b'PMRV, Cabin Makers Short of Supplies, Workersas They Try to Lower Backlogs and Meet DemandPark Model RV and cabin manufacturers are seeing backlogs climb as they anticipate even more orderscoming in due to increased development levels and camper demand. Credit: Cavco Industries Inc.T he COVID pandemic and the surge in people exploring the outdoors We havent seen that slow down yet, he noted.n BY BEN QUIGGLEand camping have led to large backlogs and a race to produce units for At Pinnacle Park Homes, Stewart said that generally, a quoted price would be goodmost park model RV (PMRV) manufacturers. for 30 days, but the company has had to make some adjustments.Depending on the company you speak with, orders submitted right Now our quotes are good for about 10 days and that is it, she said. As soon asnow wouldnt even be ready until next spring at the earliest. we get money on an order, those materials are ordered so that we lock it in as far asMost of our plants build both manufactured housing and PMRVs, price and availability.both of which are booming right now, noted Dick Grymonprez, di- Due to the increase in orders and the rising price of materials, many PMRV man-rector of PMRV sales for Skyline Champion, which has plants spread across the U.S. ufacturers are also delaying plans to introduce new models or features just becauseWe had a record year for shipments in 2020 and we are ahead of it would take a while for the new items to actually hit dealer lots.that this year. Weve got so many PRMVs in the backlogs, that if I We dont really have a lot of new offerings, said Grymonprez. Its more simpli-could build them right now, the park model business would be just fying what we offer to make it more production-friendly so we can build our backloghuge. orders and get them to customers as fast as possible.Tim Gage, vice president of PMRVs and cabins for Phoenix, Ariz.- We are so far out right now, by the time we would make a change and when itbased Cavco Industries Inc., said the companys campground and would affect anything, it wouldnt be until the middle of next year at this point, high-RV park business continues to grow. lighted Soard. And were just too far out to be able to do that.We are going to continue focusing on this segment over the next Following are some updates from PMRV manufacturers. several years, he explained. Business has been great in 2021 and IDick Grymonprez dont see it slowing down in 2022. Cavco Industries Inc. We are crazy busy, Dan Smucker, owner and business manager Cavco Industries announced an expansion in March with the acquisition of a man-of the Gap, Pa.-based, Lancaster Log Cabins, told Woodalls Camp- ufacturing facility in Glendale, Ariz. Cavco plans to hire nearly 200 employees to staffground Magazine(WCM). Its been insane and I know its been the the new facility, which is expected to begin park model production in late 2021.same way for everyone else. Its been nice but its also been chal- Gage said Cavco con-lenging for the same reasons everyone else has. Its just hard to get tinuestoseestrongmaterials and hard to find people but its going good though. PMRVdemandfromTerri Stewart, of Pinnacle Park Homes Inc., a producer of PMRVs campgrounds and RV re-sold direct from its Ochlocknee, Ga. facility, told WCMthe company Dan Smucker sortsnotonlybecausehas a backlog that extends out about four months at the moment. the company builds at-Everythings going pretty good, she highlighted. I mean, weve had the same tractiveunits,butalsostruggles as everyone else with the availability of materials, pricing because it offers turnkeyand things like that. services.Woodland Park, a Middlebury, Ind.-based PMRV manufacturer We not only design,is buried with orders, according to John Soard, national sales build,shipandinstallmanager. these units, but we alsoI cant get anything for anybody until pretty much after the first offer furnishing packagesquarter of next year, he noted. thatincludeeverythingBusiness at Stone Canyon Homes, a Brilliant, Ala.-based builder, from kitchen supplies toJohn Soard is up 60%, according to David Pulliam, co-owner of the company. linens and drapes, Gage said.We are averaging about six to seven months at the moment to Cavco brands manufactured across North America include Cavco Homes, Fleet-complete an order, he explained. wood Homes, Palm Harbor Homes, Nationwide Homes, Fairmont Homes, Friend-On top of supply chain issues, PMRV producers also noted price ship Homes, Chariot Eagleand Destiny Homes.increases and employee shortages. Gage said that the company has been dealing with price fluctuations.We had our annual price increase for the model year and it was Its been difficult keeping up with custom resort projects, as well as our off-the-the worst that I have seen in all my years in the business, said Soard. shelf product offerings, he noted. We do see lumber prices slowly dropping butWith our backlog and the price increase, you would have expected other important materials continue to increase.to see a few canceled orders, but that isnt happening, and I think Backlogs are out several months and even further out in other regions of the U.S,that is because everyone is in the same boat. Gage added. We not only have our hospitality side of the business, but also our streetGary Duncan, general manager of Forest Rivers PMRV Division, retailer business has gained momentum starting in mid-2020 and continues throughtold WCMthat the company has had to raise prices due to the rising present day. Because of this, its been difficult, especially out West. We should seecosts of materials. Gary Duncan Park Model RVs continued on page 2018 September 2021 Woodalls Campground Magazine'