RVBusiness, March/April 2019

Inaugural RVBusiness RISE Awards Fete Supplier Excellence Innovation Truma Corp Xantrex earn top honors in new program intended to recognize innovation and supplier excellence Nearly 70 products were nominated by their suppliers for evaluation by an independent panel of judges A n RV furnace that in the words of an independent judging panel revolutionizes the process of heating recreation vehicles and a battery system that pushes the envelope on RV power were the overall winners of the inaugural RVBusiness RISE Recognizing Innovation Supplier Excellence Awards program which sought to honor the best and most innovative new products marketed by RV industry component suppliers for the 2019 model year The panel of judges deemed the VarioHeat by Truma Corp and the FREEDOM eGEN Lithium Ion System by Xantrex as the top products released in the Aftermarket and OEM categories respectively Along with the eight other finalists four in each category Truma and Xantrex were recognized for their achievements during the 2019 RV Industry Awards ceremony at RVX The RV Experience hosted by the RV Industry Association RVIA on March 14 in Salt Lake City Utah RVBusiness Editor Bruce Hampson who oversaw the program along with Managing Editor Rick Kessler said RVB developed the RISE Awards because we felt the innovations by the supplier companies needed to be recognized and honored for helping to move the industry forward You could argue that its the components in an RV that drive innovation just as much as if not more than anything else so those components and the suppliers who make them deserve to be celebrated Its basically spelled out in what RISE stands for Recognizing Innovation 36 RVBusiness M A R C H A P R I L 2 0 1 9 Supplier Excellence added Kessler noting that they were pleasantly overwhelmed with the amount of participation given it was the programs first year Suppliers were free to submit up to three products after which judges assessed the merits of nearly 70 entries as part of their independent deliberations Evaluations were based on innovation functionality customer acceptance competitive impact performance measures and other criteria To be sure there is no shortage of innovation going on by suppliers Time and again judges told RVBusiness of the difficulty in making their selections as there were many products among the 70 entries that offered genuine innovation a demonstrated impact on the market and an obvious enhancement to the RV lifestyle Sure theres certainly competitive reasons for developing newer better faster products but without this innovation without meeting head on this challenge to come up with something that makes RVing a better experience then all were really doing is treading water as an industry said Kessler In addition RVB Publisher Sherman Goldenberg expressed his gratitude for the judges who volunteered their time and the supplier companies who participated in the program It is to be expected that there would be some disappointment in not being a finalist but we hope those companies take some comfort in knowing they are among excellent competition and would continue to participate in next years RISE Awards program Goldenberg said BY THE RVBUSINESS STAFF