

Coachman has picked up three major industry awards at recent NEC Show
The Coachman Caravan Company, based in Hull, has picked up three major industry awards at the National Boat, Caravan and Outdoor Show held recently at the NEC, Birmingham.
Now in their eleventh year, the Caravan Design Awards, organised and presented by The Caravan Club, are amongst the most prestigious in the caravan manufacturing industry.
Coachman was presented with no fewer than three awards for 2006. The company won the award for “Best Family Caravan £14,250 and Under” with their Amara 520/4 model. Coachman was also runner-up in the categories for “Two Berth Caravan £14,250 and Under” and “Any Caravan Over £14,250” with their Amara 450/2 and VIP 520/4 models respectively.
All in all, the nine-day show proved to be a huge success for Coachman with retail sales up by 55% on the corresponding event last year. This impressive achievement follows hot on the heels of the firm’s success at the Scottish Caravan and Outdoor Leisure Show held earlier in February where orders for Coachman caravans broke all previous records.
This year’s NEC, one of the busiest ever, also provided the platform for the launch of two brand-new Coachman models. The new 650/4 and 640/4 Laser models join the award-winning 590/4 in the company’s flagship range. These latest additions to the Laser line-up, both feature fixed-bed layouts and en-suite facilities.
Commenting on Coachman’s performance at the NEC, a delighted Jim Hibbs, managing director, said: “Obviously, we are over the moon. To be able to record such a large increase in sales is just reward for all of our staff who have worked so hard. More gratifying still, the figures provide yet further evidence that our strategy of putting quality first in everything we do is not only resonating with our target customers, but is also paying real dividends on the bottom line.”
22/05/2008
Coachman Caravans’ first ever apprentices have completed the preliminary phase of their apprenticeship programme.
This formal programme is designed to last three years in total and to give the apprentices a fully rounded knowledge of each department in the Coachman factory, by following a detailed programme of practical work.
21/05/2008
In the Summer 2008 edition of The Business (the magazine produced by the NCC for its members) the following interview with Rob Ganley appeared. Rob asked Jim many questions including “If I wasn’t in the industry now?” and “What’s my motto?” To see the answers to these and many more, please read on.
24/04/2008
Coachman Caravans, one of the UK’s leading caravan manufacturers, has appointed local building contractor, John Thompson Developments Ltd, to complete the final phase of their £3.5 million factory extension.