http://roadtreking.com/roadtrek-now-part-of-largest-motorhome-manufacturer-in-the-world/
Roadtrek now part of largest motorhome manufacturer in the world
February 23, 2016 Observations, People & Places
Roadtrek Motorhomes, the best selling Class B motorhome in North America for more than two decades, has another superlative to add to it’s claim to fame: It is now part of the largest motorhome manufacturer in the world.
In a major announcement, the Erwin Hymer Group – the owner of Europe’s most best known motorhome and caravan brands, has acquired all shares of Roadtrek Motorhomes from Industrial Opportunity Partners, the Chicago-based investment firm that has owned the Kitchener, Ontario-based Roadtrek since 2011.
The deal was signed Monday, Feb. 22, 2016 at Roadtrek’s main Canadian factory. On Tuesday, company employees wearing new shirts celebrating the deal, met their new owners and were treated to lunch. Roadtrek’s management team remains unchanged under the new ownership, as does the firm’s commitment to keep building and innovate under the Roadtrek brand.
Think of the Hymer group as the Winnebago of Europe – it is a huge company, operating eight production facilities in Germany, France and Italy with some 4,400 employees. It has 800 dealers throughout Europe and does 1.5 billion Euros in business each year ($165 billion U.S.)
Jim Hammill, who has been President and CEO of Roadtrek, assumes the same duties for the newly formed Erwin Hymer Group North America, Inc., which will continue producing Roadtrek motorhomes.
“This is a great opportunity for Roadtrek to join the largest motorhome manufacturer in the world,” said Hammill . “In Europe, the Hymer Group manufactures 35,000 units a year, which is almost as big as the entire North American motorhome market from all companies combined.”
In Europe, Hymer has eight different brands and makes many different types of RVs in what in North America would be called Class A, B and C motorhomes, plus ultra light weight towables and even a unique automobile roof top mounded pop up camper.
Roadtrek will continue making its many Class B brands but – as soon as late this spring – will also roll out some of the Hymer Class B’s as well, built on the Ram ProMaster and Mercedes Sprinter chassis. The HymerCar brand of Class B RVs will likely be the first to be produced in the Roadtrek factory.
One of Hymer’s most popular models, the Grand Canyon, was prominently on display at the signing ceremony, along with a Sprnter-based Roadtrek RS Adventurous model.
[img=437x292]http://roadtreking.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/hymercar-1-of-1.jpg[/img]
The HymerCar Grand Canyon model is a popular Class B RV sold in Europe
“We have a three year business plan that we have worked out with the Roadtrek team,” said Brandt, in which every three, four or five months we’ll come out with a new product for the North American market.”
Roadtrek now part of largest motorhome manufacturer in the world
February 23, 2016 Observations, People & Places
Roadtrek Motorhomes, the best selling Class B motorhome in North America for more than two decades, has another superlative to add to it’s claim to fame: It is now part of the largest motorhome manufacturer in the world.
In a major announcement, the Erwin Hymer Group – the owner of Europe’s most best known motorhome and caravan brands, has acquired all shares of Roadtrek Motorhomes from Industrial Opportunity Partners, the Chicago-based investment firm that has owned the Kitchener, Ontario-based Roadtrek since 2011.
The deal was signed Monday, Feb. 22, 2016 at Roadtrek’s main Canadian factory. On Tuesday, company employees wearing new shirts celebrating the deal, met their new owners and were treated to lunch. Roadtrek’s management team remains unchanged under the new ownership, as does the firm’s commitment to keep building and innovate under the Roadtrek brand.
Think of the Hymer group as the Winnebago of Europe – it is a huge company, operating eight production facilities in Germany, France and Italy with some 4,400 employees. It has 800 dealers throughout Europe and does 1.5 billion Euros in business each year ($165 billion U.S.)
Jim Hammill, who has been President and CEO of Roadtrek, assumes the same duties for the newly formed Erwin Hymer Group North America, Inc., which will continue producing Roadtrek motorhomes.
“This is a great opportunity for Roadtrek to join the largest motorhome manufacturer in the world,” said Hammill . “In Europe, the Hymer Group manufactures 35,000 units a year, which is almost as big as the entire North American motorhome market from all companies combined.”
In Europe, Hymer has eight different brands and makes many different types of RVs in what in North America would be called Class A, B and C motorhomes, plus ultra light weight towables and even a unique automobile roof top mounded pop up camper.
Roadtrek will continue making its many Class B brands but – as soon as late this spring – will also roll out some of the Hymer Class B’s as well, built on the Ram ProMaster and Mercedes Sprinter chassis. The HymerCar brand of Class B RVs will likely be the first to be produced in the Roadtrek factory.
One of Hymer’s most popular models, the Grand Canyon, was prominently on display at the signing ceremony, along with a Sprnter-based Roadtrek RS Adventurous model.
[img=437x292]http://roadtreking.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/hymercar-1-of-1.jpg[/img]
The HymerCar Grand Canyon model is a popular Class B RV sold in Europe
“We have a three year business plan that we have worked out with the Roadtrek team,” said Brandt, in which every three, four or five months we’ll come out with a new product for the North American market.”
