What Is Happening At Jurgens Ci?

Owner of SAs oldest caravan brand speaks to us

- Godfrey Castle

Just what is happening at Jurgens Ci? The market and media have been abuzz with rumours, and (as we all know) where there is smoke there must be fire! Let’s start by looking at the rumours, and finding out what has given rise to them.

It all started in 2017, when the new owners at Jurgens Ci stopped the production line at the factories outside Pretoria from building the brand new range of Jurgens caravans.

This move was deemed necessary to solve the problems of “poor quality” and extreme weight-gain in caravans, as well as an unstable workforce.

Some of the biggest and longest serving privately owned caravan dealers suddenly had almost no new caravans to sell. With the situation growing more desperate by the day, it soon became clear that should the Jurgens Ci factory be unable to supply new caravans; and in order to survive, they would have to invoke a clause in their dealership contract to allow the dealer to take on other brands of caravans to sell.

There was a scramble to “tie up” the next-best independent caravan manufacturers to exclusivity rights. This move was seen as vital for survival, as these manufacturers were too small to supply sufficient numbers to the over 30 Jurgens dealerships across the country. If dealers had no stock on their floors to sell, they simply would not have businesses!

Some dealers sold up, one or two closed their doors, and others sold shares in their business back to the factory − a move which might have rewarded them in receiving the trickle of caravans coming from Jurgens Ci.

Rumour had it that if any stock was to be produced, preference would be given to factory-owned dealerships: independent dealers would just have to wait in the queue.