Focus on demand: Recreational vehicles as a bellwether for consumer spending

Although not large by overall industry metrics, the recreational vehicle (RV) market is a barometer of consumer sentiment for discretional durable goods. The RV sector also has critical importance to regional extruders in the Indiana-Michigan-Ohio area and California.

Historically, shipments of aluminum extruded products represent about 1%-1.5% of total industry shipments and about 4.75%-5% of shipments to the transportation sector, according to the Aluminum Association. That translates to about 35 million-40 million pounds/year.