Drew Industries Grabs Bigger Part Of RV, Prefab Housing Markets.(THE IBD 100)

Byline: KIRK SHINKLE

Trailers and mobile homes have sloughed off their white-trash image over the last few decades.

Today they're recreational vehicles and manufactured homes, designed and built to rival their landlocked brethren thanks in part to improvements from builders and suppliers such as Drew Industries.

The White Plains, New York-based company makes windows, doors, chassis, baths, showers and other parts that spruce up the look of prefab residences.

A growing RV market is driving Drew's success. In all, first-quarter results were strong. Sales in that sector were up 46% from a year ago.

"The way it's going now, it's going to be a spectacular year," chief executive Leigh Abrams said. "[But] every industry has to take a breather. This year, the first four to five months have been just unbelievably strong. My fear is "Can it continue at this rate?' I don't know the answer."

RVs have some good long-term prospects. Baby boomers turning 50 -- the industry's key customer profile -- are legion. Plus, better industry advertising plans have produced a growing number of customers in the 35-year-old range, touting RVs as affordable and convenient options for families.