Roadtrek and Hymer

[cruisefx]

Who would have thought???

Roadtrek, Hymer Align on Design of Class B Line | RV Business

[BobB]

Big Surprise.

I really like the layout of the Hymers. Will be interesting to see how the engineering is handled, especially battery systems, given some of the "stumbles" we have been hearing about Roadtrek.

[wincrasher]

Hymer will most likely have a conservative setup. The big leap for them would be if they ditch the cassette toilets and go with a black tank.

I think a merger is about to happen. Roadtrek's holding company may want out.

[gerrym51]

does Hymer do electrical systems like roadtrek does? do they have great access to lithium modules?

[markopolo]

This could be really good

I just have to quote the whole news release: http://www.rvbusiness.com/2015/11/ro...-class-b-line/

Roadtrek Motorhomes Inc. and Erwin Hymer Group AG & Co. KG, announced the parties have signed a cooperation agreement on the engineering of Class B motorhomes under the Hymer brand to the North American market. According to a press release, the Erwin Hymer Group is a privately owned corporation that currently has a strong market position in the European RV market with their combined eight major brands totaling 30% of all European sales.

“The folks at Erwin Hymer Group have an excellent engineering approach, which mirrors that of Roadtrek. Both companies have been market leaders in their respective small motorhome markets for the last 40 years and we have discovered an incredible synergy in our discussions,” said Jim Hammill, president and CEO of Kitchener, Ontario-based Roadtrek. “Roadtrek is excited to support and cooperate with Erwin Hymer Group on this ground-breaking project.”

Martin Brandt, CEO of Erwin Hymer Group, added “We are pleased to find a cooperating company in Roadtrek that has such common philosophies in all facets of our business. The partnership allows us to share technologies, personnel and best practices, while bringing the first of many of Hymer’s highly engineered lightweight motorized and towable products to the North American market.”

The marketplace should anticipate the start of production of HYMERCAR Class B motorhomes, such as the Grand Canyon and the Yellowstone models, in the first quarter of 2016.

[wincrasher]

None of their videos for their Euro-spec vans mention lithium battery systems, or even solar. So I doubt it.

I doubt we are going to see Hymer's become like Roadtreks, and I doubt the other way around. Smart marketing would keep the products distinct from each other - the Hymer is a very European aesthetic that may not play well to Roadtrek's traditional customers.

But who knows? May Roadtrek thinks their designs are stale and want a completely different look? Stranger things have happened. Maybe they see what Winnebago is doing (which captured the #1 spot in sales) and want to steer their Titanic before it hits the iceburg.

But most likely, if you think about it, and read the release carefully, you could infer that all this does is make Roadtrek's dealer network available to sell Hymers. Setting up a dealer network is no easy task, so this may be one of those big hurdles.

The products are different enough to not steal sales from each other. Could be a strategy to use those numbers from Hymer to reclaim their #1 Class B sales spot.

[booster]

Originally Posted by wincrasher

Hymer will most likely have a conservative setup. The big leap for them would be if they ditch the cassette toilets and go with a black tank.

I think a merger is about to happen. Roadtrek's holding company may want out.

I agree.

I have been predicting that the owners would want to sell soon, as they are at their normal holding time. I think if things go at all well on the collaboration, it will turn into an aquisition. Both have good reason to get together. Roadtrek has been having operational and engineering issues, which Hymer seems to be very good at. Hymer has been having starts and fits trying to break in to the North American market, which Roadtrek is well established in.

Nothing but good can come from this, if they can get along culturally.

[BobB]

Originally Posted by wincrasher

Hymer will most likely have a conservative setup. The big leap for them would be if they ditch the cassette toilets and go with a black tank.

I think a merger is about to happen. Roadtrek's holding company may want out.

On some of the other Hymer models, cassette is standard but they have an option for a tank instead.

Will be interesting if there is a "merger". I put that in quotes, because often it is just a nice term for buyout. Right now the press release uses "cooperation".

Edwin Hymer Group is a big company. Their RV brands are not just Hymer, but also Carado, Sunlight, Niesmann + Bischoff, and more. Sold 35,000 vehicles last year; 25k motorhomes, 10k trailers. They will bring a lot of engineering and production expertise to the relationship.

[BobB]

Originally Posted by booster

I agree.
.......if they can get along culturally.

I don't think RT will have choice regarding culture IMO. It will be David and Goliath and I am putting my bets on Goliath.

[markopolo]

RT will need to build to Hymer specs and Hymer will need to obtain a market share percentage that's profitable.

Class B shipments were up 7.2% according to the last report: http://www.classbforum.com/forums/f9...html#post36153 but growth was flat compared to same month stats.

Lower prices could grow the B segment of the market. Alternately they'd have to win some market share from the competition.

[booster]

From a design and build point of view, Roadtrek probably isn't going to have a lot to offer to Hymer, that has many more variations and innovations, IMO. From a tech standpoint, Roadtrek might have some offerings, but we know there are some issues with most of it. From a North America presence, Roadtrek has it all to offer.

From the outside, it sure looks like it could be a big company contracting a smaller company to build to spec (or take Hymer built but maybe rebadged) and sell through their existing dealers, which is certainly not a bad thing. If and when there is a acquisition, er merger, it would then be pretty seamless.

[markopolo]

It does look good for all at this stage. If Hymer doesn't do so well in NA then they could probably exit without having committed tons of capital by building a manufacturing facilty etc.

RT should be able to make money with little risk.

Win / win.

[BobB]

Collaboration with RT might just be the first step. If someone like the Edwin Hymer Group, selling all types of motorhomes and trailers, is looking to grow, then North America is a logical move. It will be interesting to follow this, not just in the Class B market, but Class C and A.

[markopolo]

Good point.

[booster]

Does anyone know how Hymer got to be as big and widespread as they are? Pure growth vs acquisition.

[jeomelia]

How did the great Mercedes/Chrysler partership of "Equals" work out

[sunwater]

It's bizarre that up until now Hymer has made much noise about Spartan Motors in Michigan being their U.S. manufacturing partner, and had implied that was the source for the prototype Grand Canyon conversion they'd been touring about the U.S. But now it seems possible Roadtrek actually did that U.S. work. Maybe when (and if) Hymer gets around to introducing class C (or more likely, small class A) designs into the U.S., those will be Spartan made.

EDIT: this RV Business piece from months back clearly quotes Hymer as saying Spartan is their U.S. partner, and it is Spartan that did the Grand Canyon conversion here: Hymer to Exhibit Grand Canyon ‘B’ at Open House | RV Business

[markopolo]

My take on this is that the Hymer/Roadtrek thing is new.

I think those previous demo Hymer units were built or assembled/re-assembled at the Spartan facility.

This search might turn up all the Spartan related posts here:
Class B Forums - Search Results

[BobB]

Originally Posted by booster

Does anyone know how Hymer got to be as big and widespread as they are? Pure growth vs acquisition.

Here is a link to the timeline - goes way back, 1923. Erwin Hymer comes into the picture in 1956. Lots of growth and lots of acquisitions, if seems.

ERWIN HYMER GROUP


My mistake - it is Erwin, not Edwin Hymer Group, as I previously posted.

[booster]

Soooo--will the nameplate on the rigs say Hymer by Roadtrek or Roadtrek by Hymer?

Or just Hymer? with small print "Roadtrek division"