Summary
May was the first month back for the RV industry following the large-scale shutdowns to combat the COVID-19 pandemic with some manufacturers opening in early May, some not until later in the month, and none opening at full capacity. As the economy began to reopen, RV manufacturers and suppliers adapted to a “new normal,” including supply chains that were still ramping up, limited production days, and modified manufacturing processes. These challenges impacted production capacity early on but eased considerably as the month continued. By month’s end, wholesale shipment totaled 27,999 units, down (-29.7%) from the 39,838 units shipped in May 2019, according to the RV Industry Association’s survey of manufacturers.
“While numbers compared to last May show a 30 percent decrease, the reality is the RV industry is very strong right now. Many RV dealerships that were able to reopen their showroom reported record sales, but RV sales were heavily dependent on whether or not state stay-at-home orders had been lifted, something that varied state-by-state throughout the month of May,” said RV Industry President Craig Kirby. “Now that all states have reopened, coupled with continued media attention on RVs as a way to travel and maintain social distance, the outlook for the RV industry this summer is extremely bright.”
Towable RVs, led by conventional travel trailers, totaled 24,790 units for the month, a decrease of (-29.1%) compared to last May’s total of 34,952 shipments. Motorhomes finished the month with 3,209 units, down from (-34.3%) compared to the May 2019 total of 4,886 units.
Park Model RVs ended the month down (-28.7%) compared to last May with 281 shipments.
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Wholesale RV Shipments
| May 2019 | May 2020 | YOY Last Year | CUM. 2019 | CUM. 2020 | YOY To Date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Towables |
||||||
| Travel Trailers (ALL) | 26,326 | 18,513 | -29.7% | 120,874 | 92,583 | -23.4% |
| Travel Trailers - 5th Wheel | 7,505 | 5,582 | -25.6% | 32,368 | 25,680 | -20.7% |
| Folding Camping Trailers | 831 | 528 | -36.5% | 3,483 | 2,284 | -34.4% |
| Truck Campers | 290 | 167 | -42.4% | 1,198 | 1,073 | -10.4% |
| All Towable RVs | 34,952 | 24,790 | -29.1% | 157,923 | 121,620 | -23.0% |
| Motorhomes | ||||||
| Conventional (Type A) | 1,584 | 942 | -40.5% | 7,893 | 4,601 | -41.7% |
| Van Campers (Type B) | 421 | 755 | 79.3% | 1,524 | 2,033 | 33.4% |
| Mini (Type C) | 2,881 | 1,512 | -47.5% | 12,717 | 7,346 | -42.2% |
| All Motorhomes | 4,886 | 3,209 | -34.3% | 22,134 | 13,980 | -36.8% |
| Total RV Shipments | 39,838 | 27,999 | -29.7% | 180,057 | 135,600 | -24.7% |
Total Shipments Monthly vs. Last Year
Park Model RV Shipments
| May 2019 | May 2020 | YOY Last Year | CUM. 2019 | CUM. 2020 | YOY To Date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Park Model RVs | 394 | 281 | -28.7% | 1,891 | 1,564 | -17.3% |
Monthly Shipments
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