Dealer Unit Allocations

(L to R) Newmar’s John Sammut spends a minute on the show floor with Bish’s RV General Manager Terry Muir. Newmar informed dealers they would be allocated RVs at levels lower than 2021 deliveries.

Newmar leaders informed dealers about 2023 model year allocations at its dealer event.

By RV News Staff | Photos by Mario Ramirez Photography

John Sammut, Newmar’s vice president of sales and marketing, addressed the elephant in the room at the start of Newmar’s dealer meeting. He told dealers despite massive ongoing infrastructure improvements, the company could not build every RV dealers requested in 2021 due to various global issues.

He said unwelcome manufacturing constraints continue, forcing Newmar to maintain a unit allocation strategy for the 2023 model year. Each attendee learned how many vehicles they could order at the show to ensure a reliable delivery.

Although fewer RVs would be allocated than what dealers received last year, Sammut said, Newmar expects to deliver closer to the forecasted allocation numbers attendees received.

“The allocation number you will be provided by your account manager represents approximately half of your available units, once we begin 2023 model year production, or approximately 24 weeks,” Sammut said. “This is the best-case scenario based on the information available today. You should know,

Everyone here wants more, sure, but everyone here by now understands the restrictions everyone has been placed under.”

however, that there are still many variables outside of our control and circumstances could change.”

He said Newmar emphatically wants to build as many RVs as dealers desire as soon as possible, and efforts continue to do so. He thanked the representatives for their patience and understanding.

“Allocation conversations have been all very positive, and the dealers really do like this format for our dealer meeting and new model introduction,” Sammut said.

Chris McKee, inventory manager of The Hitch House in Canada, said meetings with account managers were polite.

“Everyone here wants more, sure, but everyone here by now understands the restrictions everyone has been placed under,” he said.

“Newmar has probably handled it in one of the best ways possible by attempting to under promise and over deliver this year.”

Sammut said dealers wrote about half their first-half orders at the dealer meeting, with the remaining orders arriving by the end of May.

“There is a sense of urgency,” he said. “They want to get those orders in so they can secure their production slots in a positive fashion.”

Midtown RV owner George Stayberg said once he received his allocation number from his account manager, he diligently began creating his order list.

“It is not what we want, but this is today’s layout,” he said. “I am not complaining about it, per se. It is one more thing I know from being here.”

Providing allocation numbers to dealers helps Newmar plan chassis orders and finished vehicle deliveries, Sammut said, while also increasing dealer confidence and helping them plan for the busy selling season.

Although dealers focused on Bay Star, Dutch Star and Essex model lifecycle changes, other motorhomes caught their attention as well.

Dave Simso Sr., owner of Connecticut-based Dave’s RV Center, said he liked the Canyon Star front- engine diesel toy haulers. As a Newmar-exclusive dealer, he immediately placed his order.

“For the last 30 years, and maybe even longer than that, Newmar has been the absolute leading innovator in the entire RV industry,” Simso Sr. said.

National Indoor RV Center owner Brett Davis said the new King Aire 4596 floorplan was impressive. The 4596 includes a walk-in pantry.

“That new floorplan in the King Aire is a beautiful coach,” said Bobby Tackett, National Indoor RV Center’s inventory manager. “I would say the overall look of the King Aire is amazing. The walk-in pantry is very unique. You don’t lose anything. You actually gain a lot.”

Davis added, “Consumers will be impressed by that. Newmar is always very inventive. They are the first with everything.” (L to R) Dave Simso Jr., Pam Simso and Dave Simso Sr. of Dave’s RV Center ordered Canyon Star toy haulers from their Newmar representative, Ryan Burkhart.

(L to R) Campers Inn’s Rick Chynoweth, regional vice president, Midwest Region; and Ben Hirsch, COO, discuss their Newmar orders on the showroom floor.