Current State Of The RV Industry

Above, Marin RV Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Oddly, the high gasoline and diesel prices isn't hampering purchases and rentals of RVs. The industry is showing steady growth even in these uncertain times. It would really be surging if manufacturers could get parts to complete new units.

I have noticed that gasoline prices have been going down a bit during the past week or so. Hopefully, this trend will continue as we go deeper into the summer vacation season.

Camper Report has posted an article on the current state of the RV industry.

They begin it with:

Despite the surge in gas prices and economic uncertainty in general, the RV industry saw an increase in interest of buying an RV from May to June. Gone are the days of steady-as-it-goes; we now live in a time where things can change on a moment’s notice. We want to take a deep dive and look at how this has affected the RV industry. 

To read more, go here.

RV Economists: RV Supply Chain Woes Easing

Above, The Beast at Mammoth Mountain RV Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Anyone who has been paying attention these past two years are aware of the supply chain problems brought on by the pandemic. That includes the RV industry.

It appears there is a "glimmer of hope" afoot in the RV industry as RV economists are saying that the supply chain problems are easing. RV Travel posted an article on this.

RV Travel begins with:

Last week, the RV Industry Association gathered a few outdoor industry economists in the manufacturing mecca of Elkhart, Indiana, for a panel discussion on supply chain issues.

These sorts of get-togethers are nothing new in America. During the pandemic, most industries held monthly hand-wringing sessions on Zoom and other internet platforms to go over the latest data and try their best to predict what would happen next.

Last week’s gathering in Elkhart was different only in that it was one of the first I’ve seen that offered a glimmer of hope to RVers who (pick one):

• Have been waiting for several months for their new factory-ordered RV to arrive.
• Have taken delivery of a new RV that had more parts missing than a discount Thanksgiving turkey.
• Have waited impatiently to flush the toilet on their current RV because nobody has the required foot pedal to replace the one the kids broke.
• Want manufacturers to take parts from the assembly line to fix recently delivered RVs with faulty bits and pieces.
• Are ready to throw in the towel on their RVing lifestyle because they can’t keep their rig up and running with just spit and duct tape.

The list of woes goes on. But let’s get back to that glimmer of hope.

To read more, go here. 

Inflation Rose 8.5% In March, Worst Since 1981

Ever notice how the Democrats haven't bragged about how great a job His Fraudulency Joe Biden has been doing?

Well, there's many good reasons for that and the Bureau of Labor Statistics has provided another reason of why Biden is doing a crappy job.

From Yahoo! Finance:

U.S. consumer price increases quickened in March, underscoring ongoing inflationary pressures as supply chain disruptions and shortages lingered across the economy.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics' (BLS) Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 8.5% in March compared to the same month last year, according to the latest report released Tuesday. That marked the fastest rise since December 1981. This followed a 7.9% annual increase in February. Heading into the report, consensus economists were looking for an 8.4% jump for March, according to Bloomberg data.

 To read more, go here.

Winnebago RV Order Backlog Continues To Grow

Above, a Winnebago Revel Class B on display at the California RV Show. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It is hard to say how much or if the current high prices of fuel (gasoline and diesel) are affecting RV sales. Apparently, it is not affecting Winnebago Industries as their backlog of orders is growing.

According to an article posted by RV Travel:

Recreational vehicle manufacturing giant Winnebago isn’t making much progress on decreasing its massive backlog of RV orders.

In October 2021, Winnebago officials announced that they had $4 billion in backlog orders as supply chain issues coupled with a massive number of new orders.

The company announced in its recent 2022 second-quarter earnings report that its backlog of orders has now grown to $4.37 billion as the demand for RVs refuses to wane.

To read more, go here. 

RV Transporters Squeezed By High Fuel Prices

Above, two transported RVs stopped at the Jamestown, New Mexico Flying J. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Seeing RV transporters at the local Jamestown, New Mexico Flying J is pretty much an everyday occurrence. Interstate 40, that it is on, is a major route for RV transporters, mainly from Elkhart, Indiana to Arizona and California.

We may be seeing fewer of them as fuel prices have surged and squeezed them. Some have decided to sit it out until prices come back down.

This is the subject of a RV Travel article.

They begin with:

Record prices at the pump may be putting a new kink at the very end of the RV industry’s supply chain and could prevent RV buyers from getting their new rigs.

RV transporters are an essential yet mostly unheralded segment of the RV manufacturing industry. In most cases, the folks who move new RVs from factories to dealerships are independent contractors working for larger dispatching firms that contract with manufacturers.

Typically, RV transporters sign up with the dispatching firms, agreeing to haul new RVs from Point A to Point B for a set “per mile” fee that usually rolls in the cost of fuel. When fuel prices jump significantly, transporters can sometimes negotiate for extra fuel surcharges. But the surcharges—if there are any—aren’t keeping up.

 To read more, go here.

POTUS Is the One Behind Skyrocketing Meat Prices

Above, cattle ranchers aren't to blame for high prices of steaks, Joe Biden is. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Since my heart episode three and a half years ago, I have drastically cut back on red meats, i.e., beef. I think I've only had one steak last year. 

Maybe it's just as well, from my standpoint anyway, since beef prices have skyrocketed over the past year. His Fraudulency Joe Biden blames this on a "lack of competition" of meat packers.

The Western Journal has an interesting article on how a rancher and economists exposed Biden as the cause.

Some snippets:

Under the first year of Biden’s administration, Americans have been paying much more for steak dinners, fried chicken and other American culinary staples. Why? Because, according to CNBC, meat prices have risen drastically over the past year, with chicken prices up 8.8 percent, pork prices up 14 percent and beef prices up a whopping 20 percent.

In order to combat these rising prices, on Jan. 3 the Biden administration announced an aggressive $1 billion plan to tackle the issue. The plan seems to place the blame for high prices on big business and the failures of free-market capitalism.

A number of economists, experts and even one rancher currently serving in Congress disagree with this assessment, however. In their view, the blame for higher meat prices can be placed squarely on the shoulders of Biden’s government.

Suggesting a lack of competition has caused rising prices is ridiculous, in one economist’s view, considering that the current level of competition has existed for decades.

James Mitchell, the assistant professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness at the University of Arkansas — spoke with CNN Business regarding the issue and Biden’s proposed solution.

Mitchell explained that the real causes for the price hikes are labor shortages, supply chain issues and costly regulations, all of which have become trademarks under the Biden administration.

To read the full article, go here.

RV Industry Supply Chain Woes

Above, two RVs being transported to dealers. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The problem with the county's supplychain of goods is hitting a lot of places and industries of late. And that also includes the RV industry. With demand for new RVs high, this is causing major problems.

According to a new article at RV Travel, it isn't just confined to the big stuff.

They begin with: 

RV manufacturers are still fighting through the perfect storm of broken supply chains, missing parts, hiring woes, and unprecedented consumer demand.

While supply chain issues conjure images of missing water heaters, air conditioners and refrigerators, the parts that are really gumming up the manufacturing process might surprise you.

“Lately, it’s been things like ladders,” said Josh Winters of Haylett RV in Coldwater, Michigan, when asked for an example of what he’s seeing from manufacturers. Since a missing rear ladder doesn’t affect the basic function of an RV, many factories are deleting those unavailable ladders from the invoice of supplied features and shipping the units to dealers “as is.” If a buyer still wants a ladder, they will have to either find it and install it themselves or work with their dealer. Either way, if you buy an RV without a ladder it likely won’t be coming later from the factory and won’t be included in a warranty as original equipment.

There's more involved that is gumming up the works at RV manufacturing plants.

To read more, go here.