Despite supply chain issues and labor shortages, the RV Industry Association is reporting 2021 as the best year on record for shipments of recreational vehicles.
According to the association’s December survey, manufacturers shipped 600,240 RVs last year — beating 2017’s record by 19 percent.
The association also reported record shipments for every month of 2021 except December. Last month’s shipments missed the record set in 2020 by just 35 units.
RVIA spokesperson Monika Geraci said manufacturers managed to deliver last year despite shipping delays, material shortages and a tighter workforce.
“The best way to describe the supply chain issues has been a game of whack-a-mole,” she said. “it’s been really impressive what the manufacturers and suppliers have been able to do to overcome those challenges, whether it’s finding different suppliers or swapping things out.”
As for 2022, the association expects another record year — Geraci said the RVIA forecast predicts 614,000 shipments by the end of the year.
“A lot of perception there is that this is just something that’s been driven by the pandemic,” she said. “But when we’ve gone back and asked people who have purchased RVs since the onset of the pandemic, the reasons are the same reasons people have always bought RVs — the love of road trips, traveling in comfort, wanting to get out and explore the great outdoors.”
Contact Gemma at gdicarlo@wvpe.org or follow her on Twitter at @gemma_dicarlo.
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