COVID-19 and the global supply chain issues caught many automakers unprepared and left them having difficulties going forward. The entire automotive industry is experiencing unprecedented hassles producing and delivering vehicles, and it seems that the same can be said about the recreational vehicle (RV) sector, too. We are now sad to report that one of the most recognizable names in the RV industry is no longer active.
RV Travel reports that longtime RV builder Lazy Daze closed its operations a few months ago. There’s no official announcement from the company, though its official website is no longer working. The publication even reached out to Lazy Daze for more information but its phones “went from unanswered to unworking.” RV Travel, however, managed to contact Lazy Daze’s service manager.
Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to provide more detailed information but at least, Todd Miller confirmed the company is currently not operational. “Sorry, but the owners’ situation is not conducive to giving any interviews or information on the closing.” The reasons for the closing, however, remain a mystery for now.
Different theories were discussed on Facebook groups for Lazy Daze, obviously, none of them were based on actual facts. To us, the most credible suggestion seems to be the pandemic and following supply line issues making it impossible for the company to continue its existence. Some said on social media the RV manufacturer couldn’t get its hands on enough chassis assemblies to continue with the production, which also sounds plausible.
Whatever the case is, we know the RV sector is currently exploding and a lack of customer demand is likely not the reason for Lazy Daze’s stop of operation. For example, in April this year, Winnebago, one of the industry’s largest manufacturers, announced it has a $4.37 billion backlog. This backlog includes all accepted orders from dealers which generally have been requested to be shipped within the next six months.
As a final note, Lazy Daze was known on the market for its very high quality of campers and RVs. The company started its life as a side project of two high school shop teachers, Paul Newton and Harold Hamm, who experimented with a camper van on their own back in the mid-1950s.
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