Safety Dave sold for $9.5 million

Another local RV market success story has been bought out by a big company...

ASX-listed RPM Automotive Group recently acquired Victorian-based RV technology accessories business Safety Dave for a reported $9.5 million.

Established in 2002, the family-owned business sells a range of RV accessories including rear vision cameras, tyre pressure monitors, defibrillators, first aid kits and fire safety products.

Safety Dave founder Dave Cooper was a regular sight at caravan shows around the country for many years, and the Moorabbin, Victoria-based business claims to have sold sold and distributed more than 90,000 rear vision kits over the past 20 years.

Based in Dandenong South, Victoria, RPM Automotive Group operates a number of automotive-related businesses across Australia’s east coast, including Revolution Racegear, Carline, Genie, Air Anywhere, Formula Off-Road and RPM Autoparts.

RPM said that Safety Dave staff and management have been retained, with the business now trading as an RPM Automotive Group subsidiary.

"We are pleased with the smooth transition of Safety Dave into our Performance and Accessories division, and welcome their staff and management to the RPM Automotive Group," RPM CEO Clive Finkelstein said.

Last year, longstanding Queensland suspension and coupling manufacturer Cruisemaster was taken over by multi-national vehicle accessories and towing solutions business, the Auto Pacific Group, while global RV and camping accessories giant Dometic entered an agreement to buy leading Australian RV lithium battery business Enerdrive.

With domestic tourism booming after two years and counting of pandemic-restricted life, anything RV-related is hot property right now, from beachside caravan parks to record price setting off-road caravans...