RV Industry News
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| December 2002 | Volume 28 - Number 5 | |
RV Industry News | ||
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DTI To Open New York Location
Trey Miller, VP Sales & Marketing commented, "We selected Albany, New York as the home for our newest location to provide the largest number of dealers in the Northeast with 24 hour delivery. The opening of this warehouse is a major step in our current nationwide expansion focusing on faster delivery times, higher fill rates and overall customer service and support. We have had a strong relationship with dealers in the Northeast for over 20 years and are positioning DTI to be the distributor of choice for years to come." DTI is the largest specialized distributor of parts to the Recreational Vehicle Industry. DTI is headquartered in Middlebury, Indiana and currently has warehouse locations in Florida, Texas, Indiana and California. For further information please contact Trey Miller 1-800-289-0919 Ext. 309 or trey@dtiparts.com RecUSA Announces the Appointment of Two New Board Members
Larry Hughes and Bill Toy bring with them more than 50 years of RV experience in marketing, sales, manufacturing operations, and product development. "We are pleased to have these industry experts join our team; they bring valuable experience to the table, experience this company will dramatically benefit from," said Marcus A. Lemonis, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Company. Recreation USA will continue to surround itself with industry experts to guide Recreation USA into the future. "Our goal in adding these members was not only to bring experience to the table but to be able to identify opportunities in the market place as well," said Anthony D. Borzillo, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. These two new members join an existing board that includes: Lee Iacocca, Casey Gunnell, David Kamm and Lee Sanders. RVIA Selects Curtin as New Author for “RV Roadsigns” Quarterly RV Industry Forecast
Dr. Curtin has provided his research expertise to the RV industry for more than 20 years, primarily with The RV Consumer, a series of demographic profiles that have been conducted every four years since 1979 . His history with the RV industry along with the credibility he has earned in consumer research were factors that led to his selection from among three candidates. "We believe Richard's strong relationships with the RV industry, the automotive industry and consumer research in general are impeccable credentials and we look forward to working with him in this new capacity," said RVIA Vice President of Administration Mac Bryan. He added that the methodology Curtin will employ is very similar to DeWolf's, which was another factor in the decision. DeWolf has provided forecasts for the RV Industry for 21 years -- since the inception of RV Roadsigns. RVIA plans to recognize DeWolf for his years of service to the industry at its March 2003 Annual Meeting in Maui, Hawaii. For more information, contact RVIA Vice President of Administration Mac Bryan at (703) 620-6003, ext. 334.
ARVC Appoints New Board Members
Mr. Reisland will serve through November 2003, and at that time will be eligible to be elected for a full threeyear term on the Board as a member from Region 6. Four generations of the Reisland family have been involved in the running and managing their 89-site campground in Denali, Alaska. He is currently Vice President of the Alaska Campground Owner’s Association, and has previously served as Alaska’s representative on the Council of Delegates. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Alaska State Tourism Board (ATIA) and recipient of the ARVC Chairman’s Award 2001 for fighting unfair government competition. "I am very passionate about the success of our business," said Mr. Reisland, "and pledge to work hard to protect and promote the campground industry at the local, state and national levels." Mike Molthop, Assistant Vice President KOA has been confirmed to fill the "at-large" vacancy on the ARVC Board created by the resignation of Jim Rogers, President of KOA, from the Board so that he could devote his energies to the ARVC Business Forum. Mr. Molthop will serve through November 2003, and at that time will be eligible to be appointed for up to three (3) consecutive two-year terms on the Board as an "at-large" member. Mr. Molthop joined KOA as a general property manager 16 years ago, and now serves as assistant vice president of company properties. He has received numerous company awards, including the President’s Award of Manager of the Year. Throughout his career with KOA, he has been very active in all industry associations, with particular focus on the various associations’ state and local government relations work. Before joining KOA, he completed a successful 20-year career in the fire service, retiring in the position of Fire Chief. He and his wife, Caryl, reside in Florida. The National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds (ARVC) represents more than 3,600 commercial RV parks and campgrounds throughout the U.S. and Canada. In addition to facilities for RVs, many ARVC parks provide tenting facilities, on-site cabins, trailer, and park trailer rentals. ARVC is located in Falls Church, Virginia.
FRVTA Elects Officers for 2002-2003 The Florida RV Trade Association (FRVTA) recently held its 22nd Annual State Convention at the Sanibel Harbour Resort in Ft. Myers. The theme for this year's convention was "Saddle Up for the RV Bonanza" with the highlight of the weekend the "Howdy Pardner Hoe Down" Dinner/Costume Party on Friday evening. Officers for the 2002-2003 term were elected on Friday morning. The following are the FRVTA State Officers:
The 2003 FRVTA State Convention will be held September 4 - 7, 2003 at the Hutchinson Island Marriott Resort on Hutchinson Island near Stuart, Florida. Creation Windows Receives ISO 9001- 2000 Certification Creation Windows has received the distinguished ISO 9001-2000 certification. The certification includes all areas of business including product design, production, sales and distribution, management and support processes. The certification was the result of a year's worth of formalizing and documenting Creation's best practices already in place. The certification audit was conducted by TRA Certification in Elkhart. While not required by its customers Creation pursued the ISO certification as a means to improve their key core processes within the business. Commenting on the ISO certification, Creation Group President and CEO William Bugg stated, "This achievement is a credit to our employees and their work ethic. It signifies our global position in the market and upholds our motto of "Satisfaction Worldwide". Creation Group is an industry leader in the manufacture of housing and vehicular windows, door assemblies, tempered glass and specialty aluminum extrusions. It is a subsidiary of Heywood Williams, Inc., a $600 million manufacturer and distributor of component products for the automotive and building industries. KOA Camping Shows Fall Rebound Campers came back to Kampgrounds of America parks this fall, reversing the post-September 11, 2001 slump experienced at KOA Kampgrounds after the terrorist attacks last year. Between September 11, 2001 and December 31, 2001, overall camping declined 2%. Short-term camping -defined as overnight and weekend camping - declined 3.8% during the same period. This year, KOA has experienced a sharp rebound, with overall camping up 5.2% and short-term camping up 10% through the week of October 19, 2002.
Damon First to Offer Bilstein Computer-Controlled Suspension System Damon Corporation, the Elkhart-based motorhome manufacturer, is again leading the industry with the addition of the Bilstein Active Control Damping (ACD) System to its flagship Escaper motorhome. The first of its kind, the computer-controlled ACD system monitors the contours of the road and the motion of the coach, automatically adjusting the suspension to deliver optimum ride comfort and safe handling. The Bilstein ACD System was developed by German engineers in cooperation with both Ferrari and Jaguar. Until now, computercontrolled active shock absorber systems were unavailable for motorhomes. "Our new system represents a phenomenal leap in technology," said Kevin O'Keefe, director of marketing/sales at Bilstein. "Damon Corporation is now using the most advanced suspension technology available in the motorhome industry." The new system includes front and rear electronically controlled shock absorbers, input sensors and a computer control module. With a 30-millisecond response time, the system greatly reduces side-to-side as well as up-and-down movement while driving. By automatically adjusting the damping to compensate for acceleration and braking, the new Escaper provides a smoother ride than was previously possible in a motorhome. A dash-mounted switch gives the driver better control of the handling. The system can be adjusted to active handling or a firmer, enhanced-performance handling modes. After being featured at this year's RVIA trade show in Louisville, the Bilstein ACD System will be available with Escaper motorhomes built on a Spartan® Mountain Master GT chassis. For further information on the new Bilstein ACD System and the Damon Escaper diesel motorhome, contact Damon Corporation at 800-860-5658. Evans Tempcon, Inc. Certified Evans Tempcon, Inc., manufacturer of heating and air conditioning products for the RV and Off-highway equipment markets, has achieved ISO 9001:2000 certification. Evans employs 120 people and has been in business at its 701 Ann St. NW, Grand Rapids, MI location since 1957. Certification was awarded through a third party registrar. Ron Byers, Executive V.P. C.O.O., says “This achievement is a reflection of the effort put forth by the employees of Evans Tempcon towards its goal of supplying quality products to its customers in all the markets we serve." TriStar Partners with Major Electronics Manufacturer TriStar Distributing has aligned with Apex as an authorized national distributor for the major electronics manufacturer. TriStar, a DEHCO company, will handle flat-screen TVs and DVDs specifically designed for mobile application, such as RVs and marine craft.
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