AUSTRALIA'S biggest caravan manufacturer and the peak body representing the country's recreational vehicle industry have parted company, it has been revealed.

In a shock move, the giant Jayco company – which produces nearly 50 percent of Australia's RVs – has abandoned its membership of the Recreational Vehicle Manufacturers Association of Australia.

An association spokesman told Caravanning News: "Jayco has resigned. It is no longer represented by RVMAA as part of the overall local RV industry."

Jayco would not reveal its reasons for resigning but told us: "We are reviewing our membership with them at the moment."

The RVMAA will hold its annual general meeting on May 2 during the NSW Caravan, Camping, 4WD and Holiday Supershow at Sydney's Rosehill Racecourse.

"Jayco will not be on the agenda," the association spokesman said. "We are expecting a good turnout, which we usually get for this meeting, to discuss the past year and our plans for the coming year for the industry as a whole."
 
The non profit-making RVMAA recently said it was concerned at the number of "unprofessional" articles being written about it.

"There have been a number of derogatory and defamatory comments," executive officer Colin Young said.

Meanwhile, Jayco's website has dropped all mention of the association, and the company is understood to be no longer attaching the RVMAA badge to its newly produced caravans and motorhomes.

And the company has now been axed from the RVMAA online list of members which contains 75 RV builders from NSW, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia.

Jayco's managing director Gerry Ryan is a former president of the RVMAA.