Class B Market Share, Sales and Shipments

[markopolo]

and a big thanks to rockmtnb for getting & posting this data Very interesting to see the breakdown!

[Raycbee]

Thank you for posting these #s!! Enjoy a pleasant week!!

[rockymtnb]

2021 annual Class B manufacturer market shares:

40.5% -Winnebago
27.6% -Thor
...

Thor has been steadily growing their Class B lineup, with new models from the Entegra, Jayco, and Tiffin divisions released near the close of 2021. We'll likely see further market growth this year, possibly even taking over the #1 position traditionally held by Winnebago Industries.

[Rocinante]

This is interesting, thanks. What's overall growth looking like in the Class B market relative to other classifications?

[rockymtnb]

Originally Posted by Rocinante

This is interesting, thanks. What's overall growth looking like in the Class B market relative to other classifications?

Overall growth for 2021 vs 2020 within motorized RVs was:

Class A - 29.1% increase
Class B - 91.5% increase
Class C - 24.7% increase

By comparison non-motorized RVs (trailers, pickup campers, etc.) grew 39.6% during the same period.

Class B has been by far the fastest growing RV category these last five years. Originally that didn't mean too much because the total numbers and market share started small. However Class B is now close to the sales of Class A and seems likely to grow further.

Market share 2021 - motorized RVs:

Class A - 27.3%
Class B - 24.6%
Class C - 48.1%

[rockymtnb]

RVIA reports first quarter Class B shipments hit 4567 units this year, a 49% increase over Q1 2021. For a bit of historical perspective that also exceeds the entire annual Class B production for 2016!

Q1 Class B unit production:
2017 - 1235
2018 - 1306
2019 - 842    (Roadtrek collapse)
2020 - 1232  (Covid shutdown)
2021 - 3066
2022 - 4567

Share of overall motorized RV market:

Class A - 25.8%
Class B - 28.9%
Class C - 45.3%

[mumkin]

Yea... we passed the Class A rigs...

And that rise in Class B units is with Rapido only doing a fraction of the numbers of the old Roadtrek company. (an intentional decision on their part to start small and ramp up slowly)

[rockymtnb]

RVIA reports that Class B manufacturers shipped 9,340 units in the first half of 2022, a 48.3% year-over-year increase.

Half Year Class B shipments:

2018 - 2977 units
2019 - 1799 units
2020 - 2515 units
2021 - 6298 units
2022 - 9340 units

Share of overall motorized RV market:

Class A - 27.3%
Class B - 30.6%
Class C - 42.1%

[rockymtnb]

2022 ushers in a historic shift in Class B market share. Thor Industries, the worlds largest overall RV manufacturer, has now overtaken Winnebago to become the largest Class B manufacturer in North America (SSI six month cumulative data for USA and Canada):

40.1% -Thor
35.3% -Winnebago
5.6% - Forest River (Coachmen)

REV Group and PleasureWay round out positions four and five respectively, although share percentage data are not complete beyond third place.

For some historical perspective Roadtrek was the perennial North American Class B market leader until April 2015 when it was displaced by Winnebago with its popular Travato model. Winnebago held that leading position largely unchallenged until 2020-2022 when Thor unleashed a flurry of Class B models from their new Bristol Indiana facility dedicated to van upfits. Market sales of those new models have now overtaken Winnebago.

[Rocinante]

Originally Posted by rockymtnb

2022 ushers in a historic shift in Class B market share. Thor Industries, the worlds largest overall RV manufacturer, has now overtaken Winnebago to become the largest Class B manufacturer in North America (SSI six month cumulative data for USA and Canada):

40.1% -Thor
35.3% -Winnebago
5.6% - Forest River (Coachmen)

REV Group and PleasureWay round out positions four and five respectively, although share percentage data are not complete beyond third place.

For some historical perspective Roadtrek was the perennial North American Class B market leader until April 2015 when it was displaced by Winnebago with its popular Travato model. Winnebago held that leading position largely unchallenged until 2020-2022 when Thor unleashed a flurry of Class B models from their new Bristol Indiana facility dedicated to van upfits. Market sales of those new models have now overtaken Winnebago.

Are all of Thor's brands, such as Airstream, counted in that 40.1%, or is that just for Thor-branded units? Thanks!

[rockymtnb]

Originally Posted by Rocinante

Are all of Thor's brands, such as Airstream, counted in that 40.1%, or is that just for Thor-branded units?

Based on the way SSI has reported monthly cumulative data in the past those would be corporate totals. So Thor Industries overall share should include Thor Motor Coach (TMC), Airstream, Jayco, Entegra and Tiffin class B sales. If a detailed annual summary becomes available after year-end we may get to see individual brand break-outs.

[mumkin]

Am I the only one who is depressed that the largest producer is notoriously the one with the worst quality control and service reputation?

With number 2 being the one always considered an "entry level" builder with OK quality most of the time.

sigh...

So much for the reputation for high quality Class B's from back in the day when it was Great West Van, Leisure Travel, Roadtrek, and Pleasureway... top quality all the way.

[Rocinante]

I do find it interesting that when Thor Industries wants to look big, they get statistics grouped under their primary corporate banner. OTOH, when you're buying, they want to make it far less obvious that the Tiffin (or whatever) that you're looking at is nowadays just another Thor product with the same "Thor quality" as any other unit sold by them and their subsidiaries. Oh, well, caveat emptor!

[rockymtnb]

Originally Posted by Rocinante

I do find it interesting that when Thor Industries wants to look big, they get statistics grouped under their primary corporate banner...

It's not by Thor's choice how SSI groups monthly sales reports. The publicly available reports, chronicled in this thread since 2011, have always been reported per manufacturer rather than individual model or brand. SSI does track detailed model and brand data but those are normally retained for paying clients such as stock analysts, RV manufacturers, and marketing companies.

Earlier this year SSI provided Class B forum readers with a detailed breakout of Class B sales for 2021 by brand/division. That was a very generous provision although I'm uncertain if they will repeat that offer.

And it's not just Thor that has multiple brands lumped under the corporate total. Winnebago Class A sales include both Newmar and Winnebago branded units. Winnebago towable sales figures include both Grand Design and WGO branded trailers.

[N147JK]

Originally Posted by mumkin

So much for the reputation for high quality Class B's from back in the day when it was Great West Van, Leisure Travel, Roadtrek, and Pleasureway... top quality all the way.

Yes you're better off buying an older van and fixing it up a little, if quality and workmanship are important. My old '01 van is solid and dry. No squeaks, rattles, leaks, or cheap materials. Plus I think the older layouts are better - they tend to be open, bright, and warm. A lot of today's interiors look like prison cells. I don't understand the tiny windows and the cold, grey colors. Are they a reflection of our society today..??

[Davydd]

The Covid era is over so it seems. Winnebago reported all RVs are down 43% and towables 48.3%.

Winnebago quarterly results down from pandemic records

[Rlum]

Originally Posted by Davydd

The Covid era is over so it seems. Winnebago reported all RVs are down 43% and towables 48.3%.

Winnebago quarterly results down from pandemic records

Interesting, sales are down. Prices are up for the Ekko? I guess if demand is there price per unit can stay high?

[Boxster1971]

Originally Posted by Davydd

The Covid era is over so it seems. Winnebago reported all RVs are down 43% and towables 48.3%.

Winnebago quarterly results down from pandemic records

RV sales may be down overall, but Class B sales are up more than ever. This is latest report from RVIA for October 2022:

https://www.rvia.org/news-insights/o...op-32000-units

Note that "Van Campers (Type B)" sales were up for October and up over 30% year over year to date. Overall demand for vans for all uses is outstripping production availability due to continued supply issues. Both Mercedes and Ford have had to limit option availability for 2023 vans.

[rockymtnb]

Originally Posted by Davydd

The Covid era is over so it seems. Winnebago reported all RVs are down 43% and towables 48.3%.

It's worth noting that Winnebago's motorhome sales increased 10.1% during this same quarter. That slightly helped offset otherwise miserable towable sales performance.

[Rocinante]

Rising interest rates are reminding potential RV buyers that an RV, unless it's your full-time home, is a luxury and not a necessity. This realization is already creeping into the used Class B market, though prices on new ones continue to be stratospheric and keep right on going up.