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 600 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 600 companies that employ about 69,300 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, Airstream), Gulfstream (Ameri-Lite, Vista Cruiser, Innsbruck, Conquest), Forest River (Rockwood, Flagstaff, Salem, Wildwood), Winnebago, and Dutchmen (Coleman, Atlas, Rubicon).
Industry Forecast
Motorcoach, Travel Trailer & Camper Manufacturers Industry Growth
Recent Developments
Mar 14, 2024 - RV Shipments Increase in January
- RV shipments increased for the third consecutive month in January 2024 compared to the same period in the previous year, according to a report in RV PRO. January shipments increased to 22,674, which was 11% higher than January 2023. The uptick is a positive sign for the industry, which faced challenges in 2022 and 2023 due to falling consumer demand and rising interest rates. The towables category saw the highest growth in January 2023 year over year, with a 21% increase. However, expensive motorhomes saw a decline of 25% in January 2024 compared to January 2023.
- US manufacturing activity contracted in February 2024, falling below the baseline for growth for the sixteenth consecutive month, according to the Institute for Supply Management’s Manufacturing ISM Report on Business. The Manufacturing PMI registered 47.8% in February, down 1.3 percentage points from the 49.1% recorded in January. A reading above 50% indicates manufacturing expansion. February’s New Orders Index was in the contraction zone at 40.2%. The February Production Index was 48.4%, a decrease from January’s 50.4%. Eight manufacturing industries tracked by the ISM reported growth in February: Apparel, Leather & Allied Products; Nonmetallic Mineral Products; Primary Metals; Plastics & Rubber Products; Fabricated Metal Products; Chemical Products; Miscellaneous Manufacturing; and Transportation Equipment. The industries reporting contraction in February were Furniture & Related Products; Machinery; Wood Products; Computer & Electronic Products; Food, Beverage & Tobacco Products; Paper Products; and Electrical Equipment, Appliances & Components.
- A new forecast projects that RV wholesale shipments will reach a median total of 350,000 in 2024, according to the RV Industry Association’s Winter 2023 issue of RV RoadSigns. The forecast range is 343,900 to 356,300 units, representing an 11.8% to 15.8% increase over 2023’s year-end range. According to RV Industry President & CEO Craig Kirby, “While the past year has presented macroeconomic challenges for the industry leading to shipment declines, this latest forecast indicates a poised recovery with anticipated moderate increases in 2024 and a subsequent accelerated growth trend in the latter half of the year.” Driving growth in 2024 will be a leveling of interest rates with the potential for rate decreases toward the end of the year.
- Consumer confidence levels fell in February 2024 after increasing for three consecutive months, according to data from The Conference Board. The Conference Board’s consumer confidence index fell to 106.7 in February 2024 from 110.9 in January 2024. According to Dana Peterson, Chief Economist at The Conference Board, “The decline in consumer confidence in February interrupted a three-month rise, reflecting persistent uncertainty about the US economy. The drop in confidence was broad-based, affecting all income groups except households earning less than $15,000 and those earning more than $125,000.” Peterson added that the decline in consumer confidence was largest in householders over 55 and those under 35. Plans to purchase homes, autos, and large appliances decreased slightly on a six-month basis.
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