RDI, Arterra and Midwest Electric Products Combine Forces to Keep RV Production Moving

Ranger Distribution Inc. (RDI), Arterra Distribution, the RV Division of the WFCO Group, and Midwest Electric Products, one of the largest manufacturers of breakers in the world, have worked together to deliver alternative circuit breakers needed by RV OEMs to continue production.

As industry leaders in their respective categories, a natural partnership developed and became a catalyst to continuing RV production for the entire industry. The significance of the association became clear as the COVID-19 pandemic caused an industry-wide shortage of the smaller tandem-type breakers used in the electric panels of RVs.

“All of the largest providers of the breakers needed in the RV space have had their capacity cut significantly”, said Jamie Buckmeier, WFCO director of product development. “They can’t produce breakers. Our industry has been put on a 50 percent allocation while companies are increasing RV production – things are booming – and they can’t get breakers.”

Fortunately, when the shortage hit, WFCO had already begun to redesign and develop the new breaker panel and bus bars for RDI, so the more readily available breakers could be used in RVs. In addition, the new panel and breakers, sold exclusively through WFCO and RDI, requires little effort on the OEM’s part for installation, making the change seamless.

“We have all worked extremely closely together over the last couple of months to bring this all together,” said Brent Diver, a partner at RDI. “At this point, I think just about every single OEM complex in the industry has reached out and asked us to air-freight the panel we had approved, and the breakers to get their units on the road.”

These three companies created a solution that helped the industry meet unprecedented consumer demand and avoid a shutdown. Contact your RDI and WFCO sales representatives to learn more about this solution today.