The past decade has been tumultuous for the RV industry. Highlights include:
February 2001 – Fleetwood Enterprises Inc. announces plans to close a mini motor home manufacturing plant in Decatur and cut 250 jobs, adding to the 450 cut in the previous year. The company, which makes RVs and manufactured housing, has 55 plants in 40 locations, including four locations in Indiana.
February 2005 – Fleetwood lays off about 125 production workers in Decatur because of soft demand.
March 2005 – Fleetwood shuts down a Decatur plant for seven days, idling 525 workers.
May 2005 – Fleetwood idles 1,100 Decatur workers for four days.
July 2007 – Fleetwood says in a
Securities and Exchange Commission filing that it’s considering moving headquarters from Riverside, Calif. Indiana is a potential site.
June 2008 – Citing soft sales, Fleetwood cuts 300 jobs in Decatur and 57 in Edgerton, Ohio, where it makes travel trailers. The company closes eight plants in 2008.
July 2008 – Monaco Coach Corp. announces it will close three Elkhart County plants, putting 1,400 out of work.
October 2008 – Ameri-Camp shuts its Syracuse operation, where it employed about 125.
November 2008 – Jayco Corp. announces plans to close its Topeka plant, cutting 244 jobs.
November 2008 – Fleetwood reports a $52 million operating loss for the third quarter.
December 2008 – Fleetwood says it will cut 250 jobs in Decatur.
March 2009 – Fleetwood files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization, eliminates 170 jobs in Decatur and closes the Edgerton plant, putting 175 out of work.
March 2009 – Fleetwood notifies Indiana officials that 443 of its 700 Decatur employees worked less than half their normal hours in the previous four months.
June 2009 – American Industrial Partners Capital Fund IV LP bids $53 million for Fleetwood’s Decatur operations, its brand and some equipment in the company’s California plant. The New York-based group’s bid is the only one submitted to the bankruptcy court.
July 2009 – The sale closes, creating Decatur-based
Fleetwood RV Inc. Former employees who accept one of 650 positions with the new company will take a 10 percent pay cut
July 2009 – Fleetwood RV introduces a new Class A motor home that, at less than $100,000, is the least expensive in its class.
August 2009 – Fleetwood RV announces plans to add 300 jobs in Decatur in the coming three months and invest $7.4 million in its facilities.
March 2010 – Fleetwood RV says CEO Chuck Wilkinson will retire. John Draheim, president and chief operating officer, will take his place.
July 2010 – Fleetwood RV introduces the 2011 Storm, a crossover motor home with the sleeping capacity and value of a Class C motor home but the roominess and storage of a Class A motor home.
November 2010 – Fleetwood RV participates in the 48th Annual National RV Trade Show in Louisville, Ky., unveiling numerous product renovations, including innovations to its 2011 American Coach luxury line. Added features include 46-inch TVs and energy-efficient LED lighting in the American Heritage models, a walk-in closet in the American Eagle models and an L-shaped sofa in the American Tradition models.
Source: Journal Gazette archives, Fleetwood RV