Australian RV production continues to slide

Demand for traditional caravans remains strong but other sectors including camper trailers, pop-tops and motorhomes continue to struggle, according to latest industry figures.

According to the peak body RVM Australia, 8046 RVs were produced in the first five months of 2013, a drop of 4.7 per cent compared to the same period in 2012.

Going on current trends, RVM Australia predicts Australian RV production to drop below 20,000 for the first time since 2009, to 19,735, or around 1000 units less than in 2012. Australia RV production has been steadily declining since peaking at a record 21,774 in 2011.

According to RVM,  a total 20,708 RVs were built last year, which was a 4.9 per cent year-on-year drop and 2.9 per cent less than in 2010.

Despite the “downward trend in production for 2012 and 2013”, RVM Australia boss David Duncan remained upbeat, claiming the industry is “still hitting some big numbers” compared to the GFC-affected period from 2007-2009, when annual production dropped as low as 16,053.

“To put this in context, this year’s projected total of 19,735 is still 14.6 per cent above even the best of the three pre-boom years,” he said.

Demand for conventional caravans continues to rise. As well as currently accounting for 56.3 per cent of overall production, they're also getting bigger in size.

“Vans more than 5.0 metres account for 70 per cent of all conventional vans built, with 5-6 metre vans and 6.0m-plus vans accounting for 35 per cent each,” Duncan said.

After a big drop last year, motorised RV production is slightly up, although still accounts for just five per cent of the overall market. RVM Australia expects a similar figure to 2012 of just under 1000 units, compared to the 1522 campervans and motorhomes built in 2011.

Fewer pop-tops and camper trailer are being produced; these often entry-level RVs currently accounting for 36.4 per cent of overall production, down from 38.1 per cent in 2012.

Duncan said the increase in larger caravans could be linked to rising popularity in recent years of medium and large SUVs as well as dual-cab utes, which are capable of towing many of the heavier vans.

“In a world where it looks like camper trailers and pop-tops are increasingly popular, in fact they are decidedly less popular than they were six years ago, and this seems to be because conventional vans, especially larger ones, are more popular than ever,” he said.

“People do seem inclined to have a big SUV or double-cab as a family or family/work vehicle, and a big van to go with it.

“Perhaps it is partly to do with the grey nomads who live for weeks and months at a time in their vans, so a big van with a big tow tug would be what they want.”