Editor’s note: The Peoria, Ill., Journal Star recently filed this report about the impact the RV boom has had on one local small business there.
There’s been an explosion in the RV business.
Rentals were up more than 600 percent last year. It was a record year for RV production in 2020, and production is expected to increase more than 20 percent this year.
“People have wanted to travel during the pandemic. An RV allows them to do that, and sequester themselves,” said Doug Rasmussen, director of marketing and sales for ZGlass, a vehicle glass repair and replacement business.
ZGlass’ niche in the RV world is its patented ZG3 Technology, which makes the labor-intensive job of replacing the heavy and awkward format glass windshield on an RV easier and safer.
A typical RV windshield can be 6 feet by 10 feet and weigh about 400 pounds.
ZGlass was at 1281 Independence Court in Washington for almost three years. The company is now a division of ARi Global Solutions at 221 Altorfer Lane in East Peoria, a merger that was completed last year.
ARi provides engineering solutions and services.
“The timing of our merger with ARi couldn’t have been better,” Rasmussen said. “With more RVs on the road now, more will need windshield repairs and replacement.”
Click here to read the full report from Tom Stein in the Peoria Journal.