Thor Industries Acquires Tiffin Motorhomes

While the end of the calendar year tends to be a quiet time for RV enthusiasts — the first winter RV shows filled with new-model-year products are still weeks or months away — the same can’t be said for the industry. Manufacturers work through the winter to build units for dealer displays and stores in anticipation of show sales and spring visitors.

Thor Industries ratcheted up this anticipation in a big way on Dec. 21, when the Elkhart, Ind.-based builder announced it had acquired Tiffin Motorhomes. 
 
Renowned for its quality and customer service, Tiffin was founded in Red Bay, Ala., in 1972 by Bob Tiffin and had remained a family-owned manufacturer. Primarily a builder of both gas and diesel Class A motorhomes, the company entered the Class C coach market a few years ago. More recently, the company also added a separate division, Vanleigh RV, that focuses on fifth-wheel models.
 
While Thor is primarily a towable manufacturer — its subsidiaries include Keystone RV, KZ RV, Heartland RV and many others — the acquisition increases the company’s footprint in the motorized RV segment. It joins Thor Motor Coach, which manufactures vehicles in all motorized classes, and Airstream Inc., which builds both travel trailers and Class B motorhomes.
 
Tiffin will continue to be managed by the company’s existing executive team, a group that includes Bob Tiffin and his sons, Tim and Van. A grandson, Leigh Tiffin, works at the company’s Vanleigh RV division.