Tourism Holdings Limited (thl) has confirmed it will close its Brisbane RV manufacturing facility later this year, a move that will see approximately 110 Australian jobs lost and all production transferred to New Zealand.
The announcement came on the back of Zone RV entering administration and the loss of 250 jobs in southern Queensland.
The ASX- and NZX-listed company is the largest commercial RV rental operator in the world, operating brands Maui, Britz, Apollo, Mighty, Hippie and Cheapa Campa across Australia and New Zealand. thl became the owner of the Brisbane factory after acquiring Apollo in 2022.
The 20,000sq m site has been a major part of Australia’s RV manufacturing landscape for years, turning out thousands of rental and retail motorhomes and caravans, most with familiar brand names including Talvor, Winnebago, Coromal and Windsor.
Following what it described as a comprehensive review, thl said the factory will close on 19 December 2025, with manufacturing shifting to Action Manufacturing in Hamilton, New Zealand.
Around 110 frontline and support roles in Australia are expected to be affected by the decision.
Chief executive officer Grant Webster said the closure reflects a “sustained downturn in the broader Australian RV manufacturing industry, the recent consolidation of thl’s dealership footprint as part of the Australian retail strategic initiative, and the fact that thl has completed a significant part of its Australasian fleet regrowth program.”
Local production of heritage RV brands such as Apollo has concluded with thl shift to NZ
The Brisbane closure follows the shutdown of thl’s Sydney Apollo RV Super Centre and Brisbane Kratzmann RV Super Centre dealerships, which the company attributed to “ongoing challenges within the Australian RV retail sector”.
Webster acknowledged the serious impact the shutdown will have on staff, particularly those in support roles.
While some frontline roles are expected to be replaced in New Zealand as production ramps up in 2026, the bulk of support positions will not be replicated and will instead be absorbed into existing New Zealand operations.
Webster said that “Over the past two financial years, hire fleet numbers across Australasia have grown by 45 per cent as we responded to the recovery in international tourism and rental demand. Maintaining manufacturing operations in both countries enabled thl to achieve that level of recovery thl in a short timeframe.
“The transition of production to New Zealand will allow thl to capture the cost advantage opportunities immediately, and to maintain strong overhead leverage despite expected lower overall manufacturing volumes across Australasia. It is one of several strategic actions underway in what we view as a transition year, positioning thl for a stronger platform heading into FY27.”
thl expects to exit the lease on the Brisbane factory sometime in 2026, with the combined changes forecast to deliver ongoing reductions in overhead costs.
“We remain committed to the Australian market, anchored by an RV rental business that continues to have a strong forward order book.”
The Brisbane factory has played a long-standing role in supplying vehicles for both thl’s rental fleet and private buyers, with its closure marking another shift in Australia’s RV manufacturing sector.
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