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NEWS
Camperagent goes national
Adelaide super-dealer now building caravans in MelbourneAlready one of Australia’s biggest RV dealers,
Adelaide’s Camperagent
is setting up its own manufacturing facility in the Melbourne caravan hub of Campbellfield, Victoria.
Adelaide’s Camperagent
is setting up its own manufacturing facility in the Melbourne caravan hub of Campbellfield, Victoria.
Camperagent has taken over the former Safari Caravans site at 1924 Hume Hwy, and is converting the 2300sq.m facility into a separate factory and indoor retail showroom for its Hitch Hika caravan brand, with plans to open next month with around 10 employees.
The ‘badge engineered’ Hitch Hika vans were previously built exclusively for Camperagent by a custom caravan builder not far from the new premises.
Camperagent director John Munro, who runs the family business with his brother Daniel, said that “there were a couple of reasons we wanted to be the manufacturer of the Hitch Hika caravans”, including having “complete control” over the design, build and delivery process.
“We have now become our own manufacturer and taken complete control,” he said.
Camperagent was also in a strong financial position to take on the challenging role of being both dealer and manufacturer.
“It’s stretched my brother and I a lot, financially, mentally, and physically. Daniel has two children and I’ve got three young ones, but we’ve been (in Adelaide for) 20 years now. We started Camperagent in 1996,” Munro said.
Camperagent currently sells around 60 Hitch Hika vans a year, but Munro hopes to increase that to 100 annually once production at the new facility is up and running.
Hitch Hika currently specialises in 20-23ft luxury touring and off-road tandem axle vans, built with timber frames and aluminium cladding and ranging in price from around $65,000 to $115,000.
Even bigger plans
Despite taking the brand ‘in-house’, Munro said Hitch Hika will remain only a small part of the Camperagent business, which includes annual sales of around 700 new and used caravans and motorhomes. Camperagent is also an official agent for the popular Coromal/Windsor, Goldstream and Avida nameplates.
As well as being one of the biggest RV dealers in Australia by sales volume, the Camperagent RV Centre in Parafield Gardens, 16km north-west of Adelaide, has one of the biggest yards and service facilities, spread over 29,000sq.m or three hectares.
“As far as we know this is the biggest RV yard in Australia,” he said.
Along with massive indoor and outdoor display areas and a huge drive-through service centre, it has a number of features you don’t often see in an Australian RV dealership, including a dump point and dedicated electrical technician and diesel mechanic workshops.
It also has a six tonne rated, two post vehicle hoist capable of lifting a 32ft caravan or large motorhome, and a custom-built, remote-controlled turntable for manoeuvring big rigs as well as 360 degree photography.
Camperagent also sells converted American pick-ups and muscle cars, and recently took delivery of Australia’s first all-electric Tesla Model X tow vehicle.
Along with the boost from its new Melbourne operation, Camperagent is aiming for further growth off the back of
increased demand for the revitalised Coromal and Windsor ranges, which are also sold at a smaller retail outlet in the south-Adelaide suburb of Darlington.
increased demand for the revitalised Coromal and Windsor ranges, which are also sold at a smaller retail outlet in the south-Adelaide suburb of Darlington.
“We’re setting this (Adelaide) service centre up to process about 1000 caravans a year, that’s what the sales department is gearing up to sell,” he said.
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Written byChris Fincham
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Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
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