Lance bought out by REV GROUP

[goducks10]

Hmm. Could be good I suppose. Looks like business as usual. Sad that another smaller MFG is now bought out.
http://www.rvbusiness.com/2018/01/rev-enters-towable-sector-with-lance-acquisition/

[rbpru]

Every manufacturers uses the technology they feel comfortable with. If the Lance vent is as good as they say, it will be across the industry shortly. They all use the same suppliers.

It speaks well of Lance that the push innovation.

[FrankShore]

xyzHollyxyz wrote:

FrankShore wrote:
Yes, the roofs have been crowned for awhile now, and they've also moved from TPO to PVC for the roofing material.

I think this will be a great move by REV Group and Lance, both!

Crowned on the 1475?

I don't think so. Nor on the 1575. They're not walkable roofs. Lance does employ a clamping design to attach vents and skylights, that equals no drilling.

Link To Video Of Roof Clamping.

[xyzHollyxyz]

FrankShore wrote:
Yes, the roofs have been crowned for awhile now, and they've also moved from TPO to PVC for the roofing material.

I think this will be a great move by REV Group and Lance, both!

Crowned on the 1475?

[rbpru]

Lance's niche in the market is a better quality TT without a Airstream price.

If they loose that reputation, they become just another player in a crowded field. If they use the new capitol to expand that reputation, they are doing what everyone on this board wants; putting a higher quality TT on the market in significant numbers.

Higher quality will always command more money, increasing production volume reduces that money gap.

Time and the market will tell.

[gmw_photos]

I am retired from a 40 year career at a major ( $4B ) corporation. During that time we acquired ( and subsequently sold a few ) numerous smaller companies.

One thing I can tell you for sure: when there are takeovers like this, the one thing you can count on for absolute sure is that change is going to take place.
Change is coming to Lance. Maybe for the better, maybe for the worse, but change is gonna happen.

[FrankShore]

Nothing is going to happen to Lance. They will retain all their manufacturing in Lancaster, CA - perhaps REV might build Lance a factory in Indiana, to become a distribution center for the midwest, which is fine with me.

[Ralph_Cramden]

Atlee wrote:
Pretty sure this trailer was under design before the REV group bought them out. The REV group purchase a recent thing, right?

But that still doesn't explain why Lance prices their trailers as if they are an Airstream.

Airstreams are totally over priced, and it seems like Lances are also.

All one needs to do is read the press release. "The acquisition allows REV Group to "meaningfully enter" the 10 billion dollar RV towable market".

To meaningfully enter the market of which Thor and Forest River control about 85% of +/-, you have to compete with them.

I expect REV to use the Lance name and reputation for maximum effect, by placing it on a lot of lower priced products and everyone knows how you get to lower priced products.

Sadly, I think Lance just went from a company who focused on building an arguably better product while making money, to one whose main concern will be the by product of making RV's, which is making money.

[FrankShore]

2012Coleman wrote:

AAV8R wrote:
The new ones are crowned. Just bought one.

Are they ducting the AC now as well?

Lance will not be ducted A/C.

Look at Specs on the Lance 2612

Floor Length 26'6"
Overall Length 31'11"
Exterior Width 102"
Interior Height 96"
Cargo Length 12' 2"

And the Largest Travel Trailer 2375:

Floor Length 23'6"
Overall Length 28'0"
Exterior Width 96-3/4"
Exterior Height 122"
Interior Height 78"

Why would a person need ducting A/C on such small units?

[avoidcrowds]

"totally over priced, and it seems like Lances are also"

That depends on what someone is looking for. Not in the market for a 1475, I can't say that it fits someone's needs, but plenty of Lance owners felt it fit theirs.

I started looking at Coachmen Apex trailers, but ruled them out when I saw the small water capacity.

Then looked at Freedom Express, with "four-season equivalent" package. Compared it with Lance 1995, since both were well-within my TV rating. Lance, though, had more windows, deeper slide, more water capacity, and true 4-season capability. Lance also had factory solar, and other attributes that the Freedom Express didn't have. Outdoor RV models were much heavier than either of these trailers.

If I had a larger TV, maybe I would have considered the heavier Outdoor RV, but I didn't have higher tow capacity, so, for us, the Lance made both of us happy, and fit within the ratings of our TV. Neither of the other finalists were anywhere close to meeting our desires for a new TT.

So, for us, the Lance made sense. I have not had a lick of trouble with the Lance, so it seems like it is well-built. It has kept us happy for over 30 nights last year (purchased in March). No regrets going with the Lance.

Others have different needs, so a Lance may not be for you. But, like Airstreams, not every trailer is for everyone. I wouldn't want a less-expensive trailer that was not true 4-season, or heavier, or smaller, or whatever. Do I bash those that don't fit my needs? No. You don't have to like what suits me, nor vice-versa. Why does everyting have to make you happy to be a worthwhile product?

[Atlee]

Pretty sure this trailer was under design before the REV group bought them out. The REV group purchase a recent thing, right?

But that still doesn't explain why Lance prices their trailers as if they are an Airstream.

Airstreams are totally over priced, and it seems like Lances are also.

Ralph Cramden wrote:

Atlee wrote:
Who does Lance think they are, Airstream?

The smallest Lance trailer was featured in the Feb 2018 edition of Trailer Life magazine. The MSRP was $26,404 and as tested $33,114. It only had 130# of cargo capacity after a full load of water, and propane.

It weighed 3,520# which included full water and full propane only.
The GAWR is 3500#, and GVWR is 3700. FW is 26 gal including 6 in WH, Gray tank of 26 gal, and black tank of 22 gal. Total length is 19'6" with living area about 14.5'. And being that small it has a flat roof.

This trailer smacks of being over priced in the grand tradition of Airstream Bambi.

rbpru wrote:
For those of us that remember Woolworths, Kreskeis, Giant, Montgomery Wards and a host of others and have seen the rise and fall of K-Mart, Sears etc. Change is change neither inherently good

I hope the Lance can keep the up scale edge they acquired.

Hence what happens when a privately held company is acquired by a publicly traded one. The focus usually shifts from keeping customers happy over to keeping investors happy. It's not a totally bad thing but there are only so many ways to accomplish that. One, in the case of Lance who has a miniscule market share, is to increase sales. It's hard to increase sales when your pricing is a lot higher than the other guys products holding the market share, FR and Thor. To increase sales you lower price and to lower the price something has to give, or they take the chance of pissing off the investors. The thing that usually gives way is quality of the product.

Another way is to maintain profitability using the current model. That's hard to do when investors and the board of directors is calling for more profits, and that always happens.

[Ralph_Cramden]

Atlee wrote:
Who does Lance think they are, Airstream?

The smallest Lance trailer was featured in the Feb 2018 edition of Trailer Life magazine. The MSRP was $26,404 and as tested $33,114. It only had 130# of cargo capacity after a full load of water, and propane.

It weighed 3,520# which included full water and full propane only.
The GAWR is 3500#, and GVWR is 3700. FW is 26 gal including 6 in WH, Gray tank of 26 gal, and black tank of 22 gal. Total length is 19'6" with living area about 14.5'. And being that small it has a flat roof.

This trailer smacks of being over priced in the grand tradition of Airstream Bambi.

rbpru wrote:
For those of us that remember Woolworths, Kreskeis, Giant, Montgomery Wards and a host of others and have seen the rise and fall of K-Mart, Sears etc. Change is change neither inherently good

I hope the Lance can keep the up scale edge they acquired.

Hence what happens when a privately held company is acquired by a publicly traded one. The focus usually shifts from keeping customers happy over to keeping investors happy. It's not a totally bad thing but there are only so many ways to accomplish that. One, in the case of Lance who has a miniscule market share, is to increase sales. It's hard to increase sales when your pricing is a lot higher than the other guys products holding the market share, FR and Thor. To increase sales you lower price and to lower the price something has to give, or they take the chance of pissing off the investors. The thing that usually gives way is quality of the product.

Another way is to maintain profitability using the current model. That's hard to do when investors and the board of directors is calling for more profits, and that always happens.

[Atlee]

Who does Lance think they are, Airstream?

The smallest Lance trailer was featured in the Feb 2018 edition of Trailer Life magazine. The MSRP was $26,404 and as tested $33,114. It only had 130# of cargo capacity after a full load of water, and propane.

It weighed 3,520# which included full water and full propane only.
The GAWR is 3500#, and GVWR is 3700. FW is 26 gal including 6 in WH, Gray tank of 26 gal, and black tank of 22 gal. Total length is 19'6" with living area about 14.5'. And being that small it has a flat roof.

This trailer smacks of being over priced in the grand tradition of Airstream Bambi.

rbpru wrote:
For those of us that remember Woolworths, Kreskeis, Giant, Montgomery Wards and a host of others and have seen the rise and fall of K-Mart, Sears etc. Change is change neither inherently good

I hope the Lance can keep the up scale edge they acquired.

[Vulcanmars]

I've worked on their fire, ambulance, and bus products for several years, they make a good product. I suspect they will not cheapen the Lance product line.

[rbpru]

For those of us that remember Woolworths, Kreskeis, Giant, Montgomery Wards and a host of others and have seen the rise and fall of K-Mart, Sears etc. Change is change neither inherently good

I hope the Lance can keep the up scale edge they acquired.