Coachman Caravans

Last updated

Coachman Caravans
Company type Private
Founded1986
FounderJim Hibbs & George Kemp
Headquarters
Kingston upon Hull
,
United Kingdom
Number of locations
United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, China and South Korea.
Key people
Jim Hibbs
Products Caravans
Number of employees
167
Parent Kabe AB
Website https://www.coachman.co.uk/

Coachman Caravans Company Limited was set up in 1986 on a green-field site at its current manufacturing base on the Sutton Fields Industrial Estate in Hull. The company was set up to produce touring caravans, vehicles equipped for living in, typically towed by a car and used for holidays [1] and also known as a travel trailer in the United States. [2]

The company was founded by Jim Hibbs and George Kemp, [3] [4] two former directors of a leading motorhome manufacturer. [5] Coachman also recently appointed a new managing director, Martin Henderson, former Sales and marketing director at The Explorer Group. [6] [7]

In the summer of 1997, the company was taken over by the Explorer Group Limited of Consett in County Durham. Under the new ownership the company's fortunes flourished and the directors organised a management buy-out in the Autumn of 2001, returning the Company into the ownership of four Hull families. [8]

In 2013, Coachman Caravans ventured into exporting caravans to Australia and New Zealand. [9] In 1994, the company exported to the Benelux countries of the Netherlands and Belgium.

Coachman Caravans has a formal apprenticeship programme, where they are keen to pass skills down to the next generation. [10] [11] [12]

Coachman was successful in Caravan's 2013 awards and won three awards including the Caravan of the Year for the Coachman Pastiche 525/4. [13]

In 2014 and 2015 the company won more awards from both Practical Caravan and Caravan Awards including the "Best Family Caravan" for two years in a row. [14] [15] Following on from this success with their 2016 season collection Coachman has won 4 awards from The Caravan Design Awards and "Best Mid Range" from Scottish Caravanner. [16] [17]

In July 2018, the Swedish caravan manufacturer KABE AB acquired 21.5% of Coachman. On 19 February 2021, KABE AB acquired the remaining 78.5% shares of the company. [18]

Coachman returned bigger and better than ever in 2024, working with many established motorhome brands, they produced their very first A-Class motorhome. The Travel Master Imperial range is the epitome of home-style living.

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References

  1. ↑ "caravan". Oxford Dictionaries. Archived from the original on 1 November 2012. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
  2. ↑ Fielding, James (2007). Made in Britain : a look at quintessentially British companies (Illustrated ed.). Chichester: Summersdale. pp. 238–240. ISBN   978-1-84024-605-6.
  3. ↑ "Coachman Caravans". Caravan Times. Retrieved 14 December 2015.
  4. ↑ "Coachman Caravans". Crusader. Retrieved 14 December 2015.
  5. ↑ "Coachman sees increasing signs of optimism in the caravan industry". The Yorkshire Post. Retrieved 17 August 2010.
  6. ↑ "New appointments at Elddis and Coachman". Practical Caravan. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
  7. ↑ "Coachman Caravan and The Explorer Group announce staff changes". Caravan Times. Retrieved 14 December 2015.
  8. ↑ "Trade Secrets - Behind the scenes of Coachman caravans" (PDF). Practical Caravan. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  9. ↑ "Caravan firm taking a chance down under". Hull Daily Mail. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 22 May 2013.
  10. ↑ "Local apprentices gain full time roles at Coachman Caravans". Hull Bondholders. Archived from the original on 28 October 2011. Retrieved 22 November 2011.
  11. ↑ Fielding, James (2007). Made in Britain : a look at quintessentially British companies (Illustrated ed.). Chichester: Summersdale. p. 240. ISBN   978-1-84024-605-6.
  12. ↑ "Caravan firm hopes to add to awards". Hull Daily Mail. Archived from the original on 8 April 2015. Retrieved 11 June 2008.
  13. ↑ "Caravan Awards 2013 – the winners". Out and About Live. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  14. ↑ "Coachman scoops four awards at The Caravan Club Design Awards". Caravan Times. Retrieved 26 October 2015.
  15. ↑ "The Caravan Awards 2014 – Best Family Caravan Over £15,500". Out and About Live. Retrieved 23 November 2015.
  16. ↑ "Coachman Vision scoops Scottish Caravanner's award". Carvan Times. Retrieved 29 October 2015.
  17. ↑ "Caravan Design Awards 2016 - All Class Winners". The Caravan Club. Retrieved 14 December 2015.
  18. ↑ "KABE Group AB acquires British caravan manufacturer, Coachman" . Retrieved 1 March 2021.
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