How many trailers does Oliver make per year?

[HDRider]

How many hull numbers were assigned in 2023?

 

I was guessing about 125.

[Steph and Dud B]

Somewhere between 125 and 175? We picked up hull #1150 in June of 2022. I do think production slowed down a bit before going to the dealer system because they had 2 completed LE2s for sale on the retail lot for a while last year. Maybe orders that fell through? The entire industry is in a slump now following the heady days of COVID.

[Steve Morris]

#1360 was delivered at the end of March 2023, and they are now over 1500 a year later. So, year over year, that's at least 140.

Edited March 28 by Steve Morris

[topgun2]

I understand that during Covid the peak production was about 7 per week.

Recently production is between 2 and 3 per week.

Bill

[ScubaRx]

1 hour ago, HDRider said:

How many hull numbers were assigned in 2023?

 

I was guessing about 125.

In 2023, there were 152 trailers produced.

 

[John Dorrer]

28 minutes ago, Steph and Dud B said:

Somewhere between 125 and 175? We picked up hull #1150 in June of 2022. I do think production slowed down a bit before going to the dealer system because they had 2 completed LE2s for sale on the retail lot for a while last year. Maybe orders that fell through? The entire industry is in a slump now following the heady days of COVID.

Trailer #1,000 1/2022, ours 1045 3/10/22, and then yours. That would be over 150 from 1/22 to 6/22.

[HDRider]

Just doing a back of the envelope calculation that puts Oliver Trailer worth about $50 million.

 

I wonder if building the dealer channel is to enhance the salability of the company.

 

That would buy a few nice houses in Bermuda. 

 

[KMF]

Bingo

[Steph and Dud B]

The big RV manufacturers are closing plants right now. Tiffin abandoned their new 5th wheel line. Sales are down across the industry. I can't see anyone wanting to buy a small boutique trailer manufacturer at this time.

[HDRider]

3 hours ago, Steph and Dud B said:

The big RV manufacturers are closing plants right now. Tiffin abandoned their new 5th wheel line. Sales are down across the industry. I can't see anyone wanting to buy a small boutique trailer manufacturer at this time.

Using that logic, why would the Oliver family continue to operate it themselves?

 

As unique as Oliver is, and as good as their reputation is, someone might view it as a gem. 

[Steph and Dud B]

3 hours ago, HDRider said:

Using that logic, why would the Oliver family continue to operate it themselves?

Good question. One that worries me.

3 hours ago, HDRider said:

As unique as Oliver is, and as good as their reputation is, someone might view it as a gem. 

True. I still can't see Thor or Forest River buying OTT. The market share is too small. Perhaps a midsized independent RV maker. Unfortunately, there aren't a lot of those that Thor and FR haven't already gobbled up. Maybe one of the other fiberglass trailer companies? For instance, Bigfoot could gain a new product line and an eastern US sales and service network all at once.

I think a lot depends on how this transition goes. If the dealerships generate increased sales and can maintain that good Oliver reputation, everyone wins. OTT makes money and can either keep the business or sell it and we owners keep a high resale value.

OTOH, if the dealership model ends up damaging OTT's reputation for high standards, and can't continue to generate increased sales, that'll lead to trouble for everyone. Where could OTT go from there? Therefore, as distressed as I am about this last announcement, I really do hope Oliver's gamble pays off.

[HDRider]

9 hours ago, Steph and Dud B said:

I still can't see Thor or Forest River buying OTT.

The best time to buy is in a down market.  The best time to sell is at your apex.  The Oliver progeny might not have the passion their dad did for the business.  No one would fault them for cashing out.

 

If Warren Buffett would buy DQ or Forest River, growing a $50 million business to a $500 million dollar one built on the Oliver name might make sense.  

[Steph and Dud B]

31 minutes ago, HDRider said:

If Warren Buffett would buy DQ or Forest River, growing a $50 million business to a $500 million dollar one built on the Oliver name might make sense

Forest River and DQ were already large, well established operations when he bought them. When Thor bought Airstream and Tiffin both were well known brand names among RVers. Most RV consumers, even experienced RVers, have never heard of Oliver Trailers, the exception being the small subset of molded fiberglass RVers. I don't think a company that turns out 150 units a year, no matter how good they are, is going to attract a mega corporation at any price. But a smaller competitor, or another company looking to break into the RV business? Maybe.

Best case, the Oliver family keeps the brand going successfully.

[HDRider]

17 minutes ago, Steph and Dud B said:

Forest River and DQ were already large, well established operations when he bought them. When Thor bought Airstream and Tiffin both were well known brand names among RVers. Most RV consumers, even experienced RVers, have never heard of Oliver Trailers, the exception being the small subset of molded fiberglass RVers. I don't think a company that turns out 150 units a year, no matter how good they are, is going to attract a mega corporation at any price. But a smaller competitor, or another company looking to break into the RV business? Maybe.

Best case, the Oliver family keeps the brand going successfully.

I agree.  It is hard to say who might buy it.  

[Wandering Sagebrush]

18 hours ago, Steph and Dud B said:

The big RV manufacturers are closing plants right now. Tiffin abandoned their new 5th wheel line. Sales are down across the industry. I can't see anyone wanting to buy a small boutique trailer manufacturer at this time.

Off topic, but… While traveling earlier this month, I met a couple in a beautiful Tiffin Allegro RED.  While chatting, they mentioned that Bob Tiffin sold the company to Thor 🤬 last year, and that the Tiffin culture was rapidly changing.

Edited March 29 by Wandering Sagebrush

[HDRider]

8 minutes ago, Wandering Sagebrush said:

Off topic, but… While traveling earlier this month, I met a couple in a beautiful Tiffin Aleggro RED.  While chatting, they mentioned that Bob Tiffin sold the company to Thor 🤬 last year, and that the Tiffin culture was rapidly changing.

Family owned and operated premium manufacturer of luxury recreational vehicles for 49 years with a longstanding reputation for outstanding product quality and customer service .  Tiffin generated approximately $800 million in revenue from the sale of RVs for the fiscal year ended February 28 , 2020.

https://s23.q4cdn.com/270606922/files/doc_presentations/2020/12/RT-Investor-Presentation-(12-18-20)-FINAL-Web.pdf

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

It appears my source was misinformed, or I didn’t pick up on the date.   Thanks for correcting the record.

[ScubaRx]

I see that many owners think that Oliver Travel Trailers is a big money maker or at least a profitable venture. OTT is only a small slice of the parent company, Oliver Technologies Inc. There are at least nine more divisions besides OTT. They also make the Safe-Step walk-in tubs. They make a whole line of items for the mobile home industry. These are the parts that most people see in Hohenwald and know about. They also have other manufacturing facilities around the country making a multitude of other products. Some of these are owned by the company and some are ventures fully owned by individual family members.

As far as houses go, the family has different residences all across the US and I'm sure if any of them want a house in Bermuda they can get it. I knew Jim Oliver personally and he was proud of the Oliver name and everything he put it on. He instilled in his family that same desire to produce a quality product that could last longer than a lifetime.

I'm going to say that the company is going to be fine and they are not planning to sell.

[HDRider]

7 hours ago, Wandering Sagebrush said:

It appears my source was misinformed, or I didn’t pick up on the date.   Thanks for correcting the record.

No, I think you were right.  I was just curious, and shared what I found about how big Tiffin was before they were purchased.   That clip was from 2020.

[HDRider]

6 hours ago, ScubaRx said:

and they are not planning to sell.

Do you really know that, or simply intuit that?

 

People thought I was off base when I thought Oliver would move service to dealers. 

[CRM]

24 minutes ago, HDRider said:

Do you really know that, or simply intuit that?

 

People thought I was off base when I thought Oliver would move service to dealers. 

The way I see it, Oliver is now primarily focused on growing the business by increasing sales through a dealership network and servicing current customers is now not the priority it once was.. Whether that growth is just for growth itself or to boost the numbers to sell the company is yet to be seen. Either way, I see it as a virtual impossibility to receive the same level of service from dealers who are also selling and servicing other brands than it was at Hohenwald.  

[jd1923]

On 3/28/2024 at 12:21 PM, Steph and Dud B said:

The big RV manufacturers are closing plants right now...

Lots of false stories re the economy, the data shows the economy is not good. Four years ago, gas at $2 +/-, then it was $5-7 depending on location, so are we are supposed to be happy at $4? Not!

Our bills are 30-50% higher, in every category, than 4 years ago! Reason why I now have a long wish list for 2025, and if stuff gets worse, then I will repair what's absolutely necessary, meaning Oliver mods willl have to wait! 🙃

[John Dorrer]

People have way too much time on their hands. Why do people have to keep on speculating and coming up  with all these theories? Why not just load your Oliver and go camping? 🤣

 

Edited April 11 by John Dorrer