RV production boom continues

The Australian RV manufacturing industry is on track for another big year, according to the latest figures from the Recreational Vehicle Manufacturers Association of Australia (RVMAA).

According to the peak industry body, caravan and RV production figures for the first six months of 2011 were up on the same period last year. RVMAA's June figures showed production of 2023 for the month, up 17 per cent on June 2010, while the year-to-date total of 10,757 was up 13 per cent on last year.

The strongest segment of the market for 2011 to date is traditional caravans with 47 per cent, ahead of pop-tops at 25 per cent and camper trailers at 21 per cent.

C Class motorhomes – built on light truck chassis with a GVM of 4500-5400 kg – led the slide-ons, fifth-wheelers, campervans and motorhomes segment, with 3.7 per cent of the total market.

The production of Australian-built recreational vehicles hit a 30-year high in 2010, with the RVMAA recording a total production of 21,164 RVs in 2010, which was 20 per cent or 3506 units up on the 2009 total of 17,658 RVs built. It was the highest number manufactured in a single year since 1980, according to the RVMAA.

However, there remains a question mark over the accuracy of the RVMAA's figures, which are based on data sourced from 82 RVMAA-approved manufacturers, and include an estimation of units built by other manufacturers.

Jayco, which manufactures around 9000 RV units a year, resigned as an RVMAA member earlier this year, and therefore no longer officially supplies its latest production figures to the peak body.

RVMAA Executive Officer, Colin Young said the figures are compiled for the RVMAA by an external consultant, and are derived partly from "detailed monthly stats" supplied by RVMAA members. However, he didn’t say what percentage is an estimate of the total production of non-RVMAA  manufacturers, including Jayco.

"Jayco aren’t supplying stats, so I’m not sure just how (the consultant) does interpret the figures," Young said. "I’m sure (Jayco’s) figures (for 2011) are probably as good as they were, we would have heard if for some reason they’ve doubled or halved their production."

The RVMAA, as the peak body representing Australian caravan and RV manufacturers has been compiling statistics since 2004, when RV production totalled 16,900. Prior to that the figures were based on ABS registration data.