Tiffin Motorhomes sells to THOR Industries

Tiffin Motorhomes in Red Bay is joining THOR Industries, one of the world’s largest companies for recreational vehicles.

The Tiffin family will continue to run the daily operations of the four facilities – in Red Bay, Belmont, Winfield and Burnsville.

“I think it’s going to be great for us and for our owners,” said Bob Tiffin. “We are going to be doing exactly what we have done in the past and taking care of customers.”

Tiffin said the move under THOR Industries will not change much of the business Tiffin does, but it is anticipated to bring expanded innovation, access to capital for facilities and process improvements and the ability to improve customer service.

“A lot of people think we buy a company and are going to want to start shutting stuff down,” said THOR Industries President and CEO Bob Martin. “That’s not it at all. If anything, we will probably open more, if that is something they want to help them grow.”

Martin said THOR Industries, which is based in Indiana, never anticipated moving business so far from headquarters, but that changed when they saw the northwest Alabama area.

“There’s a great workforce down here, and there’s opportunities to grow, so that was one of the big things we saw as a benefit to coming down here,” Martin said.

Martin said he has a great deal of respect for Tiffin and the legacy he has built, which was one of the things that attracted him to the Tiffin name.

“We buy companies that have strong history, great people, great team members, and we help them achieve their goals,” Martin said. “That is what we do.”

Tiffin said THOR Industries was exactly what he had been looking for – a company that respected how Tiffin did things and would allow them to continue doing the things that built the legacy.

“We are going to keep going to the shows and keep being there for everybody,” Tiffin said. “Lord willing, we will be here for everybody just like we always have.”

The $300 million acquisition was announced in late December.