The Midwest is probably not the first place you would think to search for a campervan upfitter, but maybe it should be. New Wave Vans, located in Madison, Wisconsin, was founded by Pete Thulie and Brandon Lord. Together, they pair sweet Midwestern demeanor with high-quality craftsmanship to build “nice vans for nice people”. Pete and Brandon have been traveling for years, giving them the insight needed to design functional campers.
I had the pleasure of connecting with Pete on the road in 2018 when I was living in my Clark Cortez RV and he was living in a self-upfitted Sprinter. I distinctly remember the quality of the woodwork and the smart details that made his rig stand out amongst many others that I had toured at the time. As it turned out, Pete’s carpentry skills were developed in his family’s woodworking shop.
Brandon naturally compliments Pete’s skillset. Thanks to his experience traveling, rock climbing, snowboarding, and piloting aircraft, he understands what adventurers need in a mobile home to enhance their recreational pursuits.
Laying the Foundation
New Wave is currently focused on streamlining their production process and optimizing their upfitting workspace. But regardless of being young, they have already completed three builds on the Ram Promaster platform. All of these builds are currently listed for sale on their website. They anticipate being able to produce six to eight builds per year once they are at full capacity.
These first three vans were designed to accommodate anyone, regardless of a specific pursuit (i.e. climbing, kayaking, biking). Future builds will start with a base model similar to these, and can be further customized for their owner’s specific needs.
In addition to selling complete campervans, New Wave plans to offer a hybrid model; upfitting cargo vans that are purchased by clients and then dropped off at their shop in Madison. It’s likely that they will also offer a-la-cart upfitting services, like electrical, plumbing, or carpentry.
What do Customers Think?
Having a personal relationship with each customer is important, and because New Wave Vans is a small company, this is easily accomplished. Pete and Brandon make themselves available throughout the build, keeping customers up to date on progress.
Even though they have just gotten started, their contract customers have already praised them for their high standard of craftsmanship and use of premium materials like baltic birch, p-lam, maple, and walnut. The quality of their builds stands out amongst an ever-increasing field of campervan upfitters.
Complete campervans from New Wave built on the Ram Promaster platform start at approximately $115,000. Learn more at newwavevans.com.
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