RESTON, Va. — The recreational vehicle industry had a strong year in 2020 due to high demand for products by COVID-weary consumers.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has struck a body blow to our nation in so many ways, but the RV industry has managed to provide a glimmer of hope by allowing people to enjoy an active outdoor lifestyle while also controlling their environment,” RV Industry Association President Craig Kirby said in a news release. “The shipment numbers for 2020 reflect the surge in demand that began in early summer and continued for the remainder of the year. The forecast for 2021 confirms the expectation that order activity will continue to rise this year.”
The industry shipped 430,412 units to dealers last year and expects to top that total with 502,000 units this year, according to a forecast by ITR Economics provided to the RVIA. The 2020 total was the industry’s third-best year ever.
With United States residents dealing with more than 24 million cases of the virus this past year and more than 400,000 deaths, portions of the economy have stalled. The RV industry is one of the bright spots in the pandemic economy, having recovered after a spring shutdown in Indiana.
The final 2020 RV shipments numbers are a 6% increase over 2019, according to the RVIA. Towable RV shipments, the most popular industry segment, totaled 389,613 units shipped in 2020, up more than 8% over 2019. Motorhome shipments finished at a total 40,799.
“While RVs are not a remedy for the nation’s health wounds, they are a way for Americans to stay socially distanced while recreating, traveling and enjoying the country’s natural beauty,” said Jeff Rutherford, president and CEO of Airxcel and RV Industry Association chairman. “After a near-total production shutdown last spring, RV manufacturers and suppliers saw production numbers rebound dramatically last summer.”
The ITR Economics projection foresees total RV shipments of between 490,300 and 515,400 with a most likely total of 502,582, a 17% increase over 2020. According to ITR, towable RV shipments are anticipated to reach 453,200 units in 2021, with motorhome shipments projected to finish the year at 49,200 units.
The industry’s record shipment year occurred in 2017, when 504,600 units were moved to dealer lots.
About 80% of the RVs manufactured in North America are made in northern Indiana and the industry’s rebound has lowered the unemployment rates in two local counties. The November jobless rates in Elkhart and LaGrange counties were 4.4% and 3.5%, down from highs of 29.3% and 28.8% in April during the pandemic shutdown in Indiana.
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