Latest Aussie brand to stumble in tightening local RV market
Prominent local caravan brand Kokoda, along with its stablemates Dreamseeker and Grand Salute sold under the Aussie Adventure Caravans umbrella, has gone into voluntary administration.
The Sunbury, Victoria-based company headed by prominent caravan entrepreneur George Mamo, last week appointed BDO Australia to seek a buyer for its business that comprises Aussie Adventure Caravans Pty Ltd (Kokoda, Dreamseeker, Grand Salute), Downunder RV Australia Pty Ltd, Townsville RVs Pty Ltd and Coffs Harbour RVs Pty Ltd.
Meanwhile, the Group is carrying on operations in Queensland, NSW, Victoria and Western Australia.
According to its website, BDO is ‘undertaking an urgent Expression of Interest campaign to identify any parties who may be interested in acquiring the Group’s business’.
Kokoda was well known for cut-price models like this 18ft Bunka
Administrator Roger Postle said BDO was appointed on Wednesday of last week and had called a meeting of creditors, including suppliers and individuals who had placed deposits on undelivered caravans, for this Friday (February 22), which coincides with the third day of Australia’s largest caravan show – the Victorian Caravan, Camping and Touring Supershow – at the Melbourne Showgrounds.
Postle said that anyone buying a Kokoda, Dreamseeker or Royal Salute caravan will be made aware that the company is in Administration and that the individual brand’s warranty no longer applies. However, he said in some cases an individual Manufacturers’ warranty and Common Law protection would still apply.
The items listed for ‘urgent sale’ by BDO include a manufacturing facility in Campbellfield, Victoria;a National dealer network; approx. 36 vans in stock; a forward order book; work in progress; plant and equipment; intellectual property, andtechnical drawings and specifications.
Expressions of interest close Friday 22 February.
The total number of employees affected throughout the manufacturing. sales and dealer network is unclear, but at least 30 are believed to be located at Aussie Adventure Caravans' Sunbury, Victoria manufacturing facility.
Mamo caused a stir in Australian caravan manufacturing circles when he initially launched his Kokoda brand, which offered well-featured locally-built caravans for less than its immediate market rivals.
Dreamseeker Caravans are also up for grabs
His business model that irked his competitors was to assign the manufacture of individual models to different small caravan builders in the Campbellfield, Melbourne area, some of whom were still struggling for work in the aftermath of the GFC from 2008.
Caravancampingsales were unable to contact Aussie Adventure Caravans or George Mamo for comment.
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