Fleetwood to Show ’13 Models at National Rally

Motorhome builder Fleetwood RV Inc. will hold its “Back Home in Indiana” national rally at the Elkhart County Fairgrounds in Goshen, Ind., set to run June 27 through July 1.

According to a press release, the event will feature the official public debut of the Decatur, Ind.-based company’s 2013 product lineups, including the unveiling of two new floorplans for the Excursion brand, its Class A compact diesel pusher.

Activity highlights during the rally include:

• June 27 – Golf tournament.

• June 28 – Ladies tea with a local speaker and family game night.

• June 29 – Ice cream social and family movie night or karaoke.

• June 30 – Patriotic parade and picnic, and evening entertainment following dinner.

All Fleetwood motorhome owners, regardless of brand, are welcome to attend the event, which will include access to factory service support, informative seminars by key industry suppliers, kids activities and a variety of family-friendly entertainment.

For more information, including the complete activities schedule and how to register, visit http://www.fleetwoodrv.com/mhevent/.

TMC Hires Grimm as Regional Sales Manager

According to a press release, for the past 13 years Grimm served as general manager for two well established RV dealerships in Florida. Previously, he logged 24 years in sales and management for the automotive industry.

“I’ve seen the appeal of Thor Motor Coach’s innovative products, and the industry leading customer service programs that make their products extremely desirable to retail buyers,” said Grimm. “I am extremely excited to be working for the No. 1 motorhome brand in the industry.”

“George’s understanding of the retail side of our business will allow him to have an immediate impact growing the TMC brands with our valued dealer partners,” stated Dana Simon, vice president of sales and marketing for Elkhart, Ind.-based Thor Motor Coach.

Grimm will reside in Florida and can be contacted at (239) 707-0389 or GGrimm@TMCRV.com.

 

Monaco Continues to Add Workers in Indiana

Negative news about jobs sent the markets nose-diving last week as the Labor Department said employers hired just 69,000 workers last month, less than half of what was expected.

Despite that negative news, Monaco RV is in the process of adding 250 new jobs at its plant in Wakarusa, Ind., according to a report by WSBT TV.

Only four years ago, Monaco cut about 1,400 workers and filed for bankruptcy. Since then, the manufacturer was purchased by Navistar Inc. and employment has been steadily climbing.

“I start my job today,” David BeMiller, a new hire said.

BeMiller is just one of the nearly 250 new employees Monaco is hiring. He’s worked in the RV industry nearly his entire life, but like many RV workers, he had been laid off for several months.

“I kept on looking for jobs and it seemed like there wasn’t much of anything out there,” he said.

This is just the latest job announcement for Monaco. In August, the company consolidated its motorhome operations in Oregon with the factory in Wakarusa. That brought about 300 new jobs to the Elkhart County factory. Now, the company is ramping up production and needs to add to its work force.

“We’re ramping up production as we speak,” Bill Osborne, vice president of custom products for Navistar’s Monaco and Workhorse Custom Chassis LLC subsidiaries. “We started diesel production and we’re currently building 15 per week and are on our way to ramping up to 22 per week in late June time period.”

Osborne says adding jobs has been the plan since the move from Oregon.

Despite the most recent job numbers that were much lower than expected, he says the RV industry is on the rebound.

“What happens with one month’s job numbers may mean something for those whose business plans go to quarter to quarter, but our goal is to be in this for the long haul.” Osborne said.

Monaco RV now employs more than 550 hourly workers, plus around another 100 administrative employees.

A job fair at the Wakarusa facility was held last week.

 

Winnebago Debuts 2013 Lineup to Dealer Body

Forest City, Iowa-based Winnebago Industries Inc. today (May 15) is hosting Dealer Days in Las Vegas to launch the company’s 2013 lineup of Winnebago, Itasca and Era motorhomes and Winnebago and SunnyBrook towable products.

“The recessionary mindset of ‘let’s just survive’ is officially over,” said Winnebago Chairman, CEO and President Randy Potts. “This is not your father’s Winnebago Industries and the 2013 products are just a start. We are no longer doing business the way we have always done it in the past. We are here to succeed.”

A new Winnebago Vista Rally and Itasca Sunstar Sport 26HE were introduced for 2013. “This new ultra-value, entry level Class A product is the result of an accelerated product development process unlike anything we’ve done before,” said Potts. “The process involved teams from nearly all areas of the company. The teams were challenged and empowered to become champions of change. The results were everything we had hoped for.”

The new 2013 Winnebago Journey and Itasca Meridian models feature new exterior styling, new logos, six all-new paint schemes and the new 34B floorplan. The 34B features a full-wall slide for added spaciousness in this shorter diesel floorplan.

Amenities include an extendable sectional comfort sofa/sleeper as well as an extendable dining table, chairs and buffet with retractable 40-inch LCD HDTV.

The Maxum chassis featured on these units delivers powerful and nimble performance with its lowered rail design that creates cavernous storage compartments with up to 220 cubic feet of exterior storage capacity.

A new 42GD floorplan joins the top-of-the-line Winnebago Tour and Itasca Ellipse lineup for 2013 and features a front-driver side galley with pullout island, a large walk-through bath featuring Winnebago’s “Big Shower” and a powered king bed with digital control mattress.

Entertainment features include the exclusive HDMI 4-by-4 Matrix system that allows customers to watch high definition video from multiple sources at multiple TV’s including the front 40-inch LCD HDTV and a mid-coach 55-inch LCD HDTV.

For 2013, customers can also choose the convenience of an “all-electric” coach, with features such as an induction cook top that eliminates the need for L.P. Glazed hardwood cabinetry, polished porcelain tile flooring and Corian countertops provide a crowning touch of elegance throughout the Tour and Ellipse.

Adding to the excitement is the first showing of Winnebago-branded towable products at Dealer Days in over 30 years. Winnebago Industries’ towables lineup on display also showcases SunnyBrook products including new floorplans in the Sunset Creek Sport 296RE, Raven 3300CK fifth-wheel and 2500KS travel trailer, along with the new Remington line. Remington is available in eight floorplans in market segments from ultra-lite travel trailers to mid-profile fifth-wheel trailers that are perfect for the budget-minded consumer.

This new SunnyBrook lineup provides great floorplans, an outstanding look and an even better value in key high volume market segments.

The innovative new Winnebago Minnie travel trailer also debuts at Dealer Days and joins the Winnebago brand lineup that includes the Winnebago ONE and Winnebago Lite Five. The all new Minnie is lightweight, price conscious and offers an attractive interior, along with a fresh exterior in lemon, lime or white exterior colors.

 

 

Fleetwood RV Enhances Website for Customers

Decatur, Ind.-based motorhome builder Fleetwood RV Inc. has launched an enhanced version of its website to “deliver a seamless, efficient online experience to its valued customers,” according to a press release.

The new site, www.fleetwoodrv.com, contains an expansion of Fleetwood’s “Owner Center” to include additional product resources and service features that provide easy access to the company’s wide array of product information, parts and factory service centers. The “Owner Center” has also been updated to include functionality for owner manuals which can be downloaded for free. Pull-down menus for each product category enable customers to target the year models they are seeking.

In addition, the site offers a parts and service link allowing direct access to the factory service center where customers can request an appointment or an estimate. A rally service request feature provides access to emergency service for Fleetwood RV customers that attend major national rallies or owner club events. Owners also have access to the events feature where they can register online for the Fleetwood RV National Homecoming Rally in Goshen, Ind., held June 27–July 1.

The enhanced site includes a change of ownership form which allows customers the opportunity to update their contact information due to used purchase or transfer of ownership.

“These new enhancements to the Fleetwood RV website are designed to make our customers’ lives easier,” said John Draheim, Fleetwood RV president and CEO. “We want to provide our owners with the information and resources they need to make their Fleetwood RV ownership a great experience. Our new features and navigation tools will make visiting our website an enjoyable experience and provide customer confidence in knowing they made an excellent choice in purchasing the Fleetwood RV brand.”

For more information about Fleetwood RV products, call 1-800-322-8216 or visit www.fleetwoodrv.com.

 

Coach Builder Renegade Shows Ikon in Phoenix

Bristol, Ind.-based Renegade/Kibbi LLC drew steady traffic at the Good Sam Rally, Mar. 22-25 in Phoenix, with the latest rendition of its flagship Ikon motorhome. A unique upscale coach, it combines the look, feel and amenities of a bus conversion with the rather impressive towing capacities and serviceability of the 57,000-pound GVWR Freightliner Cascadia commercial duty chassis upon which its built. The 45-foot, $640,000 (retail) quad-slide coach on display in Phoenix, powered by a 560-hp Detroit Diesel engine mated to an Allison transmission, featured a bath and a half, heated granite floors throughout, solid wood, high-gloss cherry cabinets and a hydronic heating system. If this sounds like a lot of coach for the typical 2012 buyer, the fact of the matter is that 15-year-old Renegade, which does a lot of custom work and also markets a smaller more mainstream Explorer line, seems to have been weathering the storm pretty well. “Even in the worst of times,” reports Danny Lagunas, national sales manager, “we invested heavily in new product prototypes and fiberglass mold projects, so while a lot of our competitors were sitting on the sidelines, we were preparing for today. As a result, our business was up about 20% in 2011 over 2010, and we already are up 12% this year. We think we are on the upswing. I know the whole industry — the motorized side — is still a little iffy, but people are still buying them. We build a very niche product. People come to us to build what they want. They don’t have to settle for something off the lot.”

 

 

FMCA Names Jerry Yeatts as Executive Director

The Family Motor Coach Association (FMCA), an international organization for motorhome owners, has announced that long-time staff member Jerry Yeatts has assumed responsibilities as executive director of the association.

According to a press release, Yeatts will take on responsibilities formerly handled by Bradford Koshland, who tendered his resignation in early November for family reasons.

“Brad made a very difficult decision that required him to set aside his duties at FMCA headquarters in Cincinnati and take on a new challenge with his immediate family,” said FMCA president Charlie Schrenkel. “We certainly understand the need to put family first, and we wish Brad well with this and all of his future endeavors.”

In addition to fulfilling the obligations of executive director, Yeatts also will maintain oversight for the Member Services area. Previously, he served the association as director of conventions and commercial services for more than a decade.

“Jerry is well-acquainted with the RV industry and well-versed in the needs of FMCA. His years of experience will be an asset as he leads the association and also works to grow FMCA’s membership base,” Schrenkel noted.

 

TMC Appoints Davidson as VP Customer Service

Thor Motor Coach has named Ron Davidson the new vice president of Quality Control and Customer Service, according to a press release.

“Ron has been a valuable member of the Thor Motor Coach team. His attention to detail and his dedication to improving the daily quality of our products made him the obvious choice.” said Jeff Kime, president of Thor Motor Coach, a division of Thor Industries Inc.

Davidson has served on the Thor Motor Coach staff for seven years in various quality related positions along with 20 years experience in the motorhome industry.

“I look forward to the challenge of this new opportunity, and feel the combination of customer service and quality are the core of our success,” said Davidson. “Building on the strengths of the “Shield of Protection” including programs like Concierge Connection, Access 24-7, Rapid Response Parts and Gold Star inspection, we will lead Thor Motor Coach into the future.”

For more information on Thor Motor Coach, call (800)860-5658 or visit http://ThorMotorCoach.com.

 

 

Thor’s Fuel-Efficient Serrano Driving up Sales

The Thor Motor Coach Serrano has moved into the “Top 10” best selling diesel motorhomes as of August 2011, according to Statistical Surveys Inc. (SSI), Grand Rapids, Mich.,

In a press release, spokesmen for the Thor Industries Inc. subsidiary indicate that the diesel-powered Serrano has increased by 20% in overall retail sales, which equates to a market share increase of 18.3%.

“Our fuel-efficient Serrano continues to be a hit with motorhome enthusiasts and has had great appeal with consumers looking to buy gas or diesel models,” said Adam Gudger, Thor Motor Coach’s Serrano product manager. “We have recently introduced two great new floorplans which include a 34-foot bath-and-a-half model and a 33-foot model with a full-wall slide and an option for a stackable washer and dryer.”

The 2012 Serrano product offering includes five floorplans ranging from 31- to 34-feet. Built on the reliable Workhorse W-series chassis, the Serrano is powered by a Navistar MaxxForce diesel engine rated at 230-hp with 620 ft.-lb. of torque. With a gross vehicle weight rating starting at 20,500 pounds, Thor Motor Coach said the Serrano has a great power to weight ratio – lower weight overall weight, plus big torque output, equals a smooth running motorhome designed to conserve fuel.

“Consumers are looking for a fuel-efficient diesel with the power to handle mountainous terrain and the Serrano provides these diesel benefits for the price of a typical high-end gas unit,” said Gudger. “Users are getting significant fuel economy increases compared to gas motorhomes while the 36% increase in torque keeps the engine running quieter and more efficiently than comparable gas powered models”.

New interior amenities include an MCD solar and blackout roller shade with ClearView technology, helping keep solar light and heat out of the coach during the day while providing complete darkness for sleeping at night. Sliderooms feature custom hardwood fascia, adding a finished look to the Serrano’s living area, while optional heat pumps for the air conditioners take the chill out of the interior on cool mornings and brisk evenings. Three new exterior paint packages along with two interior decors packages are also available.

For more information visit http://Serrano-RV.com.

 

Fleetwood RV Debuts 2 New Loyalty Programs

Decatur, Ind.-based Fleetwood RV Inc., a leading producer of Class A and Class C motorhomes, announced two new programs to reward customer loyalty.

“Our customers foster a sense of community and family,” said John Draheim, president and CEO of Fleetwood RV, in a press release. “We value their loyalty, and for this reason, we have introduced two new programs – the Owner Loyalty Program and the Owner Referral Program.”

Current Fleetwood RV and American Coach motorhome owners can receive up to a $10,000 instant discount savings at the point of purchase of a new Fleetwood RV or American Coach motorhome through the Owner Loyalty Program.

With the Owner Referral Program, current owners can earn a $500 referral bonus for each referral that subsequently purchases a new Fleetwood RV or American Coach motorhome. Additionally, the referral also qualifies for an instant discount savings of up to $10,000 at the point of purchase of a new Fleetwood RV or American Coach motor home.

Both programs run through March 31, 2012, and the savings discounts apply to the purchase of an eligible new 2012 or older model year Fleetwood RV or American Coach motor home currently in-stock.

Program details are available at http://WelcomeToFleetwoodRV.com.

 

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