With Demand Booming For RVs, Elkhart County Companies Are Hiring For $20+ An Hour

The record-setting growth of the RV industry is leading to an unprecedented construction boom as manufacturers and suppliers work to keep up with demand. 

According to the RV Industry Association, RV shipments to dealers in May reached 49,241 units, the best May on record and the seventh consecutive month that the industry has set a production record. 

And even with those high production numbers, dealers are still having a hard time keeping inventory on their lots, as towable and motorized campers are often sold even before they reach sales lots. 

That demand for RVs has resulted in a flurry of construction activity throughout the Elkhart County area as manufacturers and suppliers aim to boost capacity with more space — but space that is designed to maximize production efficiency and might include elements of automation. 

“We’re involved in more than $300 million in projects right now,” said Chris Stager, president and CEO of the Economic Development Corporation of Elkhart County. “The work is largely in the RV industry, but there’s some boating in there and portions of the supply chain.” 

Stager said the work that is planned or underway is more than double last year’s total and a likely a new high mark for the economic development agency.

Check out the full article from the South Bend Tribune here.