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NEWS
Suncamper celebrates 40 years
Stalwart Sydney motorhome manufacturer celebrates 40th anniversary at NSW Caravan SupershowSydney’s Suncamper has joined a growing group of Aussie motorhome manufacturers including Sunliner, Trakka and Avida, to have successfully notched up at least 40 years in the business.
However, it hasn’t been all smooth sailing, with the now Thornleigh, Sydney-based conversion specialist struggling in the early days as well as after the Global Financial Crisis of 2008, before returning more recently to $4million-plus annual revenue, or production of around 30 motorhomes a year.
Suncamper started out in 1977 doing pop-top camper conversion on HiAce vans for a Toyota dealership, with current owner Keith Harrison buying the then struggling business for $30,000 in 1982.
Harrison told an invited crowd of around 60 people at a 40th Anniversary breakfast at this year’s Sydney Caravan Supershow that he had to learn the motorhome conversion business from scratch.
“Business was terrible (at the beginning),” he said. “I didn’t know anything about business, I came from a musical background, a professional musician, and I had no idea what I was doing and the business really suffered.”
However, around the late-1980s Harrison introduced Suncamper’s now top-selling model, the ute-based Sherwood campervan, which has developed significantly over the years from its original ‘stick and staples’ construction, to the current steel and aluminium welded frame and thick walled fibreglass build.
Also helping get the business off the ground were “caravan repairs worth several hundred thousands of dollars” following extensive damage from a cyclone, that allowed Suncamper to make the first of many moves to new factory premises.
Suncamper
introduced a caravan range in 2015
, and a large part of its business today is supplying the rental and corporate motorhome market, with one of its Colorbond promotional vehicles on display at the Sydney Supershow.
introduced a caravan range in 2015
, and a large part of its business today is supplying the rental and corporate motorhome market, with one of its Colorbond promotional vehicles on display at the Sydney Supershow.
The day-to-day running of Suncamper is now in the hands of Keith’s son Cameron, with other family members also involved. Also present at the 40th birthday celebrations were the NSW central coast couple that bought Keith’s first Suncamper motorhome, as well as some of the original employees.
Keeping up to date, Suncamper displayed the 2017 version of its
tough-as-nails HiLux-based Sherwood 4x4 model at the Sydney Supershow, along with its stylish new, $140,000-plus Iveco-based Saxby motorhome with electric drop-down rear bed and optional wireless multi-media package including an iPad Pro and Netflix subscription, that boosts its campervan and motorhome range to 11 models in total.
tough-as-nails HiLux-based Sherwood 4x4 model at the Sydney Supershow, along with its stylish new, $140,000-plus Iveco-based Saxby motorhome with electric drop-down rear bed and optional wireless multi-media package including an iPad Pro and Netflix subscription, that boosts its campervan and motorhome range to 11 models in total.
Selling direct from the Sydney factory, Cameron Harrison estimates around 1200-1300 Suncamper campervans and motorhomes have hit the road over the past 40 years.
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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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