RV Shipments Break 500,000 Mark for First Time Since Stat Has Been Measured

The comeback story of the U.S. RV industry began to be written in 2010 and, according to annual shipment statistics released today by the RV Industry Association, another record-setting chapter was published in 2017.

For the first time in more than four decades – and the first time since the RV Industry Association has been keeping statistics – wholesale shipments topped half-a-million, with a total of 504,599 units moving from manufacturers to RV dealers in 2017. That figure is a 17.2% increase compared to the 430,691 units shipped in 2016.

This eighth straight year of RV shipment growth culminated with a record-setting December 2017, as RVIA’s most recent survey of manufacturers found that RV wholesale shipments totaled 36,227, an increase of 9.9% over the units shipped in December 2016.  Placing a bold mark of emphasis on a record-setting year, the December 2017 shipment total was the best December ever recorded in the RV industry.

“It’s in tribute to all involved in our industry – from those who serve key roles on the manufacturing floors to the customers who visit dealer lots – that we’re able to announce today’s record-setting RV shipments,” said Frank Hugelmeyer, president of the RV Industry Association. “But the RV industry hasn’t peaked, and we fully expect that shipments above half-a-million units shipped will become the new normal in years to come.”

Towable units, by far the largest-selling segment of the RV market, led again in 2017, with 441,691 such units shipped, a 17.6% increase year over year. This included 31,541 towable units shipped in December, a 9.5% bump from the previous December.

Motorhome shipments were also strong in 2017, finishing the year at 62,638 units on 14.4% growth over the 54.741 units shipped during 2016. December motorhome shipments were up 12.2% year over year.