RVIA Wants Outdated Seals Returned

The Recreational Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA) has set an Oct. 31 deadline for the return of outdated certification seals. New, higher-cost seals, showing units comply with ANSI and other standards, were to be affixed to new RVs beginning Sept. 15. Implementation of the new seal structure went smoothly, according to Robert M. “Mac” Bryan, RVIA’s vice president of administration. “I know of no complaints,” Bryan said. “We put out a lot of information, and people were very much aware... Read more

Holiday RV Superstores Gets Cash Infusion

Dealership chain Holiday RV Superstores Inc. has received a cash infusion from investor Steve Adams and has written off its unrealizable goodwill, according to Marcus Lemonis, chairman, president and CEO. Adams is chairman of Affinity Group Inc. (AGI), parent of TL Enterprises Inc., which publishes RV Business and RVBUSINESS.COM. Adams is investing in Holiday RV as an individual and he will not be involved in day-to-day management of the dealership chain, Lemonis said. Adams loaned $4.6 million to... Read more

Thor’s Earnings Double, Towables Share Reaches 24%

Thor Industries Inc. reported today (Sept. 30) its net earnings increased 140% in its fourth fiscal quarter and 92% for its full fiscal year 2002. Thor also said its towable RV retail market share climbed to 23.9% for the first seven months of this year. Thor, a New York Stock Exchange-listed company, said it earned $20.2 million in its fourth fiscal quarter, which ended July 31. That represents a 140% increase over the $8.4 million it earned in the May-through-July portion of 2001. Meanwhile, the... Read more

Monaco’s Safari Intros Panther Pusher

Monaco Coach Corp. announced today (Sept. 30) the introduction of a new diesel pusher called the Safari Panther that initially will be offered in 40-, 42- and 45-foot triple slideout floorplans, including a double-bedroom slide. The Panther comes on Monaco’s Roadmaster semi-monocoque chassis and is powered by a 505-horsepower Caterpillar C-12 diesel engine matched with an Allison 4000 MH 6-speed transmission with electronic shifter. In addition to creating a spacious bedroom, the double-bedroom... Read more

Skyline Earnings Down 49%

Manufactured home and towable RV manufacturer Skyline Corp. reports its first fiscal quarter net earnings declined 49% because its manufactured housing business continues to be negatively impacted by “competitive pricing resulting from difficult marketing conditions, restrictive retail financing and a soft U.S. economy.” Skyline’s earnings totaled $1.8 million during the three months ended Aug. 31, compared with $3.6 million a year earlier. The Elkhart, Ind.-based company’s RV sales revenue... Read more

Gas Prices Steady, For Now

Gasoline prices have remained steady, even declining marginally in some markets, despite the talk of war against Iraq, according to the American Automobile Association (AAA) affiliates in Texas and Southern California. In the Los Angeles/Long Beach market, for example, the average price for regular unleaded gas declined two cents a gallon from last week to an average of $1.596 today (Sept. 27). Meanwhile, in San Diego, gas prices declined 0.9 cents since last week to the current average of $1.651,... Read more

Fleetwood’s NexGen Remains “A Concept”

There have been a lot of senior management changes at Fleetwood Enterprises Inc. since the NexGen Activity Support Vehicle (ASV) was introduced to a select audience at the Louisville Show in 2000. But the NexGen project remains alive as a “concept vehicle,” said Bob Rogers, manager of consumer marketing for the Riverside, Calif.-based company. “No specific production date has been established.” Fleetwood dealers and reporters were allowed to see a NexGen Class A motorhome prototype during... Read more

Thousand Trails Earnings Soar Higher

Fiscal year 2002 net earnings at membership-based campground owner/operator Thousand Trails Inc. soared 95% higher, the Frisco, Tex.-based company reported today. Thousand Trails earned $8.3 million during the 12 months ended June 30, compared with $4.3 million earned a year earlier. The company’s sales revenue increased 12% to $88.8 million. “We didn’t suffer like many companies in the travel and leisure industries this year,” said Bill Shaw, Thousand Trails’ president and CEO. The company’s... Read more

Rexhall Reports Marginal First Half Profit

Rexhall Industries Inc. has restated its first quarter earnings and reported today (Sept. 26) that it earned a marginal profit during the first half of this year. The Lancaster, Calif.-based manufacturer of Class A motorhomes now reports it lost $253,000 during the three months ended March 31. Earlier, it reported a net profit of $181,000 for the first three months of this year. The change occurred because Rexhall discovered in August that there was an error in its accounting for raw material inventory,... Read more

Net Loss for ’02 Likely for National RV

National RV Holdings Inc. revealed on Tuesday (Sept. 24) it will report a net loss for the third quarter and its president and CEO said Wednesday (Sept. 25) it likely will report another loss for the fourth quarter. “It’ll be tough in 4Q (the fourth quarter) to be in the black,” said Brad Albrechtsen, president and CEO of National RV Holdings Inc., parent of National RV Inc., Perris, Calif., and Country Coach Inc., Junction City, Ore. Albrechtsen estimates National RV Holdings will report... Read more

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