Camping Trade World – Issue 12
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C O N N E C T I N G T H E G L O B A L C A M P I N G I N D U S T R Y<br />
ISSUE <strong>12</strong> | CAMPINGTRADEWORLD.COM<br />
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Contents<br />
WELCOME TO ISSUE <strong>12</strong><br />
06<br />
Dispatches<br />
30<br />
Pundmann warms up camping<br />
18<br />
Doing business with Canada<br />
32<br />
Winning products with Carframo<br />
22<br />
Spotlight on roof tents<br />
34<br />
Awards rain on Peggy Peg<br />
26<br />
Company profile: Carthago and Malibu<br />
36<br />
Making Contact<br />
Click here to subscribe today and never miss an issue<br />
02 www.campingtradeworld.com
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Dispatches<br />
OPPORTUNITY AWAITS<br />
■n estimated €15 million of<br />
A<br />
revenue was generated for<br />
German tourist regions in<br />
the last year by vacationers<br />
in motorhomes and caravans<br />
<strong>–</strong> a trend that, according to the country’s<br />
Caravan Industry Association (CIVD), looks<br />
set to continue to rise. CIVD sees opportunity<br />
and it is trying to act on it. The organisation<br />
believes that caravanning is an often misjudged<br />
driver of tourism and many underdeveloped<br />
tourism regions in Germany could benefit from<br />
embracing it. August 2022 alone recorded 9.3<br />
million overnight caravanning stays in Germany,<br />
which represents a 14.7 per cent increase on<br />
August in 2019. CIVD vice president Dr Holger<br />
Siebert says by focussing more on developing<br />
infrastructure, less popular destinations could<br />
cash in.<br />
“There is great potential for sustainable<br />
development and value creation through<br />
tourism” he said. “In order to exploit this<br />
potential in a prudent and sustainable manner,<br />
the various levels must work together more<br />
closely. The federal government, the states, the<br />
municipalities, and the destinations should find a<br />
common path to this end, which we are happy to<br />
support actively with our know-how.”<br />
Discover more at www.civd.de<br />
06 www.campingtradeworld.com
Dispatches<br />
CARAVAN SALON AND DUSSELDORF:<br />
THE PERFECT MATCH<br />
■ne of the world’s leading caravan and<br />
O<br />
motorhome exhibitions, Caravan<br />
Salon, has committed its future<br />
to its current venue of the Messe<br />
Düsseldorf in Germany until at least<br />
2028. The agreement between Messe Düsseldorf<br />
GmbH and the German Caravanning Industry<br />
Association (CIVD) means that the two partners will<br />
face the future together, offering stability and security<br />
to the industry as a whole.<br />
The show was originally hosted in Essen between<br />
1962 and 1993, but in 1994 the show moved to<br />
Dusseldorf and has been there ever since. It was even<br />
one of the very few international shows that did not<br />
miss a live, in-person event during the worst of the<br />
Covid-19 pandemic.<br />
Erhard Wienkamp, managing director of Messe<br />
Düsseldorf, said: “This trade fair’s move to<br />
Düsseldorf in 1993 was a stroke of luck <strong>–</strong> both for<br />
the event itself and for us as the organising trade fair<br />
company. Jointly with the CIVD we have developed<br />
Caravan Salon further and, ultimately, made it what<br />
it is today <strong>–</strong> the world’s biggest and most relevant<br />
trade fair for the caravanning sector.”<br />
Daniel Onggowinarso, managing director of CIVD,<br />
added: “Cohesion, continuity and innovative power<br />
are the hallmarks of the caravanning sector and<br />
the guiding idea of our association. Thanks to this<br />
trust-based cooperation Caravan Salon has become<br />
established as a beacon for our industry and a<br />
fixture without which the caravanning year is hard<br />
to imagine.<br />
The 62nd edition of Caravan Salon will take place<br />
from 25 August to 3 September 2023 in Düsseldorf.<br />
08 www.campingtradeworld.com
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Dispatches<br />
Photos: Landesmesse Stuttgart<br />
CMT ‘EXCEEDS ALL EXPECTATIONS’<br />
■fter what seemed like a lifetime<br />
A<br />
of empty hallways at the Stuttgart<br />
Messe, one of its most successful<br />
and popular shows, CMT, returned<br />
with a bang in 2023. The month<br />
of January just doesn’t seem like January in<br />
the German city without thousands of industry<br />
professionals and end users in the caravanning and<br />
camping world descending on the city. And they<br />
did so in style with the return of the show this year<br />
<strong>–</strong> 265,000 people kind of style.<br />
“Our expectations were greatly exceeded,” said<br />
Roland Bleinroth, president of Messe Stuttgart.<br />
“We welcomed 265,000 visitors to the Stuttgart<br />
<strong>Trade</strong> Fair Centre. Our exhibitors were also very<br />
satisfied: the visitors not only looked at and<br />
compared the offerings, [but] they also made<br />
purchases and placed orders. This CMT is one of<br />
the best we have ever experienced.”<br />
While the show encompasses holidaying and<br />
tourism of all kinds <strong>–</strong> in fact this year it featured<br />
specific areas for golf, cycling and other outdoor<br />
pursuits <strong>–</strong> caravanning and motorhoming will<br />
always be at its heart. And that heart was beating<br />
stronger than ever in 2023.<br />
“The visitors here did not just include people<br />
wanting to look at the exhibits, but also those with<br />
a genuine interest,” explained a delighted Hermann<br />
Pfaff, president of the German Caravanning<br />
Industry Association (CIVD).<br />
“CMT is also an important indicator for the<br />
caravanning industry at the start of the new season.<br />
10 www.campingtradeworld.com
Dispatches<br />
Our presence went down very well with the visitors,<br />
it was a successful start to the new year!”<br />
Matthias Euch, a member of the Executive<br />
Committee of the German Caravan <strong>Trade</strong><br />
Association (DCHV), concurred: “It was fantastic<br />
to see how many visitors were here, we had an<br />
incredible number of initial contacts. The suppliers<br />
were delighted with the great interest shown in<br />
all areas of caravanning, in all vehicle categories<br />
and in the after-sales segment <strong>–</strong> and were able to<br />
conclude some excellent deals. We also welcomed<br />
the product innovations and digital solutions which<br />
are becoming increasingly better and making<br />
business easier.”<br />
The success of CMT after not holding its<br />
celebration of tourism in either 2021 or 2020<br />
showed that absence can indeed make the heart<br />
grow fonder, but a larger question looms as to<br />
whether the winter is actually a better time of year<br />
for such a show. Sure, Caravan Salon draws big<br />
crowds with many people including it in their own<br />
caravanning holidays thanks to its late summer<br />
dates, but in the winter many more people are<br />
planning their future trips on the long, dark winter<br />
nights. Is there a case to say that visitors may be<br />
more serious in winter or in a better position to<br />
actually part with their cash? Perhaps. What is<br />
more likely is that caravanning is still enjoying a<br />
strong period despite coming down slightly from<br />
the post Covid high. The business is out there,<br />
if you can meet your promises and deliver what<br />
people want, you can make some serious gains.<br />
www.campingtradeworld.com<br />
11
Dispatches<br />
DESIGN BY DEUTSCHLAND<br />
■otorhome, campervan, and RV<br />
M<br />
brands including Alphavan,<br />
Eriba, Hymer, Niesmann +<br />
Bischoff, and Supersonic are<br />
celebrating<br />
after picking up various prizes<br />
in the prestigious German<br />
Design Award for 2023. The<br />
awards are held each year<br />
and celebrate the very<br />
best in innovative and<br />
creative design from<br />
German companies<br />
in a wide range of<br />
categories <strong>–</strong> an<br />
international panel<br />
of experts selects<br />
products based on design, technical performance,<br />
ergonomics, longevity, and sustainability.<br />
Innovative, luxury campervan brand Alphavan<br />
was the big winner collecting the GOLD Excellent<br />
Product Design Passenger Vehicles award for its<br />
latest 4x4 version. Judges praised its optimum<br />
design for offering the true feeling of<br />
freedom that off-road brings. The<br />
other Excellent Product Design<br />
Passenger Vehicle award winners<br />
were Eriba’s new Touring<br />
generation of caravans,<br />
Hymer’s Venture S<br />
motorhome, Niesmann<br />
+ Bischoff’s new Flair<br />
motorhome, and<br />
Adria’s Supersonic.<br />
Photos © Alphavan and Hymer<br />
Learn more at www.german-design-award.com<br />
<strong>12</strong> www.campingtradeworld.com
Dispatches<br />
THIRD BEST YEAR ON RECORD<br />
FOR AMERICA’S RV INDUSTRY<br />
■efore it ended, the RV Industry<br />
B<br />
Association (RVIA) was<br />
predicting that 2022 was still<br />
on course to be a ‘top five<br />
year’ in terms of wholesale RV<br />
shipments, despite some decline in numbers<br />
compared to 2021. Well, the data is now<br />
confirmed, and guess what? They were right.<br />
2022 was in fact the third best ever year for<br />
RV shipments after the final monthly survey of<br />
manufacturers in the industry in the USA showed<br />
that 493,268 were made.<br />
RVIA president and CEO, Craig Kirby, said:<br />
“Coming off of the all-time high in 2021, the RV<br />
industry continued to post strong shipments<br />
through the first half of 2022. As expected, we saw<br />
shipment numbers normalize off of those record<br />
highs in the second half of the year as the industry<br />
returned to production numbers seen pre-COVID.”<br />
The 2022 figure was down on that all-time<br />
record of 600,240 by 17.8 per cent. Within that,<br />
towables were down 20.1 per cent, motorhomes<br />
were up 3.9 per cent and park model RVs were up<br />
20.4 per cent.<br />
Learn more at www.rvia.org<br />
www.campingtradeworld.com<br />
13
Dispatches<br />
INNOVATION BRINGS<br />
ITS OWN REWARDS<br />
■he most innovative products<br />
T<br />
from the caravan, motorhome,<br />
campervan, and camping<br />
world for 2023 have been<br />
named at the annual European<br />
Innovation Award. The award ceremony took<br />
place in Stuttgart, Germany as part of holiday<br />
and tourism exhibition CMT and saw winners<br />
selected in 17 separate categories, chosen by<br />
a panel of expert judges mostly comprised<br />
of editors from trade magazines around<br />
Europe. In total, 145 different entries were<br />
presided over before the eventual winners<br />
were selected. Notable winners included<br />
Hymer’s unique Venture S motorhome, which<br />
picked up the Exterior Design prize, the new<br />
Flair by Niesmann+Bischoff, which claimed<br />
the Interior Design and Safety awards, and<br />
QUQUO, which claimed the Innovative<br />
Vehicle Related Equipment prize and<br />
Blogger’s Favourite award for its BusBox-4 for<br />
the Volkswagen ID Buzz.<br />
THE FULL LIST OF 2023 WINNERS:<br />
Interior Design: the new Flair, Niesmann+Bischoff<br />
Exterior Design: Venture S, Hymer<br />
Technology & Connectivity: AZUR, Knaus<br />
Layout: LMC Style 400 F, LMC Caravan<br />
Safety: the new Flair, Niesmann+Bischoff<br />
Vehicle Equipment: Smart Level Control. KABE<br />
Innovative Vehicle Related Equipment: BusBox-4 for ID Buzz, QUQUO<br />
Sustainability/Environment: Powerstation, Bosswerk<br />
Audience Focus: Adria Altea, Adria Mobil<br />
Marketing & PR Campaign: MAXIA VAN, Hobby<br />
Innovative Start-Up: Real-Time Seat Reservatiom and Availability Display, Camigo<br />
Overall Concept Motorhome: Lyseo Gallery TD, Bürstner<br />
Overall Concept Caravan: New Eriba Touring Generation, Hymer<br />
Overall Concept Van: TOURER CUV, Knaus<br />
Overall Concept 4x4: SUNLIGHT CLIFF 4x4, Sunglight<br />
Overall Concept Equipment: TRIGO-VAN, AL-KO<br />
Blogger’s Favourite: BusBox-4 for ID Buzz, QUQUO<br />
Blogger’s Favourite 2nd Place: Travelfix DIY, Froli. Revision of Hymer Camper Van, Hymer<br />
Blogger’s Favourite 3rd Place: Peg&Stop Heavy Duty Stainless Steel, Peggy Peg. California on<br />
Tour App, Volkswagen. help2camp App, Brecht Caravan<br />
14 www.campingtradeworld.com
Dispatches<br />
Photo © VWCV<br />
THE NEXT BIG BUZZ IN CAMPERVANS?<br />
■lready viewed by many as<br />
A<br />
the heir to the Volkswagen<br />
campervan throne, the allelectric<br />
VW ID. Buzz appears<br />
to be showing some signs of<br />
living up to the hype. By its own admission,<br />
Volkswagen has said that the vehicle exceeded<br />
its expectations in 2022, with more than 10,000<br />
vehicles on the way to customers and production<br />
of the van significantly up in the fourth quarter of<br />
last year. Around 6,000 of those 10,000 orders<br />
have already made it to customers, and now the<br />
talk within VW is how to ramp up capacity.<br />
“We are very happy with the launch of our first<br />
all-electric Bulli from Hannover,” explained Lars<br />
Krause, member of the board of management at<br />
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles (VWCV).<br />
“Now, our task is to further ramp up production<br />
of all models and to deliver the vehicles to our<br />
customers and fans.”<br />
That ramping up will of course prick the ears of<br />
camping fans around Europe. The thought of an<br />
electric campervan has been on everyone’s mind<br />
for some time now and it appears that the electric<br />
‘Bulli’ could be the ticket to the promised land.<br />
Indeed, there are already serious plans by some<br />
serious players to make the ID. Buzz the campervan<br />
of the future. Spencer Grey, managing director<br />
of one of the UK’s biggest campervan conversion<br />
companies CamperKing, said: “The prospect of an<br />
electric campervan is an exciting one, and what<br />
better model to base it on than the Buzz, which by<br />
its very nature will now start to take over in people’s<br />
minds when they think of the iconic ‘splitty’ or ‘bay<br />
window’ campervans of the 1960s and 70s. It’s an<br />
interesting challenge to attempt to convert it into a<br />
campervan, so we’ve been taking a very close look<br />
at it for a while and will continue to do so over the<br />
coming months. We sincerely hope to be able to<br />
make the Buzz campervan a reality.”<br />
www.campingtradeworld.com<br />
15
Dispatches<br />
UK PREPARES FOR ‘GO-TO’<br />
CAMPING EVENT<br />
■reparations are being carefully<br />
P<br />
made by camping, caravanning,<br />
and motorhome brands from<br />
across the UK and Europe for<br />
one of the biggest events of the<br />
year set to take place at Birmingham’s National<br />
Exhibition Centre from 21 to 26 February<br />
2023. That’s right, the Caravan, <strong>Camping</strong><br />
and Motorhome Show is back <strong>–</strong> but this year,<br />
organisers are promising a dedicated new tent<br />
and camping hall that will bring more than 150<br />
new season tents and trailer tents for the masses<br />
to explore. Bring comfortable shoes because the<br />
14 per cent increase in exhibition space for these<br />
products represents four acres.<br />
Besides the new focus on tents, the show<br />
will have the usual 400+ exhibitors covering<br />
caravans, motorhomes, campervans, and all<br />
associated accessories too <strong>–</strong> with new launches<br />
very much the flavour of the event.<br />
Terry Dullaghan, managing director of NCC<br />
Events, said: “We’re excited to present an even<br />
bigger show than our sell-out 2022 event <strong>–</strong> over<br />
400 exhibitor stands across almost 20 acres.<br />
Hundreds of new leisure vehicles from UK and<br />
Europe’s finest manufacturers and dealers will<br />
be on display ready for visitors to step inside<br />
and compare, and with more campervans, micro<br />
caravans and a whole hall dedicated to quality<br />
adventure tents, family tents, trailer tents and<br />
camping accessories <strong>–</strong> they’ll be spoilt for choice!”<br />
The show lays claim to being the UK’s largest<br />
start of year display of campervans, motorhomes<br />
and caravans, visitors will be able to step<br />
inside and compare new for 2023 models from<br />
leading manufacturers including Adria, Auto<br />
Sleepers, Auto-Trail, Bailey, Barefoot Caravans,<br />
Coachman, Compass, Chausson, Elddis, Frankia,<br />
Globecar, Hillside, Knaus, Pilote, Rapido, RP<br />
Motorhomes, Roller Team, Swift, Westfalia<br />
Mobil, Wildax, Vantage Motorhomes and more.<br />
That’s not to mention camping brands such as<br />
Outdoor Revolution, Zempire, TentBox and<br />
Isabella to name but a few.<br />
To learn more or to book your tickets, head online to www.ccmshow.co.uk<br />
16 www.campingtradeworld.com
Dispatches<br />
400+<br />
exhibitors covering<br />
caravans, moterhomes,<br />
campervans and all<br />
accessories too<br />
150+<br />
new season tents<br />
and trailer tents in a<br />
dedicated new tent<br />
and camping hall<br />
14%<br />
increase in<br />
exhibition space,<br />
that’s an extra<br />
four acres!<br />
Photos © NCC Events<br />
www.campingtradeworld.com<br />
17
Doing Business With...<br />
CANADA<br />
DOING BUSINESS WITH...<br />
CANADA<br />
■ike its neighbour directly to the<br />
L<br />
south, Canada has enjoyed some<br />
unprecedented highs in its camping<br />
and recreational vehicle industry<br />
over the last few years. Driven by the<br />
post-Covid boom, Canada reported record growth for<br />
RV shipments in recent times, with the first quarter<br />
of 2022 being almost 30 per cent up on the previous<br />
year as just one example. Canadians are no strangers<br />
to taking vacations in the amazing wilderness that the<br />
nation has to offer, but with more of a focus on the<br />
safer way of holidaying that RVing represents, this has<br />
only grown. The overall health benefits of camping<br />
and RVing are not lost on a nation where you are<br />
never too far away from some breath-taking scenery<br />
and wilderness that most countries would be jealous<br />
of. It is estimated that there are in excess of 4,000<br />
campgrounds throughout Canada <strong>–</strong> from secluded<br />
woodland shelters for tent campers looking to escape<br />
it all, through to fully developed RV stops that have<br />
all the bells and whistles. The sheer size of the country<br />
means that there is a wide assortment of different<br />
landscapes and climates to camp in <strong>–</strong> though being a<br />
northern country, spring and summer tend to be more<br />
popular than winter. There is also a growing appetite<br />
for glamping in Canada as more people look to sample<br />
this kind of vacation without committing to buying<br />
their own rig or gear right away.<br />
18 www.campingtradeworld.com
Doing Business With...<br />
CANADA<br />
TRADE BODIES<br />
Canada has two strong trade bodies of note that<br />
help its RV industry to protect and promote itself.<br />
The first is the Canadian Recreational Vehicle<br />
Association (CRVA), which has been in existence for<br />
more than 45 years. The body is comprised of leading<br />
RV manufacturers and component suppliers and<br />
works closely with United States-based RV Industry<br />
Association to help develop the standards and codes<br />
designed specifically for Recreational Vehicles with<br />
a mandate to ensure that professional standards are<br />
maintained in the best interests of the consumer.<br />
Another important body of note is the Recreational<br />
Vehicle Dealer Association (RVDA) <strong>–</strong> a national,<br />
volunteer federation that works on behalf of all retail<br />
businesses involved in the RV industry. The core<br />
objective of the RVDA of Canada is to bring together<br />
and represent the retail businesses involved in the<br />
recreation vehicle industry across Canada.<br />
Learn more at www.crva.ca or www.rvda.ca<br />
FACT FILE<br />
Capital: Ottawa<br />
Population: 39,000,000<br />
Dial code: +1<br />
Prime Minister: Justin Trudeau<br />
Official languages: English and French<br />
Time zone: UTC-3.5 to UTC-8<br />
Currency: Canadian Dollar<br />
Internet domain: .ca<br />
ECONOMY<br />
GDP: US$2.2 trillion nominal<br />
GDP per capita: US$56,000 nominal<br />
GDP growth: -1.5%<br />
Main export partners:<br />
USA<br />
EU<br />
China<br />
Japan<br />
Mexico<br />
Main import partners:<br />
USA<br />
China<br />
EU<br />
Mexico<br />
Japan<br />
www.campingtradeworld.com<br />
19
Doing Business With...<br />
CANADA<br />
Photo: Tegan Mierle, Unsplash<br />
▲ Canada has a strong heritage in camping and a general love of the great outdoors.<br />
The RV industry in Canada is healthy. According to<br />
the country’s Recreational Vehicle Dealer Association<br />
(RVDA) the industry is worth 3.3 billion Canadian<br />
dollars with Canadian RV dealers producing more<br />
than 1.5 billion Canadian dollars’ worth of income.<br />
About 90 per cent of all Canadian RV dealers are part<br />
of the RVDA, so the figures can be assumed to be<br />
quite accurate.<br />
Like its counterparts in other nations, the<br />
Canadian RV industry is an important economic<br />
driver in the country and one that is also well joined<br />
up and well organised. By working closely together,<br />
Canadian companies have managed to defend<br />
and promote the importance of their industry to<br />
ensure its long term survival and growth. Every key<br />
indicator <strong>–</strong> from retail revenue, to number of nights<br />
camped out <strong>–</strong> has been on a steady growth curve<br />
since 2010, and there are no clear indications that<br />
that growth will stutter too much anytime soon.<br />
There may be a slight return to more normal growth<br />
as the post-Covid bubble slowly bursts, but Canada’s<br />
growth is a long-term thing.<br />
SHOW BUSINESS<br />
Canada is a country that has many regional RV shows<br />
throughout the year, largely down to the sheer size of<br />
the country. Many of the shows are supported by the<br />
Canada Recreational Vehicle Association (CRVA), with<br />
each usually hosting several hundred units from major<br />
brands across North America. Some of the major<br />
shows for 2023 include Toronto Spring <strong>Camping</strong><br />
and RV Show (2-5 March), Moncton RV Show (10-13<br />
March), Halifax RV Show (24-27 March), Toronto Fall<br />
RV Sale and Show (14-16 October), and Quebec City<br />
RV Show (27-30 October).<br />
Another noteworthy event in the industry is the RV<br />
Dealers International Convention Expo, which takes<br />
place in Las Vegas, Nevada in the USA from 6 to 10<br />
November 2023, but is very well attended by people in<br />
the Canadian industry as well from the United States.<br />
20 www.campingtradeworld.com
Doing Business With...<br />
CANADA<br />
COMPANIES OF INTEREST<br />
Caframo<br />
Producer of fans and other ventilation, heating, and<br />
cooling solutions for all kinds of RVs <strong>–</strong> owns brands<br />
such as SEEKR.<br />
D<br />
www.caframo.com<br />
Aqua Quest<br />
Producer of high-quality waterproof outdoor gear<br />
such as tarps and tents <strong>–</strong> tested in the wet climate of<br />
the Pacific Northwest.<br />
D<br />
www.aquaquestwaterproof.com<br />
Northern Lite Mfg. Ltd<br />
Builder of true four-season truck campers with<br />
more than 30 years of experience <strong>–</strong> boasts quality<br />
workmanship.<br />
D<br />
www.northern-lite.com<br />
Durston<br />
Premium ultralight tent manufacturer that designs all<br />
of its products from one of the world’s wildest places:<br />
the Rocky Mountains.<br />
D<br />
www.durstongear.com<br />
Leisure Travel Vans/Triple E Canada<br />
An RV builder with more than 50 years of<br />
experience behind it that claims to be driven by<br />
innovation.<br />
D<br />
www.tripleerv.com<br />
OFF GRID Trailers<br />
Builder of rugged off-road trailers and towable<br />
RVs that are put to the test in the wildest locations.<br />
Inspired by overlanding and off grid camping.<br />
D<br />
D<br />
www.offgridtrailers.com<br />
ATUK Tents<br />
Located in Quebec ATUK is a producer of tents,<br />
tarps, and other outdoor shelters for a wide range of<br />
climates and conditions.<br />
www.atuktents.com<br />
Wilderness Excursions<br />
A company established with a mission to help<br />
provide high quality outdoor gear at more affordable<br />
prices to Canadians.<br />
D<br />
www.wexgear.com<br />
Panoramic RV<br />
An RV builder that says its mission is to design<br />
and manufacture RVs of the highest quality with<br />
innovative designs.<br />
D<br />
www.panoramicrv.com<br />
www.campingtradeworld.com<br />
21
Sector Spotlight:<br />
ROOF TENTS<br />
Photo © Dometic<br />
SPOTLIGHT ON...<br />
ROOF TENTS<br />
■hat could have been quite an obscure<br />
W<br />
and niche market just a few short<br />
years ago seems to have pushed<br />
itself into a position of prominence<br />
in the camping industry, at least on<br />
the face of it. Seeing a roof tent at a campground, in<br />
some PR material, or at a tradeshow has become a<br />
very common thing, which would imply it is a market<br />
experiencing some growth. Naturally it has, based on<br />
the general post-Covid boom that the entire camping<br />
and RV market has experienced, but how big could<br />
roof tents become? It’s a hard question to answer<br />
because the market still feels like it is very much in<br />
its infancy with young companies, new consumers,<br />
and no real tried and tested patterns. But that doesn’t<br />
mean it’s not a market worth considering.<br />
Roof tents are relatively cheap to produce when<br />
compared to larger units such as RVs, caravans,<br />
and even some high-end tents. Because of this, they<br />
represent good profit margins for manufacturers<br />
and also for dealers and retailers. They have also<br />
seen some technological advancement in the last<br />
22 www.campingtradeworld.com
Sector Spotlight:<br />
ROOF TENTS<br />
Photo: Alfred Boivin, Unsplash<br />
few years. A roof tent arms race has been occurring<br />
to make them lighter, easier to erect, and more<br />
accessible for a wider range of vehicles. This clamour<br />
has seen not only small, family-run businesses<br />
getting involved in the market, but also big multinational<br />
companies such as Swedish brand Thule,<br />
or global RV giant Dometic via its purchase of Front<br />
Runner Outfitters. It is now not uncommon to see a<br />
roof tent that can fold down to an incredibly compact<br />
size and can be installed on the roof of almost any<br />
vehicle <strong>–</strong> we have seen roof tents mounted on cars<br />
as small as the Fiat 500 at shows around the world<br />
in the last year. There is also a wide multitude of<br />
technologies for how these tents are erected: from<br />
pop-up box designs similar to campervan pop-top<br />
rooves, to poled tent styles, to inflatable models. The<br />
variation and innovation of the roof tent market has<br />
exploded as more companies have diverted their<br />
attention towards it.<br />
Don’t be surprised to see a few more roof tent<br />
brands come and go over the next few years as this<br />
relatively small market sector figures out exactly<br />
where it stands and what its market share is.<br />
Top 5 countries with highest Google search<br />
interest for ‘roof tent’<br />
Australia<br />
New Zealand<br />
United Kingdom<br />
Canada<br />
South Africa<br />
www.campingtradeworld.com<br />
23
Sector Spotlight:<br />
ROOF TENTS<br />
TRENDING<br />
If there is one thing you can say about the rooftop<br />
tent sector it’s that it is very much en vogue. If you<br />
spent any time at all at Caravan Salon 2022, you<br />
will have noticed a trend that seems to have gained<br />
momentum to an almost unsustainable level <strong>–</strong> in<br />
short, roof tents are everywhere. It seems that in the<br />
last 18 months, roof tent brands have been popping<br />
up (pun intended) almost everywhere. They offer a<br />
perceived level of freedom that other camping units<br />
simply do not <strong>–</strong> and with the increase in lightweight<br />
models that can be mounted on almost any car<br />
type, they have become very accessible. But is their<br />
usage really that widespread? In Europe, it is still<br />
only a relatively small part of the market, with some<br />
countries such as the UK not accepting them at many<br />
large campsite chains. It’s probably fair to say that<br />
the market is popular but still fairly niche and in its<br />
infancy. It’s for that reason that the number of brands<br />
currently around in this market sector is probably a<br />
touch unsustainable and will likely start to plateau<br />
and even shrink a tiny bit in the next few years. That’s<br />
not to say roof tents have reached their ceiling (we’ll<br />
take that pun too), but more likely that the market will<br />
only grow at a fairly slow pace as consumers convert<br />
to this new mode of camping. While roof tents might<br />
attract interest and attention at shows and events,<br />
actual sales of the tents have remained fairly steady,<br />
with no signs of any great boom to come.<br />
24 www.campingtradeworld.com
Sector Spotlight:<br />
ROOF TENTS<br />
COMPANIES OF INTEREST<br />
TentBox<br />
Founded in 2014 by two brothers, TentBox has<br />
quickly grown to become one of the first names in<br />
roof tents in the UK and beyond.<br />
D<br />
www.tentbox.com<br />
Gentle Tent<br />
A small start-up from Vienna, Austria, Gentle Tent<br />
produces impressive, lightweight, inflatable roof tents<br />
for a wide range of vehicles.<br />
D<br />
www.gentletent.com<br />
Front Runner Outfitters<br />
A South African firm that is now part of the Dometic<br />
Group, Front Runner’s designs are rugged and built<br />
to last.<br />
D<br />
www.frontrunneroutfitters.com<br />
Camp Werk<br />
German brand that has been a prominent and eyecatching<br />
part of the roof tent landscape for some<br />
time, particularly at Caravan Salon.<br />
D<br />
www.campwerk.de<br />
Thule<br />
A Swedish accessory provider that is famous for<br />
putting things on vehicle rooves <strong>–</strong> roof tents were a<br />
natural progession for Thule.<br />
D<br />
www.thule.com<br />
Dare to be Different Outdoor<br />
What started with a family camping trip in the<br />
Netherlands grew into one of the biggest players in<br />
Europe in roof tents.<br />
D<br />
www.dtbdoutdoor.eu<br />
Auto Home<br />
With a wide range of made-in-Italy rooftop tents,<br />
Auto Home has been in the business in some shape<br />
or form for more than 60 years.<br />
D<br />
www.autohome-official.com<br />
Quechua<br />
Brand of French sporting retail giant Decathlon,<br />
Quechua has some impressive lightweight roof tents<br />
that borrow features from regular tents.<br />
D<br />
www.quechua.com<br />
Cascadia<br />
What started as a family business specialising in<br />
rooftop tents was acquired by the Gathr Outdoors<br />
Group back in early 2022.<br />
D<br />
www.cascadiatents.com<br />
www.campingtradeworld.com<br />
25
Company Profile<br />
CARTHAGO GROUP<br />
A NEW FOCUS ON<br />
THE FUTURE<br />
■he name Carthago is not unfamiliar<br />
T<br />
to most in the caravan and RV<br />
industry. The German group, which<br />
produces premium Class A and<br />
coachbuilt motorhomes as well as<br />
campervans under its brands Carthago and Malibu,<br />
has been in the business for more than 40 years.<br />
But even when you have that much experience, to<br />
be a success in the future you must always keep a<br />
finger on the pulse, stay adaptable, and be ready to<br />
change to meet the challenges and opportunities<br />
on the horizon. That is very much the vibe within<br />
the Carthago Group at this moment. The company<br />
has taken time to self-analyse and is now ready to<br />
push forward into what it believes will be a bright<br />
future despite some of the difficulties still facing<br />
manufacturers. Carthago and Malibu are approaching<br />
these subjects with a new level of transparency for<br />
end customers <strong>–</strong> it recently revealed a YouTube video<br />
that allows people to see behind-the-scenes in the<br />
production facility and see how the challenges are<br />
being tackled by staff. It’s a refreshing openness that<br />
can only set the company on firm footing with its<br />
customers and potential customers in the future. In<br />
the video, Bernd Wuschack, the company’s managing<br />
director of sales, marketing, and customer service,<br />
explains: “In our manufacturing operations, we are<br />
still dealing with the effects of the supply bottlenecks<br />
from the last two years. The good news, however, is<br />
that we can at least assume with a certain degree of<br />
confidence that supplies will stabilise from the second<br />
half of 2023.<br />
“During the European autumn shows held at the<br />
end of 2022, we experienced that interest in our<br />
motorhomes and vans and in the associated holiday<br />
form of caravanning remains as high as ever, even if<br />
delivery times, which cannot be precisely predicted,<br />
and the increased prices [which are largely out of the<br />
control of motorhome makers and coming from base<br />
vehicles] have triggered a momentary reluctancy to<br />
buy. We will continue to focus our attention on these<br />
two points over the next year.”<br />
26 www.campingtradeworld.com
Company Profile<br />
CARTHAGO GROUP<br />
www.campingtradeworld.com<br />
27
Company Profile<br />
CARTHAGO GROUP<br />
TALENT TRANSPARENCY<br />
Part of any plan for a brighter future is investing the<br />
talent of the future. With that in mind, Carthago has<br />
recently given the employment and job exchange<br />
section of its company a complete rebrand, placing<br />
as much emphasis on getting the marketing right for<br />
this as it does for selling its products. After all, if you<br />
can’t sell your company as a great place to work how<br />
can you expect to encourage the best people to join<br />
your team?<br />
“The focus here is on showing what our company<br />
stands for and that those ideals will align with the<br />
kind of people we want in our team,” explains Tobias<br />
Reutlinger, team leader international marketing.<br />
“What we offer is so much more than just a place to<br />
work. It’s a place where people feel like they belong<br />
and feel like they can express who they are <strong>–</strong> a great<br />
work-life balance, real teamwork, many employee<br />
benefits, flexible working hours, team events, and the<br />
opportunity to be part of a company that cares about<br />
innovation, respect, and community are just some of<br />
the things we offer as an employer.<br />
“We are a growing, owner-run company and what<br />
we do is build products that deliver freedom and<br />
sometimes dreams come true to our customers. It’s a<br />
great business to be involved in.<br />
We have talked in this magazine extensively<br />
about culture and how to create a good one within<br />
your company, and it seems like Carthago has this<br />
interest at its heart too. As it says on its own website,<br />
the company could write a lot about the benefits of<br />
working there, but they find it best to let the current<br />
employees do the talking. Employees like Catherine<br />
Jaster who works in the final assembly production<br />
area. She says: “I like the diversity that this job brings<br />
with it. And finally seeing the finished motorhome is<br />
a great feeling. But above all, the colleagues and the<br />
team make this job something special.”<br />
▲ Carthago and Malibu aim to be more than just ‘places to work’ for their employees and staff.<br />
28 www.campingtradeworld.com
Company Profile<br />
CARTHAGO GROUP<br />
▲ The Malibu Van is making a strong impression in the European campervan marketplace.<br />
MOMENTUM IN VANS<br />
While the Class A and coachbuilt motorhome<br />
business has long been the mainstay for the<br />
Carthago Group, it wouldn’t be the forwardthinking<br />
company it claims to be without focussing<br />
its attention on the exploding world of smaller<br />
motorhomes and camper vans. This is where<br />
the Malibu brand has come to the fore in recent<br />
years with the latest edition of the Malibu Van<br />
<strong>–</strong> a leisure vehicle that offers the premium luxury<br />
and innovations you would expect from a larger<br />
Carthago brand motorhome in a smaller, more agile,<br />
and some would maybe say more stylish package.<br />
The flexibility of this van is further increased by the<br />
wide range of models <strong>–</strong> customers can create their<br />
dream van from four different model classes, three<br />
worlds of style, and eleven well-planned layouts.<br />
The Malibu Van range has picked up multiple<br />
awards over the last few years from industry<br />
institutions such as promobil and the European<br />
Innovation Award for the way it has helped bring<br />
something of unique quality and atmosphere to the<br />
camper van market.<br />
WHO ARE YOU?<br />
Company: Carthago Reisemobilbau Gmbh + Malibu GmbH & Co. KG<br />
Founded: 1979<br />
Location: Aulendorf, Germany<br />
Products: Premium A-class and coachbuilt motorhomes, as well as camper vans<br />
More: www.carthago.com, www.malibu-carthago.com<br />
www.campingtradeworld.com<br />
29
Ad Feature<br />
PUNDMANN<br />
WARMING UP THE<br />
CAMPING BUSINESS<br />
■undmann will already be a wellknown<br />
name to many withing the<br />
P<br />
camping and RV space, but for those<br />
whom it isn’t, it’s time to discover<br />
how this mobile boiler expert is doing<br />
its best to change the space for the better. Founded in<br />
20<strong>12</strong>, Pundmann has built up a solid reputation in its<br />
native Germany and neighbouring countries such as<br />
Poland and the Czech Republic, where it has another<br />
base. It has aims to expand its reach even further,<br />
with the help of its compact, easy-to-use, and efficient<br />
water boiler systems.<br />
“We are experts in mobile boilers,” explains the<br />
company’s marketing manager Maurice Senfft von<br />
Pilsach. “Our product range includes various water<br />
heaters, components, and accessories from our own<br />
production. The RV and camper space is where we<br />
find many customers <strong>–</strong> from end users to conversion<br />
professionals and repair shops. We operate with all<br />
our customers with the same simple promise: we<br />
want our products to work for our customers through<br />
individual and high-quality service, an excellent<br />
range, and honest communication. Our flexible and<br />
solution oriented attitude helps us to solve complex<br />
challenges.”<br />
One great example of that is the recently launched<br />
Pundmann bpoilers that feature two heating rods,<br />
meaning users can choose bettween <strong>12</strong>V and 24V for<br />
the first one, while also always having access to 230V.<br />
This is crucial for campers and also means that with<br />
the <strong>12</strong>V, water can be heated while driving. The 230V<br />
is used to connect to power sources when stopped.<br />
This kind of warm air solution is pretty impressive,<br />
but warm water is another area Pundmann<br />
specilaises in <strong>–</strong> and in a much more sustainable way<br />
thanks to one of its latest inventions.<br />
30 www.campingtradeworld.com
Ad Feature<br />
PUNDMANN<br />
▲ The Pundmann Degreen eco shower system could revolutionise camping for many.<br />
A LITTLE GOES A LONG WAY<br />
Imagine 60 minutes of shower time<br />
with 40C water in your campervan or<br />
caravan using just five litres of water… with<br />
German heating and water solution expert<br />
Pundmann, you no longer need to imagine.<br />
The company’s Degreen eco shower system<br />
provides exactly that thanks to an innovative<br />
water recycling and filtration system. Made<br />
in the EU, this system can be fitted by OEMs<br />
or it can even be retrofitted by end users <strong>–</strong><br />
the whole system is designed to be compact<br />
and can be controlled via a very easy-to-use<br />
foot pump that means you can keep the<br />
water recycling while you shower.<br />
Learn more about Pundmann online at www.pundmann.de<br />
www.campingtradeworld.com<br />
31
Ad Feature<br />
SEEKR BY CAFRAMO<br />
HOW TO MAKE A<br />
WINNING PRODUCT<br />
■hen a product makes it to market that<br />
W<br />
really is just the tip of the iceberg<br />
of how it came to be. So much goes<br />
on behind the scenes to make an<br />
innovative and successful product.<br />
Sounds obvious right? But it’s harder than you<br />
might imagine. To show how the elements combine,<br />
<strong>Camping</strong> <strong>Trade</strong> <strong>World</strong> takes a closer look at the<br />
Sirocco II <strong>12</strong>V/24V fan to share behind-the-scenes<br />
knowledge of what makes it a winning product.<br />
32 www.campingtradeworld.com
Ad Feature<br />
SEEKR BY CAFRAMO<br />
IMPROVE THE<br />
DESIGN<br />
As the name suggests, the<br />
Sirocco II is the second<br />
iteration of the original fan.<br />
SEEKR by Caframo tested its<br />
original fan to its limits and<br />
decided to move production to<br />
its home in Canada to ensure it<br />
could be the best it could be. A<br />
second edition was launched<br />
with full faith that it would<br />
meet its own high quality<br />
standards.<br />
CO-ORDINATE<br />
PRODUCTION<br />
Caframo’s headquarters<br />
comprises not only a<br />
manufacturing facility but<br />
also the company’s corporate<br />
offices, research and testing<br />
facility, and warehousing.<br />
Having all this under one<br />
roof means it controls every<br />
aspect of every Sirocco II fan,<br />
from design to moudling to<br />
packaging and shipping.<br />
USE THE BEST<br />
MATERIALS<br />
The Sirocco II is made from<br />
marine-grade plastic. This<br />
decision was taken because of<br />
its UV properties, high-impact<br />
resistance, fire retardancy,<br />
flexibility, and enhanced<br />
weatherability. It is almost<br />
over-engineered <strong>–</strong> but if it’s<br />
good enough for use on boats<br />
and other marine crafts in<br />
harsh saltwater environments,<br />
its more than good enough for<br />
RVing.<br />
LEARN FROM YOUR<br />
SURROUNDINGS<br />
Caframo’s headquarters is on<br />
the shores of Georgian Bay,<br />
which is a dream location for<br />
many RV enthusiasts. Being<br />
able to imagine and test a<br />
product in one of the perfect<br />
places that it is likely to be used<br />
leads to a much more useful and<br />
authentic product that really<br />
understands and addresses the<br />
needs of users.<br />
GET SATISFACTION<br />
IN SERVICE<br />
When someone buys a Sirocco<br />
II fan, they are buying a level<br />
of customer service that many<br />
people probably thought was<br />
long gone. There’s always<br />
someone on the end of the<br />
phone at Caframo and it prides<br />
itself on offering the kind<br />
of customer service that its<br />
staff would expect to receive<br />
themselves.<br />
BUILD TRUST<br />
SEEKR by Caframo is a welltrusted<br />
name in the industry<br />
<strong>–</strong> not only because of the<br />
quality and innovation behind<br />
products like the Sirocco II,<br />
but also in the way they have<br />
connected and engaged with<br />
the RVing community. Trust<br />
comes from building something<br />
reliable that RV users want to<br />
use and know they can rely on.<br />
It’s a community that goes full<br />
circle. Learn more online at:<br />
seekr.caframobrands.com<br />
For trade inquiries, please contact salesteam@caframo.com<br />
www.campingtradeworld.com<br />
33
Ad Feature<br />
PEGGY PEG<br />
See Peggy Peg at the<br />
Caravan <strong>Camping</strong><br />
& Motorhome Show,<br />
NEC, Birmingham<br />
Hall 4 Stand 4353<br />
AWARD-WINNING<br />
MOTIVATION<br />
■<br />
lot has changed since the last<br />
A<br />
time Peggy Peg exhibited at the<br />
CMT show in Stuttgart, Germany.<br />
But for this growing company<br />
the main thing it noticed on<br />
its first showing there for three years due to<br />
the pandemic was that a lot more people are<br />
interested in camping than before.<br />
“We were really happy to see how busy the show<br />
was,” explains co-founder Achim Reinhold. “For a<br />
company like us, which places so much emphasis<br />
on feedback from our customers, it was a delight<br />
to be face to face with the most important people<br />
to our business. It was especially pleasing because<br />
of how many more people were aware of our brand<br />
and our products than the last time we were here.”<br />
34 www.campingtradeworld.com
Ad Feature<br />
PEGGY PEG<br />
▲ The Peggy Peg team is motivated by industry recognition <strong>–</strong> there’s more to come in 2023.<br />
But that wasn’t the only delight Achim and the team<br />
experienced during the January show <strong>–</strong> the company<br />
was also honoured by the European Innovation<br />
Award, which took place during a special ceremony<br />
at CMT. Peggy Peg’s Heavy Duty <strong>–</strong> first launched<br />
at Caravan Salon and designed for helping people<br />
pitch in the hardest and most compact ground and<br />
soil types out there <strong>–</strong> picked up third place in the<br />
Blogger’s Favourite award category.<br />
While the award was a surprise for the team in some<br />
respects, for the company’s Gerard Vredenburg it was<br />
the culmination of a real team R&D effort. He said:<br />
“At first, it was a challenge to move away from the<br />
idea of lightweight products to create the Peggy Peg<br />
HD <strong>–</strong> a super-strong, saltwater resistant, and impact<br />
driller proof peg made from recycled marine-grade<br />
stainless steel. We spent many hours researching this<br />
product as well as a lot of testing out in the field in the<br />
toughest soil types out there. This award feels like a<br />
reward for a big team effort from everyone.”<br />
To add to the HD, the team worked together to<br />
develop the Lock Nut 2.0, which combines the system<br />
of Peggy Peg’s blue hooks from all orange pegs and<br />
aluminium pegs with the concept of its lock nuts. If<br />
the screw peg doesn’t go in all the way, but you can<br />
feel that it already grips, simply stop screwing and<br />
set the hook into the lowest position possible to set<br />
leverage force to zero when attaching guy ropes.<br />
The award joins previous German Design Awards<br />
in 20<strong>12</strong> and 2014 as well as Caravanning Design<br />
Awards in 2011 and 2013 in the Peggy Peg trophy<br />
cabinet <strong>–</strong> they give the team immense pride and also<br />
motivation for the future.<br />
“We have a lot planned for 2023,” says Samantha<br />
Reinhold, Achim’s daughter. “We will be visiting more<br />
exhibitions than ever before and we have ambition to<br />
continue to grow the global Peggy Peg family.”<br />
Peggy Peg is looking for B2B partners in the UK,<br />
Europe and Australia, contact service@peggypeg.<br />
net for more or visit uk.peggypeg.shop<br />
www.campingtradeworld.com<br />
35
Making Contact<br />
D www.outwell.com<br />
OUTWELL<br />
OUTWELL NIGHLIGHT SYSTEM<br />
The highly acclaimed patented Outwell Nightlight System (ONS) generates<br />
soft illumination that allows a camper to move around and leave a Superior Air<br />
Touring awning without a harsh light waking other occupants. Several of the<br />
company’s new awnings are prepared for the ONS system while the optional<br />
ONS light unit set comprises two light units and a coded remote controller.<br />
TELECO GROUP<br />
TELAIR BLACK COOLFLEX SOLAR PANELS<br />
In response to the wants of RV users to reduce their CO 2<br />
emissions, Telair has expanded its family of flexible photovoltaic<br />
solar panels. At just 4mm think, Black Coolflex modules are also<br />
extremely lightweight (just 3.7kg for the smallest model). They are<br />
made with a nine-layer structure that is flame retardant, strong,<br />
and maximises sunlight transmittance.<br />
D www.telecogroup.com<br />
36 www.campingtradeworld.com
Making Contact<br />
D www.wolfint.co.uk<br />
WOLF<br />
INTERNATIONAL<br />
SPB-16 SOLAR<br />
WIRELESS<br />
POWERBANK<br />
This wireless solar<br />
powerbank is an ideal<br />
choice for campers and<br />
caravanners thank to its<br />
16,000mAh capacity, which<br />
is ideal for charging phones,<br />
cameras, headtorches and<br />
other small tech items.<br />
It features Micro USB<br />
and Type-C inputs and<br />
Wireless, Type-C and USB<br />
outputs and can charge<br />
devices simultaneously. It<br />
also weighs just 357g.<br />
SUPERSPRINGS INTERNATIONAL<br />
LEVELING KITS<br />
The F-150 leveling kit features a brand new pre-tuned<br />
front shock, plus a rear SumoSpring. The JBS front<br />
shocks feature a twin-tube steel body design which<br />
allows for the highest performance while creating<br />
the highest level of comfort that a monotube cannot<br />
match. This front JBS shock lets you chose to keep<br />
your factory ride height, or level the front of your<br />
F-150 with the removable leveling spacer.<br />
D<br />
www.superspringsinternational.com<br />
www.campingtradeworld.com<br />
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