Victorian caravan factories re-open
Production restarts at more than 50 Melbourne RV factories after two month shutdownLeading players in Australia’s RV manufacturing industry have breathed a collective sigh of relief, after thousands of workers at 50-plus Melbourne-based caravan factories were given the green light to return to work today after a relaxation of Victoria's harsh COVID-19 restrictions.
As well as a big financial hit to Victoria's billion dollar RV manufacturing industry, which accounts for as much as 90 per cent (or 18,000 units) of annual Australian RV production, the eight-week shutdown from August 6-September 27 has caused a big backlog in the supply of new caravans around the country, compounded by more people opting for domestic caravan holidays, as interstate and overseas travel plans are put on hold.
The Somerton, Victoria manufacturer of Australian-built Regent and locally-assembled Snowy River caravans was quick to post on social media that its "manufacturing, service and repair facility in Somerton is operational", while thanking "customers for their patience, understanding and support" during the extended shutdown.
"Our number one priority on our return is fulfilling all outstanding customer orders, so that you may hit the road and start exploring your next destination," Regent/Snowy River Caravans' CEO Andrew Crank said.
"We will be providing our dealers with a production update on all orders during the course of this week."
New Age Caravans also posted an "open for business' message on social media, promising to re-open its Melbourne production facilities "in a safe and efficient way – and without sacrificing the great quality you love".
While some Melbourne caravan builders like Nova have indicated a desire to ramp-up production to reduce order backlogs, it's believed full production capabilities will remain affected due to a Victorian Government requirement that manufacturers operate at a maximum of 90 per cent of normal daily staff levels.
Expected delays in delivery of parts along with the fact many Melbourne-built caravans take up to a week or more to construct on largely non-automated production lines, will also hamper attempts to reduce customer delivery times which have blown out by four months in some cases due to COVID-19 restrictions.
It's also likely Melbourne-based caravan dealers will have to wait a few more weeks before fully re-opening their doors under the revised Victorian Government 'roadmap', although servicing and repairs are now permitted and most remain contactable for online or phone enquires.
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