Once a major employer that helped make Chanute, Kan., the RV Capital of the Midwest and beyond, NuWa Industries will downsize and terminate most of its operations within the next month and a half, according to the Chanute Tribune.
NuWa CEO Mike Mitchell announced the decision on Monday in a letter to employees. The company will vacate its main building in the Safari Industrial Park, sell down the RV inventory, and end parts sales.
NuWa still employed about 52 people, but a decade ago had more than 100 employees.
Chanute Regional Development Authority Matt Godinez said it is sad to see a business have to shut down. He said the company was one of the things that helped Chanute grow during the 1970s to 1990s.
In his letter, Mitchell said the service department may continue to operate as a stand-alone business, either under the NuWa umbrella or separately.
Horse trailer conversions will cease as schedules best allow and the company will sell down equipment and parts. Some will be sent to sister stores in Oklahoma City and Des Moines, and an auction of excess equipment and materials is likely.
Rueben Willis broke ground for NuWa Industries’ first camper-trailer manufacturing plant in Chanute in 1969. NuWa was one of four manufacturers who created the “fifth wheel” concept, and was also one of the first RV manufacturers to build glide rooms. In the 1980s, NuWa acquired Custom Campers of Chanute and became known for the HitchHiker brand of fifth-wheel RVs.
The company ceased production of new RVs in 2008 and reduced its employment. Godinez said it switched to a business model focusing more on repair and maintenance and sales of used RVs.
Mitchell’s letter also said the company hoped to transition to retail, but just didn’t generate the volume needed to cover costs. He said officials tried to sell the company, but potential buyers wanted manufacturing facilities in Indiana, which would not benefit Chanute.