F ace to face with ROY CARTER
Intercontinental growth Long an RV industry powerhouse as a leading supplier to OEMs, Lippert Components Inc embarks on an ambitious business diversification strategy that aims to develop a global network. AboutCampBtoB speaks with SVP of Aftermarket Strategy, Roy Carter, on what the future holds Words Craig Ritchie
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oy Carter joined Lippert Components Inc in 2018 as VP of Global Aftermarket and Customer Support, bringing extensive sales and executive management experience to the role – most recently as managing director at Prima Leisure. Aboutcamp BtoB: If we look across the globe, are there any specific geographies or opportunities that appeal as key priorities right now? Roy Carter: We’re interested in a number of new markets, or markets that are new for us, I suppose. One emerging market for our aftermarket business is in Australia and New Zealand. We already enjoy a close working relationship with a number of the OEs there, and we partner with Coast to Coast, as they’re the major player for aftermarket there, both in terms of spares and accessories. Australia and New Zealand are of great interest to us because they’re strong, stable economies, there is a significant market, and there is, we feel, a substantial growth opportunity. We’re also looking very closely at opportunities in South Africa, which is another region with a strong, stable economy and a significant potential market. We look at potential global markets strategically, and we closely examine socio-economic trends. In other words, what does the world look like between 2035 and 2050? Let’s consider Asia in that light. Given that two thirds of the world’s population live in Asia, what happens as those economies grow, and those two thirds of the world’s population begin to develop substantial middle-class incomes and spending power? What do they do with that new income, and how do they spend their leisure time? In considering potential markets for growing our aftermarket business, we consider all of these dynamics in order to prioritize the opportunities ahead. Aboutcamp BtoB: Logistics have become a challenge for
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