prep Questions, Industry Terms, and Weblinks.
Financial Insights Working Capital, Capital Financing, Business Valuation, and Financial Benchmarks.
Industry Profile Excerpts
Industry Overview
The 640 motorcoach, travel trailer, and camper manufacturers in the US produce motorized coaches and converted vans, campers that slide into truck beds, and towable campers, such as fifth wheels and pop-up campers. Firms may also modify cargo trailers such as toy haulers and horse trailers to include living space.
Dependence on Economic Health
The health of the economy and job markets affect consumer demand for new motorhomes, travel trailers and campers.
Reliance on Automobile Manufacturers
Motorcoach and travel trailer manufacturers rely on motor vehicle manufacturers, such as Ford and GM, for chassis, engines, and drivetrain assemblies, as well as vans for conversion.
Industry size & Structure
A typical motorcoach manufacturing firm operates out of a single location, employs 288 workers, and generates about $156 million annually. A typical travel trailer and camper manufacturing firm operates out of a single location, employs 104 workers, and generates $45 million annually.
- The motorcoach, travel trailer and camper manufacturing industry consists of about 640 companies that employ about 75,000 workers and generate about $31 billion annually.
- The industry is highly concentrated with the four largest firms accounting for over 66% of industry revenue.
- Large companies include Thor (Keystone, Heartland, Starcraft, Dutchman, Airstream), Gulfstream (Ameri-Lite, Vista Cruiser, Innsbruck, Conquest), Forest River (Rockwood, Flagstaff, Salem, Wildwood), and Winnebago.
Industry Forecast
Motorcoach, Travel Trailer & Camper Manufacturers Industry Growth
Recent Developments
Jan 27, 2025 - Employment, Producer Prices Flat
- Producer prices for travel trailer and camper manufacturers were relatively flat in December 2024 compared to a year ago, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Producer prices for motor home manufacturers rose 2.2% in December 2024 year over year while producer prices for motor home manufacturers built on a purchased chassis were up 2.2% during the same period. Employment by motor vehicle body and trailer manufacturers was flat in November 2024 while average wages for nonsupervisory employees at motor vehicle body and trailer manufacturers increased 3.5% during the same period, per the BLS. US manufacturing activity contracted in December 2024, marking the ninth consecutive month of contraction for the Manufacturing PMI, according to the Institute for Supply Management’s Manufacturing ISM Report on Business. The Manufacturing PMI registered 49.3% in December, up 0.9 percentage points from the 48.4% recorded in November. A reading above 50% indicates manufacturing expansion.
- Motorcoach, travel trailer, and camper manufacturers will have to monitor minimum wage changes in 2025, as 21 states and 50 local jurisdictions increased their minimum wages, according to Chain Store Age. States with the highest minimum wage in the US are Washington ($16.66 per hour), California ($16.50), and New York ($16.50). Nearly 30 cities in California and seven towns in Washington will raise minimum wages in 2025, with Tukwila, Washington, offering the highest minimum hourly wage in the US at $21.10. According to the Economic Policy Institute, the minimum wage change will affect more than $9 million workers and raise pay by a combined $5.7 billion. Unchanged since 2009, the federal minimum wage is $7.25 an hour, and some 20 states, primarily located in the South and the Midwest, use the federal minimum as their wage floor.
- RV shipments were up 7.6% in December 2024 year over year, according to a report from the RV Industry Association (RVIA). The December 2024 shipments totaled 23,153 units shipped through the end of the month. Per RVIA President and CEO Craig Kirby, “Despite challenges, the RV industry showed resilience and an upward trajectory in 2024, and continued to demonstrate its broad appeal to consumers.” For 2024, total RV shipments were up 6.6% compared to 2023, reaching 333,733 units. The towables category grew 11.4% in December 2024 year over year while motorhomes saw a decline of 17.7%.
- Consumer confidence levels declined in December 2024, falling by 8.1 points from the previous month, according to The Conference Board. The Consumer Confidence Index was 104.7 in December 2024 from 112.8 in November 2024. Dana Peterson, chief economist at The Conference Board, noted that those remaining most confident on a six-month moving average basis confidence were those aged under 35 and those in the income category of over $100,000. Per Peterson, “The recent rebound in consumer confidence was not sustained in December as the Index dropped back to the middle of the range that has prevailed over the past two years.” Purchasing plans for homes decreased while plans to buy new cars and big-ticket items rose in December 2024 on a six-month average basis.
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