Hymer Aktiv Displayed At New York Show
The Hymer Aktiv, a Type B motorhome from Erwin Hymer Group North America, made its North American debut at the New York International Auto Show in late March and early April.
The motorhome is built on the Ram ProMaster chassis. According to an Erwin Hymer press release, after extensive market research the Hymer Aktiv was redesigned to meet the needs of North American consumers, yet it retains Hymer brand innovations from Europe. The motorhome offers a full galley, an entertainment system, ample interior storage, a queen-size bed, and a full bathroom with shower.
Erwin Hymer Group, based in Germany, acquired Roadtrek Motorhomes Inc. in February 2016. For more information, visit www.hymer-usa.com.
Mobile App Customizes Exercise Routines
A new mobile app focused on fitness may help motorhomers to adopt an exercise routine while traveling.
Sworkit (an abbreviated form of Simply Work It) was created by former military personnel. Users can customize their workouts or follow preset routines. The app’s library of more than 170 exercises — including verbal instructions and video demonstrations — can be assembled into a workout much like one would arrange a music playlist. Routines range from five minutes to more than 60 minutes.
The basic version of Sworkit is free and available for download on iOS and Android. It can be upgraded to Sworkit Pro for a fee. For more information visit www.sworkit.com.
Free Guide Focuses On National Parks
With record crowds expected as the National Park Service celebrates its centennial in 2016, National Parks Traveler has published its spring 2016 Essential Park Guide, which includes some strategies for avoiding the most heavily trafficked sites.
For example, rather than a visit to immensely popular Yellowstone National Park, the guide suggests a stop at northern California’s Lassen Volcanic National Park, which saw fewer than a half million visitors in 2015. And instead of a trip to the Blue Ridge Parkway, which had more than 15 million visitors last year, travelers can head a bit farther south to the Natchez Trace Parkway, where visitation was 5.8 million in 2015.
Essential Park Guide is available for free by visiting www.nationalparkstraveler.com. Travelers can order a full-color print guide ($10.95), or download a digital version ($1.99) to store on a computer or tablet. National Parks Traveler, an online magazine, is published by National Park Advocates LLC and is not affiliated with the National Park Service.
REV Group Constructs More Service Centers
REV Group Inc., manufacturer of Fleetwood, American Coach, Holiday Rambler, and Monaco motorhomes, has opened a third regional technical center and has secured a fourth location as part of the company’s plan to expand its customer-service operations. Each service center features REV aftermarket parts and can accommodate any of the company’s 23 specialty vehicle brands.
The newest technical center, the REV Southern Regional Center in Alvarado, Texas, has a 12-bay service facility with a staff of technicians certified by Recreation Vehicle Industry Association. The 35,000-square-foot facility also includes a 55-foot paint booth for collision repair. The 12-acre location offers campsites with water and 50-amp hookups for REV customers, as well as a customer lounge with a coffee bar and free Wi-Fi. The center is about 20 minutes south of Fort Worth at 5201 S. Interstate 35 W., Alvarado, TX 76009. For more information, call (800) 299-1158.
REV also has purchased 11.3 acres for a new Southwest REV Technical Center in Mesquite, Nevada, 85 miles northeast of Las Vegas on the Interstate 15 corridor. Campsites also are planned for that service center, which is scheduled to open in 2017.
The new regional technical centers join two other REV facilities — the East Coast REV Technical Center (1420 Patterson St., Decatur, IN 46733; 800-509-3417) and the West Coast REV Technical Center (91186 N. Coburg Industrial Way, Coburg, OR 97408; 877-466-6226). The Indiana center is the largest at 84,800 square feet; 49 paved campsites are expected to be available by September 2016.
More regional locations are being planned, according to company officials.
Rubber Products Manufacturer Enters RV Market
North Carolina-based Steele Rubber Products, which designs and manufactures rubber parts and weather stripping for a variety of vehicles, has broadened its focus to include RVs. The company’s catalog and website include rubber replacement parts for a motorhome’s compartment doors, entry door, sliding glass, drip rails, slideouts, and more.
“We already have quite a few RV customers coming to us for our universal seals, but now we are excited to have specific parts for their RVs,” said Joanna Shere, Steele vice president. The company is working on instructional videos to help do-it-yourselfers with installation projects.
For more information or to request a catalog, visit www.steelerubber.com/RV or call (800) 230-8101.
Thor Motor Coach Expands Production Capacity
Thor Industries Inc. has purchased a 128,000-square-foot production facility in Bristol, Indiana, to increase production of Type C motorhomes at its Thor Motor Coach subsidiary. The facility, on 18 acres, is within a few miles of Thor Motor Coach’s main Elkhart production complex.
Jeff Kime, Thor Motor Coach president, said the company will use the facility to establish a dedicated production line for its Quantum line of Type C motorhomes, which was introduced this past fall. That will free up additional capacity on the Elkhart campus so that production of other Type C motorhome lines can be increased, he said.
Bob Martin, Thor Industries president and CEO, said the company continues to see a shift in the market from higher-end Type A motorhomes to smaller Type A gas and Type C motorhomes. Thor Motor Coach introduced the largest number of new motorhomes in the company’s history at its annual open house in September 2015, with a focus on the highest-volume areas of the market.
For more information, visit www.thormotorcoach.com or call (877) 855-2867.
Hymer Aktiv Displayed At New York Show
The Hymer Aktiv, a Type B motorhome from Erwin Hymer Group North America, made its North American debut at the New York International Auto Show in late March and early April.