Fleetwood RV, one of the nation’s largest makers of gas and diesel-powered recreational vehicles. Founded in 1950 and headquartered in Riverside, CA, the Fortune 100 company has enjoyed unparalleled growth in recent years thanks primarily to the emergence of the baby-boomer demographic (the median age of all RV owners is 49 years old). Also influencing the industry’s expansion is the introduction of younger, wealthier buyers to the market and a desire on the part of many Americans to stay close-to-home in lieu of traveling abroad. In 2004 alone, more than 370,000 RVs were sold in the United States, industry-wide.

Not only are RV buyers growing in number, they are demanding increasingly sophisticated features. Flat-screen televisions, sliding walls, computer workstations, stainless steel sinks and other plush amenities have become the norm in Class A models like Fleetwood’s Pace Arrow and the Southwind.

 

Such improvements are not limited to the vehicle interiors, either. On the outside of the RV, where gel-coat fiberglass and decal graphics used to be standard issue on all but the most luxurious models, consumers are now demanding something much more akin to a high-quality automotive finish. “As RV buyers have become more educated, they’ve started asking for better-quality, corrosion resistant coatings,” says Brian Sheehe, operations general manager for Fleetwood. At the same time, RV manufacturers are attempting to appeal to prospects by offering greater color and design options.

t’s this combination of industry growth and consumer demand that prompted Fleetwood to begin construction on a new $13 million paint facility in Riverside where 11 of the company’s gas-powered brands (including the Pace Arrow and Southwind) are manufactured and painted.