Fighting back:
Conversion Van Marketing Association formed to
reintroduce luxury vehicles and get some attention!
Conversion vans are no strangers to the American highways,
although their numbers have been declining steadily in recent
years. Even we have taken a few shots at them over the years
and have questioned their inclusion in the RV shipment statistics
published each month by RVIA. RVIA does make a distinction
between CV shipments and RV shipments, and does not count the
conversion van as a recreational vehicle. Twenty-four leading conversion
van manufacturers have recently announced the formation
of the Conversion Van Marketing Association, an industry group
formed to raise consumer awareness and increase sales. We
recently spoke with the president of the new association, Rod McSweeney, Chairman/Owner of Southern Comfort Conversions,
Inc., and he’s got the gloves off and is ready to fight to regain market
share. These guys are serious and ready to take the bull by
the horns, and sell a lot of CVs.
Jim Shea, Gulf Stream’s founder
left his mark on the RV industry
The industry’s largest privately-held RV manufacturing
company lost their founder on August 13th with the passing
of Jim Shea. Shea founded Fairmont Homes, a manufactured
housing company, in an old sauerkraut factory in 1971
and launched Gulf Stream Coach in 1983, an RV company. Jim
Shea’s imprint is all over Fairmont Homes and Gulf Stream RV,
now run by his three sons; Brian (motorized division), Dan (towables
division) and Jim (Fairmont Homes.) Jim was 77 when he
died. We salute this industry veteran whose life has touched so
many people in the Nappanee and Goshen communities.
Salesmanship:
CV Thinking
The Conversion Van industry has finally decided to fight
back and RV dealers could play a major role in their new
campaign to reintroduce the vehicle to the American driver.
Taking the proverbial “bull by the horns,” the new Conversion Van
Marketing Association had decided that they have played dead
long enough and intend not only to revitalize the product group,
but have established a course of action that is intended to grow
the market and get some national attention. Another beneficiary
of this unique campaign could very well be some progressive RV
dealers who may also want to rethink this vehicle and add it to
their lot selection. Is it time for RV dealers to think about selling
conversion vans, especially to their customers who are buying towables?
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Editorial
Consolidation
Conundrum
As the Freedom Roads juggernaut
continues to roll
down the highway, many
manufacturers must be wondering
just what lies ahead for
their distribution channel that
keeps getting absorbed into
this alliance of RV dealers?
The consolidation of dealers
could unwittingly cause an
acceleration of RV manufacturer
consolidations as many of
the lesser players are squeezed
from the dealer’s lots as the
larger manufacturers make
special deals to get more products
on the Freedom Roads
real estate. Could this activity
then impact every other sector
of the RV industry?
What affect will all of this have
on regional distributors, suppliers,
and ultimately the consumer?
Here’s some food for
thought that will get you thinking
about it.
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