Community Forums

Victory Blue · 09-16-2019, 06:12 AM

Anyone else see this yet?

https://winnebagoind.com/

I haven't been around RVs long enough to know how to assess this.

tnedator · 09-16-2019, 06:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Victory Blue

Anyone else see this yet?

https://winnebagoind.com/

I haven't been around RVs long enough to know how to assess this.

For many of us Newmar owners, we are assessing it with tears.

From what I've seen in here, it seems Entegra has still fared well after the Thor acquisition, so hopefully Newmar will operate as a separate, high end line and keep the quality and service it is known for.

This was a shock to read this morning.

KennyGolub · 09-16-2019, 06:42 AM

.

DSL417 · 09-16-2019, 07:14 AM

Forecasted this sale less than 18 months ago in this forum. Easier for the companies to grow by consolidation. Newmar is the last, but no surprise.

Randy125 · 09-16-2019, 07:15 AM

Wow I hope Newmar’s don’t turn into Winnebagos.

BirchyBoy · 09-16-2019, 07:17 AM

To me, it’s a better outcome than Thor buying Newmar. Unless Thor announced its buying Winnebago!

brobox · 09-16-2019, 07:23 AM

What seemed strange reading this is Entegra sold for high 500 million where Newmar sold of $344 million That was surprising. Maybe I read it wrong. I wouldn't worry about it, it's going to be what it is going to be. Maybe Newmar will do just as well as the Entegra change over where most people won't even know.

The people that are really going to be upset are the Newmar owners that said all Entegra's would be junk in a year and they would never own one.

What goes around, comes around.

Both I am sure will continue to be great MH's.

Victory Blue · 09-16-2019, 07:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brobox

What seemed strange reading this is Entegra sold for high 500 million where Newmar sold of $344 million That was surprising. Maybe I read it wrong. I wouldn't worry about it, it's going to be what it is going to be. Maybe Newmar will do just as well as the Entegra change over where most people won't even know.

The people that are really going to be upset are the Newmar owners that said all Entegra's would be junk in a year and they would never own one.

What goes around, comes around.

Both I am sure will continue to be great MH's.

Chuck,

It was Jayco that was sold to Thor Ind. for a higher number, not just Entegra.

creativepart · 09-16-2019, 07:43 AM

So smart. Winnebago has all but exited the diesel Class A market. In 2016 they had 5 diesel pushers in their lineup. Today, they’re down to one - the low cost, bottom of the line Forza.

They bought the Country Coach factory and what remained of the brand. Then in 2018 they announced that all DP production would move to the old CC factory in Junction City, OR. They came out with one new DP built in that factory, the new Horizon. Then everything seemed to stop.

Last Spring they announced the sudden retreat on that plan and closed the factory in Oregon, keeping it open with a skeleton crew for service only. We all wondered why WBGO would spend $50 million on that plan then suddenly abandon it.

Obviously this is why. Don’t attempt to redevelop new DP models... buy the competition instead.

Winnebago bought Sunnybrook and fully absorbed it. But they also bought Grand Design and kept it separate. I’ll wager they’ll keep Newmar separate, but they will rebrand some Newmar models as Winnebagos.

Cruzer · 09-16-2019, 07:56 AM

I'm familiar with Grand Design and Winnebago's purchase of them. The only thing that changed was that Grand Design had a bunch of money available, which they spent on expanding their facilities, especially service. As they are the fastest growing RV manufacturer that was a big help to them. But the quality of their RVs remained high and Winnebago pretty much did like Thor and kept their hands off of the management.

I expect Newmar will be the same. Just as with the Thor-Jayco deal, there will be "the sky is falling" attitude among some owners but in the end, it won't hurt them one bit and Newmar will be able to grow and expand more easily and have better resources to enable them to have more competitive pricing parity with other brands.

BillJinOR · 09-16-2019, 08:05 AM

Creativepart if I were a betting man I think your right. Coming from Oregon I was surprised to find them shut down operations in Oregon so soon and suddenly and drop all their diesel lines. Well except the Forza and the kinda test market Horizon.
I would bet this has been in the mix for some time. Like since they shut down production ... No need to open a new production line just buy one. I think the Oregon plant is still servicing Winnebago so maybe on the bright side , Newmar nameplate will get a west cost service center.