Top-5 Aussie RV quiet achievers
Inside the factories of some of Australia's finest RV buildersWhen times are tough, it's hard not to dwell on the negatives like businesses closing and factories struggling to remain open.
However, it's worth remembering that despite the downturn the local RV manufacturing industry remains a real Australian success story, employing thousands of workers and producing up to 20,000 or more recreational vehicles annually.
There are currently more than 100 RV manufacturers in Australia, from the big players pumping out dozens of mainstream caravans weekly, to the low-volume builders that painstakingly produce world-class, niche RVs for their discerning clientele.
Here we salute five of the 'quiet achievers' in the homegrown RV manufacturing industry..
Australian Off Road
With factory tours currently on hold, the 20-year-old manufacturer of some of Australia's most desirable off-road caravans and campers recently put together this behind-the-scenes video taken at AOR's Caloundra, Queensland factory. Like the other manufacturers in this list, it's the attention-to-detail and bespoke in-house production capabilities that really stand out...
Paradise Motorhomes
It was just over a year ago that caravancampingsales dropped by the busy Gold Coast factory of Paradise Motorhomes, one of Australia's elite motorhome and campervan builders.
We also took a look at one of the cheaper Paradise motorhomes (although still priced around $200,000!), but you only have to witness the meticulous step-by-step build process to see where your money goes.
Like AOR, the Paradise motorhomes take time to construct: up to 14 weeks all up, compared to around 12 weeks for an AOR camper.
Cub Campers
Like many other Australian RV manufacturers, it's been a tough year for Cub Campers, one of the shining lights of the Australian RV manufacturing industry and still going strong after 52 years of production.
Although founder Roger Fagan has stepped aside to allow younger family members to steer the business, you can see the genuine sense of pride in both the Sydney factory set-up and long-term loyal workforce in the video below.
Zone RV
Why is that some of the most impressive RVs in Australia are built in Queensland?
We'll put it down to the endless sunshine, but it's only taken Coolum Beach-based Zone RV a few years to join a select group of world-class off-road caravan builders operating in the Sunshine State.
The cutting-edge, composite caravan manufacturer recently produced this illuminating 'time-lapse' video showing the full build of one of its latest, entry-level Base off-road caravans...
Horizon Motorhomes
Ballina, NSW-based Horizon Motorhomes is one of a small group of specialist campervan manufacturers operating in Australia, and under the guidance of founder Clayton Kearney, is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2020.
Like Paradise, we had a sneak-peek at how a Horizon campervan is created around 12 months ago, but we doubt too much has changed at the factory from when this promotional video was released...
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