Production in the towable market was up 1.8% (362 vans) in 2017 to end the year on 20,904 units. Jan – June towable production is slightly down (-1.6%) to 10,032 units. Imports are playing a larger part in the market and by May 2018 accounted for 32% of the towable market.
The motorhome market is growing with production up 18.5% YTD to 738 units YTD.
Caravans
12,384 caravans were produced in 2017, a 9.8% increase on 2016.
YTD Caravan production is up (+4.1%) on the first half of 2017 to 6,206 units. June was a big month with 1,223 units produced.
Caravan production is skewing more towards the bigger vans.
This year production of vans 2-3 tonne every length grew while production of almost all other weights / size were down YOY.
Large luxury vans 6 – 7m, 2-3 tonne grew 13% YOY to 3,496 units Jan to June 2018. This segment represented 52% of the caravan Market in the first 6 months on 2017. YTD 2018 their share has grown to 56%.
Pop Tops
In 2016 Pop Top production represented 25% of total towable vans produced. 4,498 pop tops were produced in 2017, a 12.5% decrease on 2016.
The decline in Pop Top production is continuing into 2018 with 2,028 units produced YTD Vs 2,253 this time 2017 (-10% YTD)
As of June 2018, Pop Tops represents 20% of the towable production. The import market (see below) may be affecting this segment.
Campertrailer
3,679 campertrailers were produced in 2017. This was a 3.7% decrease on 2016 production figures. It also represented a drop in Market share. In 2016 Camper trailers represented 18.6% of the towable market. In 2017 this was 17.6%
YTD Campertrailer production is down (-11%) to 1,624 units (from 1,827 this time last year).
Motorhome
Motorhome & Campervan production finished 2017 on 1,464 units, 14% up on 2016.
This trend has continued into 2018 with production up 18.5% in the first 6 months of 2018.
Campervans had a growth spurt in 2016 and grew from 179 units in 2016 to 270 in 2017. Campervan production is slightly down (-9%) YTD to 105 units.
Motorhomes production grew was 8% in 2017 to end the year on 1,287 units. YTD production is up 25% YOY to 633 units.
The Import Market
The CIAA recently complied and released ABS import data on caravan trailers from 2012 up to end of May 2018.
The volume of imports is steadily increasing with May setting a new record of 1,113 units in one month. To put that in perspective 1,988 units were produced in Australia in May (& May was also the biggest production month in Australia since August 2017).
Jan – May 2017 imports accounted for 29% of the towable market. By May 2018 imports accounted for 32%.
A large portion of the imports will be campertrailers with MDC, EZITrail, MARS and other importing from China (where 88% of the imports are from). That being said the average weight of the trailers being imported indicate there are quite a number of vans coming through too and this may be affecting the pop top market and lighter / smaller Australian produced vans.
Between Jan and May 2018, the combined trailer market (production plus imports) grew 3.7% Vs Jan to May 2017 to 12,318 units. 8,332 (-0.4%) trailers were produced in Australia and 3,986 trailers (+14%) were imported.
