MIDDLEBURY — Grand Design Recreational Vehicles is planning a $10 million expansion.
According to the company two manufacturing facilities will be added to its campuses north of Middlebury and will be completed by spring 2018.
Grand Design RV is experiencing rapid growth, according to President Don Clark. Grand Design was created by Clark and Bill and Ron Fenech in late 2012 and the first fifth-wheel was produced in 2013. Since then the business has continued to grow. It was sold to Winnebago Industries in October 2016. The company now employs more than 1,200 people and produces more than 40,000 recreational vehicles yearly at its Ind. 15 and C.R. 2 campuses.
“Grand Design RV has been blessed with record breaking retail orders in all GDRV brands,” Clark said in a news release. “In order to keep up with the growing demand of our products we need to expand our north and south campuses. The addition of these new facilities, along with planned expansions, will allow us to increase our manufacturing capacity, expand our product offering and create more jobs in Elkhart County and northern Indiana.”
Clark added, “We’ve experienced tremendous growth in our first five years and none of it would have been possible without the outstanding support of our dedicated team members, industry’s best dealer network, suppliers and especially our loyal retail customers. Thank you all for your trust in Grand Design and growing with us.”
Nuway Construction of Goshen will be the general a contractor for the project.
Winnebago Industries reported in June that the acquisition of Grand Design boosted its third quarter towable division revenue by $196.9 million, nearly all the $209.3 million gain the company experienced in that division.
“The performance of our new Grand design division and the associated integration activities continue to meet and even exceed our expectations, and are certainly accelerating our diversification within the still growing North American RV industry,” said Winnebago CEO Michael Happe in the third quarter report.
Grand Design, like other local RV manufacturers, has been adding facilities as sales of the popular recreational vehicles have soared in the past few years. Last year Grand Design added a factory to produce a line of lightweight trailers. Earlier this year the company opened a 125,000-square-foot service facility.
Grand Design manufactures fifth wheels, toy haulers and travel trailers.