Dive Brief:
- Supersede, a building materials supplier, opened on Tuesday a new 100,000-square-foot production facility in Bristol, Indiana, to help meet demand from recreational vehicle customers.
- The manufacturing facility is located in Elkhart County, “the epicenter of the U.S. RV industry” and is expected to create 50 jobs in the region, per a release.
- Supersede will expand production capacity in three phases, Sean Petterson, CEO and co-founder, said in an email. The first phase will double capacity and the next two phases will double it again.
Dive Insight:
Supersede operates in a niche sector of manufacturing, developing engineered building materials, plywood alternatives and structural sheathing for customers in recreational vehicles, modular housing and marine applications. By standing up a manufacturing facility in Elkhart County, Indiana, Supersede positions itself closer to one class of those niche OEM customers in particular: Recreational vehicle manufacturers.
The majority of RVs in the U.S. are designed and built in Elkhart County. Supersede has one other manufacturing facility, located in Phoenix.
The manufacturer said its new Bristol location shortens supply lines and improves delivery consistency. Supersede’s new facility is located about 10 miles from Coachmen RV’s headquarters and manufacturing facilities. The two manufacturers announced a partnership this summer to integrate Supersede’s marine board product into the floor structure of Coachmen's Catalina and Aurora travel trailers.
Jayco, Keystone, Thor, Winnebago and several additional RV manufacturers also have facilities located in Elkhart County.
RV demand overall is a mixed picture. In fiscal Q3, Winnebago’s motorhome RV sales and profits improved, while demand for towables was muted. Altogether, net revenues fell nearly 10% year over year. The CEO cited “broader macro factors” for the decline in earnings release, including high fuel costs, geopolitical uncertainty and weak consumer confidence.
Still, Supersede sees accelerating demand from RV manufacturers for high-performance, engineered structural materials. The company’s materials are designed to replace wood-based sheathing and vinyl products, Shane Kenyon, co-founder and VP of engineering at Supersede, said in a statement.
The demand comes at a time when marine plywood pricing has been volatile due to trade policy and geopolitical conflict, Petterson said, noting that plywood prices are up about 50% because of supply constraints.
“That unpredictability makes it challenging for manufacturers in sectors like boating, RV's, and specialty vehicles to plan production,” he said.
One of the biggest challenges for RV manufacturers is floor rot, which limits the lifespan of the vehicles. Marine plywood used in RV manufacturing can warp with moisture changes or in direct sunlight, according to Supersede. Through the partnership with Coachmen, Supersede developed Coachmen’s first trailer built with non-wood flooring, and the floor structure has 100% moisture resistance, according to the release.
Supersede makes its boards by sourcing recycled feedstock, including polypropylene plastics. Closed Loop Partners announced a $5 million loan in May to Supersede, marking the group’s second investment in the startup. In 2025, Closed Loop participated in Supersede’s $10 million seed round.
