RV Industry Surge Continues

(Graph courtesy of the Recreational Vehicle Industry Association.)

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In the hours before President Barack Obama returns to Elkhart County, the once-troubled recreational vehicle industry he profiled in 2009 is continuing to come back. In its most recent monthly report, the Recreational Vehicle Industry Association says RV shipments are off to the second-best start in almost 40 years.

Year-to-date, the association reports 148,259 units have shipped, which also marks the highest four-month total to begin a year since 2006. In April, 40,064 total units were shipped to retailers, a 4.5 percent increase compared to the same month the previous year.

The RVIA projects annual totals will be close to 410,000 units.

Obama’s first trip after taking office more than seven years ago was to Elkhart, which at the time had the nation’s highest unemployment rate. He returns Wednesday for an event at Concord High School to discuss the region’s resurgence in that time.