Lippert Components, Inc., component supplier to the manufactured housing and recreational vehicle industries, is part of a strong industrial growth pattern in Elkhart, Ind, as etruth informs MHProNews. Lippert began as a steel fabricating plant in rural Michigan in the 1950’s, and has been fabricating chassis for manufactured housing since the beginning. It now has 34 plants and 5,300 employees. With the uptick in the RV industry, Elkhart is drawing related industries. Genesis Products, Inc. manufactures wood products primarily for the RV industry, and like Lippert, got its start as a small company ten years ago and now has five facilities. Named the eighth fastest growing privately held manufacturing company in the Inc. 500 ranking in 2007, Genesis intends to expand operations and hire an additional 100 employees by 2015. Lippert is a subsidiary of Drew Industries, Inc. (which recently moved its corporate offices to Elkhart from White Pains, NY) and with it’s sister company, Kinro, Inc. provides doors and windows to the MH and RV industries, and together they both manufacture an extensive line of bathroom fixtures.
