Embracing Certainty

NTP-Stag President Bill Rogers and his staff welcomed attendees to the 2022 Expo in Las Vegas in January.

NTP-Stag Expo President Bill Rogers said the 2022 Expo cultivated relationships and confidence in the year ahead.

By RV News Sta | Photos by Mario Ramirez Photography

Attendees lined the grand hallways and lobby area just outside the NTP-Stag Expo showroom entrance. eir intermittent applause and cheers inspired similar reactions from a distribution sales team eagerly waiting inside the doorway. For Bill Rogers, NTP-Stag president, high attendance and genuine excitement to reconnect in person set the tone for what vendors, dealers and company personnel coined “an outstanding show.” e 2022 NTP-Stag Expo is the RV industry’s largest wholesale buying event. e annual show equips customers with fresh business practices, new tools and su cient inventory to kick o the new year. e event was sponsored by Airxcel at the new Caesars Forum Convention Center in Las Vegas on Jan. 25-26.

e Expo delivered “some welcome certainty in an uncertain world,” Rogers said.

“We are grateful to have an opportunity to get together in a bit more normal of a state compared to last year,” he said. “It is not perfect, but it is certainly more normal.” e ultimate goal, Rogers added, is to bring the supplier/dealer communities together to share in critical business development and relationship building.

Matt Laird, regional aftermarket sales manager at Lippert, said, “It is a tough spot to be in, but NTP-Stag has done a ne job building solid relationships, servicing their dealers and making the right decisions in extremely challenging times. NTP-Stag just continues to step it up each year.”

He noted the praise is especially warranted given unprecedented supply

NTP-Stag just continues to step it up each year.”

– Matt Laird

Attendees rushed to visit exhibitors when the Expo show fl oor opened. As is tradition, NTP-Stag staff greeted attendees walking into the Expo fl oor on the fi rst day.

Attendees gathered at breakfast the last day of the NTP-Stag Expo to hear author and keynote speaker Joey Coleman.

Coleman emphasizes a point in his speech. Coleman told dealers they needed to forge deeper consumer connections to retain their customer base.

Author Corey Perlman told PRO seminar attendees their content should focus on platforms their consumers frequent. Perlman told attendees to use content on their social media sites to fuel consumer engagement.

chain disruptions, ongoing inventory pressure and lengthy government restrictions, which continue to complicate matters across the RV industry.

Training and Education Je Coates, parts manager at Beaver Coach in Bend, Oregon, said while parts/accessories discounts and new product displays are an enticing draw to the Expo, hands-on educational training and supplier relationship building is central, too.

Bryan Fletcher, Valterra’s vice president of sales, echoed the sentiment. He said NTP-Stag’s training o erings were productive. He said new products, technology, merchandising and sales were Valterra’s primary focus during its seminars, especially with so many fresh recruits recently entering the industry.

In addition to supplier-led training, RV University and PRO business development seminars prepared dealers to embrace this year’s underlying theme: evolve or dissolve.

“We are committed to supporting our dealers every step of the way,” Rogers said, challenging dealers to evaluate the customer experience more closely and question how to improve that encounter.

We are grateful to have an opportunity to get together in a bit more normal of a state compared to last year.”

– Bill Rogers

Award-winning speaker and author Joey Coleman gave a keynote address to educate dealers about di erentiating themselves in a dynamic industry. In today’s digital world, Coleman said, dealers must cultivate a deeper personal connection with consumers to retain the increasingly diverse RV customer base. As evidence, he cited how consumer s evolved their purchasing habits during the past two years. He said eCommerce has soared and, as a result, buy-online, pickup-in-store options, such as Parts Via o ers, gained in popularity.

“ e goal is to create a remarkable experience and keep them coming back for more,” he said, stressing how the post-pandemic narrative must shift from the dealer’s desires to each customer’s needs.

Coleman encouraged dealers to meet customers where they are, rather than where retailers expect to nd them. Doing so means retailers must rst experiment with creatively repackaged traditional marketing to provide personalized support, more certainty and more fun.

“If you do not prioritize your customers,” Coleman said, “someone else will.”

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Author and leadership expert Kelly McDonald led one of the two PRO educational seminars.

Valterra Products Vice President of Sales Bryan Fletcher discussed the supplier’s 2022 plans before lunch on the Expo’s opening day.

Corey Perlman, bestselling author and nationally recognized social media expert, returned to the Expo for a second year. For Perlman, marketing content reigns supreme. He spoke on creating and publishing compelling social media content to spark consumer engagement, fuel intense interest and drive results.

Shannon Lindsey of American Family RV in Salem, Virginia, said she found Perlman’s team building advice to be particularly helpful in cultivating employee talent and elevating her team’s passion to new levels.

Bestselling author Kelly McDonald brought this year’s theme full circle. McDonald is considered among the nation’s top experts in leadership, marketing, consumer trends and cultivating the customer experience. She explained how to identify consumers’ core values and tailor one’s messaging/ marketing e orts to re ect those standards across various demographics. She said doing so will de nitively lead to greater sales, pro ts and customer loyalty.

Show Floor Special show pricing and power hours remained staple Expo attractions. Plus, with 100% online ordering available, Rogers said attendees theoretically spent far less time processing orders and more time interacting with suppliers.

Lippert’s Laird said generous product line discounts and show promotions help dealers maximize pro ts in this tough market. With goods/services costs only growing, he said dealers know the time to invest in inventory is now, especially with the many unknowns ahead.

NTP-Stag stepped in to fulfill tens of thousands of warranty orders in 2021.”

– Larry Montante

Dealers rush Valterra Products’ booth to turn in cards and unlock special Power Hour pricing sales.

(R to L) PullRite’s Paul Percival meets with ExploreUSA Supercenter’s Steven Davis at the PullRite booth. Ultra-Fab’s Brian Allred discusses jacks with Anne Wyant, a parts advisor at Rick’s RV.

(L to R) Tyler Ferre, Deven McCann, Jason Binks, Kim Dewsnup, Pat Hunt and Rob Stratton at the Progress Mfg. booth. Kyle Gibson of Route 66 RVs.

As such, Blue Ox representatives said customers appeared “eager to shop and ready to buy.”

For American Family RV, bulk buys at the Expo carry the business through a half year, at minimum. Laird said many dealers followed American Family RV’s purchasing patterns.

“Case in point, dealers are purchasing months out so they can try to avoid shortages,” he said. “ at remains one of the biggest fears among dealers— not having product to sell.”

Spotlight on New Numerous suppliers introduced their latest products at the show. John Foster, parts manager at Motor Sportsland in Salt Lake City, said new product releases are just as valuable as the event’s hot pricing deals.

For instance, three suppliers— Airxcel, Lippert and Husky Towing— serve as an example of the variety of new items unveiled. (L) Dometic’s John Kendall describes the benefi ts of the supplier’s water heaters to a dealer representative.

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(L to R) Mylene Cote, Renaud Paquet and Danielle Marcotte of Location Economique ask Rosie Hirsch about Camp Casual’s camping accessories.

“We are getting a lot of great feedback from customers, as well as a lot of interest and good questions about new Airxcel products,” said Chris Gorski, product marketing director.

Airxcel launched its new Smart Control Center—an advanced interface providing a residential smart thermostat, like Nest, consumers can co-program and use in their RV. e company also debuted a new aftermarket air conditioner SoftStart module. e product reduces the initial power draw spike when air conditioners kick on. Gorski said when a low amperage plug-in or an underpowered generator is used, the air conditioner’s circuit can trip and shut down. Rather than a traditional quick AC startup, the SoftStart module provides a slower ramp-up to lower the power draw and protect circuits from tripping.

“ ink about having to physically push a car,” Gorski said. “Getting it to move those rst four feet is the hardest part until you build momentum, right? e SoftStart module is kind of like that.

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All-electronic ordering returned to the Expo in 2022.

“ is is an easy, easy upsell for dealers,” he said. “Anyone who comes in with a coach that has a Coleman Mach AC would like this product, so it is a good revenue generator for the dealers.”

Laird said buzz at the Lippert booth about its latest products was also promising.

“ e feedback on our lines was fantastic,” he said. “Customers are happy to be here, and their eyes are certainly open to new products.”

Lippert’s Curt brand debuted a new Crosswing fth wheel hitch. e 20,000-pound-rated Crosswing features premium steel construction, a rust-resistant nish and a reinforced head connection point. e product’s simpli ed coupling system o ers a visible contact surface as the head channel guides the kingpin into place. Crosswing provides fore, aft or lateral head articulation when connecting on uneven terrain and three points of height adjustment (16-3/8 inches to 20-3/8 inches) Curt’s ShockDrop shock-absorbing hitch technology and a cushioned isolator help prevent jerking, jarring, vibrating and rattling. e combination provides a smoother towing experience, Laird said. Crosswing’s ultra-lightweight design, strategic grip placement and three-bolt assembly ease installation-product qualities appealing to dealers, he added.

Curt also released new pin boxes and 25,000- to 40,000-pound industry-rated base rails. e base rails accommodate any Curt fth wheel or competitor hitch with industry-standard mounts.

Gahre Scudder, product manager at Husky Towing, said his company intends to improve its legacy products and expand the existing towing line with an emphasis on safety. Husky will ll in portfolio gaps, especially with gooseneck applications.

We are getting a lot of great feedback from customers.”

– Chris Gorski

For example, because many trucks come standard with an OE puck system, Husky developed a new fth wheel wedge. e new product enables a Husky fth wheel hitch to be used with a fth wheel pin box, such as the Reese Sidewinder.

For 2020 (or later) GM 2500/3500 model trucks, the company o ers two other recent products—replacement OEM upright legs and a new industry standard rail (ISR) frame bracket kit.

“ e OEM upright legs assemble with one of the Husky products’ three fth wheel heads, allowing customers to install a fth wheel into a truck that came with a factory puck towing package,” Scudder said. “It eliminates any drilling and provides an easy, custom install.”

He said the ISR fth wheel brackets bolt to the truck’s frame so the ISR can be installed on the truck bed’s surface, thereby permitting fth wheel, gooseneck plates and other accessory use. (R) Tom Manning & Associates sales rep Chris Polley explains Stromberg-Carlson’s product benefi ts to a California dealer representative.

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(L to R) Todd Vice, Derek Dombrowski and Bobby Raatz of Arterra Distribution.

Overlanding New Products NTP-Stag sales personnel said prudent dealers will consider more than merely the items campers require while towing. Rogers said dealers must consider how consumers’ tow vehicles will expand adventures once unhitched. e “RV lifestyle” de nition varies, he said, when applied across the diverse camping community. He stressed crossover market opportunities.

Kayaks, bikes, tools and equipment are not just housed or transported in toy haulers. From cargo management solutions to ancillary o -road-ready gear, a camper’s tow vehicle is a lifestyle carrier, Rogers noted.

In years past, Rhino-Rack outside sales representative Jeremy Sexton said RV dealers seemed hesitant to embrace overlanding’s potential. ese days, however, campsite availability is sparse. He said dealers recognize how customers have embraced alternative camping solutions, such as o -grid recreation. As a result, Sexton said, booth tra c had a noticeable uptick in interest in overlanding products this year.

(L to R) Demco Products’ Brad Van der Pol, Jeremy Drebenstedt, Jeff Johnson, Craig Snider, Mike Strasser, Doug Northcutt, Adam Ross, Kevin Ten Haken and Bob Koerselman.

Rhino-Rack debuted its ReconnDeck Bars, Reconn-Deck with NS Bars and Reconn-Deck with Pioneer Platform. Sexton said the modular truck bed system features lightweight aluminum construction and no-drill installation, making mounting and dismantling more user-friendly. With a xed height of 11 inches and rated at carrying up to 330 pounds, he said the system provides consumers easy access to a range of gear. Bonus security options are available via secure core locks on Vortex and Reconn-Deck bars or accessories. e company also highlighted its all-new Universal Backbone. e patented mounting mechanism allows for a modular, angular adjustment across various toppers and includes a ve-year warranty.

Sexton said another popular item is the Stow It mounting system—a secure carrying solution for shovels, spades, paddles, axes, shing rods and more. He expects new applications to hit the market soon.

Dometic released a few crossover- friendly products as well, including a 12-volt, 8-cubic foot refrigerator. e company also showcased its new CCF-T center console refrigerator. e CCF-T ts into a tow vehicle’s center console and serves as a compressor refrigerator to keep items cold.

Sara Dover, Dometic brand manager, said powered coolers from the company’s CFX3 line expanded into smaller sizes.

New solar-powered products also debuted at the Expo, with Redarc entering the o -grid game alongside Go Power!, Zamp Solar and Samlex. Redarc—known for its DC power supplies, DC to DC chargers, vehicle management systems and electric brake controllers—leaned on its 40 years’ experience to branch into the complementary segment. Redarc displayed new exible solar blankets, portable folding solar panels and permanently xed solar panels, available in 50- to 200-watt capacities and supported by a complete accessory range.

Rogers said crossover market opportunities deliver revenue boosters for retailers during uncertain times. He said crossover product o erings will remain a key focus for NTP-Stag in the year ahead.

Inventory Management Long-term strategies at NTP-Stag remain rmly rooted in strengthening core relationships, from maintaining an open dialogue with suppliers to being a reliable distribution partner to retailers, according to Larry Montante, vice president of category management at NTP-Stag and Keystone Automotive Operations. Right now, he said, the key to being a solid partner is remaining exible and being transparent.

Valterra’s Fletcher said NTP-Stag opened a communication valve with his company during the past 18 months. A regular cadence call with the distributor’s supply chain team ensures Valterra and NTP-Stag identify individual pain points and work through solutions together.

Motor Sportsland’s Foster was a bene ciary of such e orts. He said though coping with industry-wide supply chain setbacks is frustrating for retailers, he can rely on NTP-Stag to deliver available products on time.

Rogers said meeting inventory demand was crucial. In ationary pressure translates to complex business challenges for retailers, he said.

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(L to R) MORryde’s Austin Conrad displays a step system to Primeaux RV’s Stephen Aucoin and Tate Sonnier.

(R to L) Race car driver Amber Balcaen with Icon Technologies General Manager Elroy Martens. Icon sponsors Balcaen’s team in the ARCA racing series.

Beyond cost, raw material shortages and backlogged supplier SKUs, the distributor monitors and responds to challenges as best it can. Rogers does not foresee prices decreasing any time soon. He said stocking up guarantees inventory is immediately on hand to service customers.

As such, last summer NTP-Stag started building up and rounding out its inventory to accommodate customers at showtime.

“Keeping purchase orders launched at the same volume, whether the supply chain is cooperating or resources are available or not, shows they want that rst order,” Laird said. “NTP-Stag positions itself to be the rst one ful lled, so they will be the rst one to market.”

Warranty Fulfillment According to Montante, the distributor is making signi cant headway in its warranty ful llment program, alongside OEM partners such as

Tom Manning & Associates rep Chad Johnson leads a session on Marshall Excelsior products. Airxcel’s Andy Miksell leads an RV University educational session.

(L to R) Curt Group’s Matt Laird and Will Jarrett talk to attendees. Xantrex’s Brandon Mantz.

Grand Design RV, Jayco, Heartland RV, Winnebago Towables, Airxcel’s Coleman-Mach and more.

With OE inventory on hand and next-day delivery, he said NTP-Stag serves as a critical link between the OEMs responsible for approving a warranty claim and the dealers trying to get their customers back on the road.

“NTP-Stag stepped in to ful ll tens of thousands of warranty orders in 2021, e ectively turning a bad situation into a good touchpoint for dealers,” said Montante, who pointed to reducing Repair Event Cycle Time (RECT) as an industry-wide initiative.

Marine Products NTP-Stag continues to invest in adjacent markets and new product categories. As a result, customers bene t from greater access to aftermarket parts and accessories, Rogers said, plus the ability to diversify their businesses.

For example, the distributor went full throttle in the marine segment by adding more than 17,000 new SKUs last year. Since acquiring SeaWide Marine, a North American marine electronic and electrical product distributor, Montante said the company nearly tripled its inventory and expanded its customer reach.

“ ere is so much opportunity within marine,” Rogers said. “Whereas you have a few main OEMs in RV, you have hundreds on the marine side, and there are huge bene ts for them to partner with us.”

Facility Expansion In March, NTP-Stag parent company LKQ Corp. broke ground on a new 200,000-square-foot warehouse in Orlando, Florida. Rogers said southeast expansion relieves pressure o the neighboring Austell, Georgia, facility and allows the company to better serve current shipping routes.

As NTP-increases its marine program, the Orlando warehouse is strategically well-positioned between coastlines, he said. Going forward, Rogers and Montante agreed that the goal is not only to physically expand but also to evolve. Doing so, they said, ensures NTP-Stag will be a pillar of strength in uncertain times.

The feedback on our lines was fantastic. Customers are happy to be here, and their eyes are certainly open to new products.”

– Matt Laird

Attendees were welcomed onto the turf at Allegiant Stadium, home of the Las Vegas Raiders, for the closing reception. The reception was sponsored by Dometic.

Pop40 entertained attendees at the reception, led by (front, L to R) singers Lily Arce and Fletch Walcott. Attendees tried their hand at a 15-yard fi eld goal or throwing footballs into pocketed targets.

(L to R) Colman’s Country Campers’ Jamie McLaughlin, Elizabeth Campbell and Jessica Grace played oversized beer pong during the reception. (L to R) Brent Shepherd, Thomas Shepherd, Trudy Shepherd, Ron Shepherd, Derek Weaver and Bill Rogers.