RV Shipments Hit Record Numbers
The Recreational Vehicle Industry Association says RV shipments hit their highest total in 40 years in 2016. Nearly 431,000 total units were sold, which is a more than 15 percent increase over the previous year and the seventh consecutive year the industry saw an increase in shipments.
The association says towable units saw the most shipments with a record 375,950 units, also up 15 percent from 2015, followed by motorhome shipments, which saw 54,741 units shipped.
"The RV lifestyle has become ingrained in so many areas of this country and the incredibly strong U.S. shipment totals reflect that," said RVIA President Frank Hugelmeyer. "What I’m particularly proud of is the way that our industry continues to stay a step ahead of the economic curve. Our strong numbers are increasingly being viewed as a bellwether of the economy, and the fact that they continued all the way to the end of December is a great signal for the coming year."
The RVIA says December saw a huge jump in wholesale shipments of all RVs, which rose 17 percent over the same month the previous year. The 32,970 shipments represent the highest December total on record.