# RV industry runs out of ovens



## vern38 (Aug 18, 2003)

There was a post here from a person not buying an Outback because there was no stove in it among other reasons. Well here is the reason, (a shortage of RV stoves). Read this article I copied from the *South Bend Tribune*. http://www.southbendtribune.com/

*RV industry runs out of ovens
Jayco among producers hurt by shortage of valves*

By ASHLEY McCALL
Tribune Staff Writer

Sometimes, little things can have a big impact.

The recreational vehicle industry, for instance, has been greatly inconvenienced because of a shortage of a valve needed to produce ovens for the vehicles.

Without enough valves, there aren't enough ovens, complicating matters for RV manufacturers.

"We're building no units with ovens -- there aren't any to be had," said Sid Johnson, director of marketing for Middlebury-based Jayco. "It is a huge problem for the industry. It is a huge inconvenience for our dealers and our customers."

Jayco is not the only company affected by the shortage. Carl Pfalzgraf, executive vice president of Atwood Mobile Products, which produces ovens for RVs, said the entire industry is feeling the impact of this shortage.

Last month, for instance, when Elkhart-based Coachmen Industries lowered its fourth-quarter earnings forecast, the company cited the oven shortage as negatively affecting earnings.

Coburg, Ore.-based Monaco Coach Corp., which has significant operations in northern Indiana, is also keeping a close eye on the shortage.

"It's a situation we're looking at pretty closely, and the longer it continues, the more closely we'll have to look at it," Monaco spokesman Mike Duncan said.

Pfalzgraf said that in early December he had predicted the issue would be resolved within several weeks. Now that several weeks have passed, and the problem is still going, he is revising his forecast, now saying full resolution could be months away.

"It's coming slower than we thought it would be," he said.

Rockford, Ill.-based Atwood is one of three companies that produce ovens for the RV industry, Pfalzgraf said, and all three rely on the same company, Harper-Wyman of Chattanooga, Tenn., to supply the valve. Harper-Wyman, Pfalzgraf added, is the only domestic supplier for this part.

Attempts to reach an official with Harper-Wyman parent company Appliance Controls Group were unsuccessful.

The shortage, Pfalzgraf said, began in August and is tied in part to a shift in production of the valve from a plant in Illinois to Chattanooga.

Currently, the industry needs about 1,200 valves each day to keep up with demand, Pfalzgraf said, and in the months of March, April, May and June it will need about 1,500 valves. But lately only about 500 valves have been available daily.

Pfalzgraf said Atwood began feeling the crunch in October. Because of the component shortage, oven production at Atwood's plant in Greenbrier, Tenn., has slowed to a crawl.

"We're running the manufacturing facility from day to day and hand to mouth," he said.

Meanwhile, RV manufacturers are working to accommodate dealers and customers affected by the shortage.

"We are managing the situation by making sure that all wholesale and retail sold orders receive first priority for completion when the parts become available," Coachmen Chairwoman and Chief Executive Claire Skinner said in a statement last month. "Further, we have substituted microwave or convection ovens where possible and are offering an 'oven-delete' option as well."

Johnson said Jayco is providing credits so customers can claim ovens when they are available. The RVs are constructed so ovens can be retrofitted easily, he added.

The RV industry, which has been red-hot the past couple of years, continues to thrive, so the shortage may be felt more acutely.

"It's very poor timing," Johnson said. "It would be worse if it were going on in April, but it would be better going on in October."

Still, the components shortage shouldn't thwart the success of the industry, he added.

"It's been strong and seems to be getting stronger," Johnson said. "This shouldn't put too big a damper on it."

Staff writer Ashley McCall:

[email protected]

(574) 235-64675


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## mjwencl (Feb 25, 2004)

Anyone heard what the current status is on this?

We were told about a 3 to 4 weeks ago that this problem would be fixed soon and ovens would once again be installed.

Thanks!


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## packerbacker (Mar 14, 2004)

We were told just yesterday that it should be about 1-2 weeks for the stoves to be ovens to be done. Since we are in Alaska, it would be more like 3 weeks since they need to get them here. My dealer said my TT was not priced with the oven in place...........well, we will see. We are going to wait to get an oven, no matter what. The dealer said he would sell to us at cost.......hmmmm.


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## TheHillzoBunch (Mar 17, 2004)

I guess we're really lucky...when our trailer came into the dealership a few weeks ago, the service guy was genuinely surprised it had an oven in it. We hadn't even asked for one because our salesman said it wouldn't come with one! Just the luck of the draw, I guess!


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## hatcityhosehauler (Feb 13, 2004)

Dealer called me on Friday to let me know ours just arrived on the lot. I asked her about the oven, she said she thinks it might be there. I'll know for sure on Tuesday. We go down to look it over on Tuesday, so my wife can decide if she likes the Desert Rose or not (we did not order it, it is dealer stock) and if so, we are scheduled to take delivery on the Monday after Easter.

The dealer did mention that about 50% are now coming in with ovens, and what hasn't had an oven has had a convection/microwave.

Tim


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