RV Industry Successfully Navigates Supply Chain Difficulties

The chief spokesperson for the RV Industry Association says dealing with supply chain challenges is like playing the arcade game “whack a mole.” Monika Geraci says when RV makers and suppliers respond to one challenge, another pops up. But the latest data, showing record production levels of travel trailers and motorhomes, seems to indicate RV makers are winning the game.

In an interview with Inside Indiana Business, Geraci said the industry is hopeful it is past the worst of the supply chain nightmare.

“There wasn’t a single item that was the big, big issue,” said Geraci. “But it’s really impressive what the manufacturers and suppliers were able to do and build that record 600,000 units [last year] during these times of supply chain constraints.”

To begin 2022, nearly 172,000 units were shipped to dealer’s lots during the first quarter, a nearly 16% increase over the same period last year. For the month of March, manufacturers shipped more than 64,000 units, an increase of nearly 19% over the approximate 54,000 units in March 2021.

The RV Industry Association, which is headquartered in Reston, Virginia, says both time periods set new highs for shipments. Estimates for the full year reveal continuing strength in an industry key to Indiana’s economy.

Read the full article from Inside Indiana Business here.