RV Industry Hurt Now, But The '70s Were Worse

[HBarlow]

The title of this article says it all. It is an excellent article that I found in RV Industry News that puts the current situation in perspective.

If you have faith in America you know that the RV industry will return to a position of strength in a year or two.

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"By Greg Gerber @ 12:10 AM

ELKHART -- Problems at the gas pump, rising unemployment and continually high interest rates combined to cripple the recreational vehicle during the 1970s. Like today, the industry was shedding jobs and holding its collective breath, wondering who would go out of business next.

"It was equal or worse than what is going on now," said Al Hesselbart, historian for the RV/MH Hall of Fame and Museum.

Still, for the recreational vehicle industry especially, the opening decade of the 21st century feels a lot like the 1970s. Shipment totals were falling because consumers had neither the money nor the confidence to make a large purchase and, with demand drying up, RV manufacturers steadily laid off workers, driving Elkhart County's unemployment rate into double digits.

By the time the 1980 presidential election came, the national economy was the main concern of American voters.

Gene Stout, retired executive vice president from Coachmen Industries, lived through the storm that claimed half of all RV manufacturers in a 10-year period.

The industry not only survived but got stronger, Stout said, largely because the manufacturers from the East and West coasts came together to form the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association. This organization, in which Stout eventually served as chairman in the mid-1980s, developed standards for gas, electricity and plumbing, successfully lobbied the federal government to prevent the luxury tax from being imposed on RVs and initiated the "Wish You Were Here" advertising campaign that promoted the RV lifestyle.

Stout sees a lot of similarities between the 1970s and now, but a key difference is the amount of financing provided by banks to customers. In the earlier period families saved and used their own money to buy an RV, where now they are more likely to get a loan.

"We'll ride this one through," Stout said. "It's going to be tougher because of the financing but it is a way of life for many people."

Shipments

1979: Towables fell 41.9 percent and Class A and Class C motorhomes fell 55.9 percent

1980: Towables dropped 39.7 percent and Class A and Class C motorhomes dropped 56.8 percent.

2007: Towables declined 10.9 percent and all motorhomes, including van campers, declined 0.9 percent

2008 (through August): Towables are down 19.7 percent and all motorhomes are off 39.3 percent.

Unemployment rate in Elkhart County

1978: 5.0 percent

1979: 8.1 percent

1980: 11.5 percent

2006: 4.6 percent

2007: 4.6 percent

2008: 8.9 percent

SOURCE: Elkhart Truth"