A BESPOKE campervan firm’s production schedule is now full until November 2021 following soaring demand for its celebrated Volkswagen Transporter conversions.
Jerba Campervans even received more than 40% of its typical annual orders in September alone, adding to an order book which will guarantee work for the next 11 months.
As a result, the North Berwick-based converter has pre-ordered more than 40 brand new base vehicles from Volkswagen in Europe ahead of the UK’s exit from the EU in order help ease any possibility of a tariff or transport disruption should there be a no deal Brexit.
Simon Poole, Co-Founder of Jerba Campervans, which is 100% employee-owned, said: “We are doing everything we can to ensure Jerba Campervans transitions into Brexit as smoothly as possible.
“Having orders scheduled well into next year will provide a welcomed cushion as we steer into what looks set to be a difficult and uncertain period for a lot of businesses.
“With the emergence of a staycation boom due to the Covid pandemic and the looming Brexit deadline we have seen a record autumn in customers pre-ordering their VW campervans.
“What this will enable us to is pre-order our parts from our VW suppliers on the Continent. Despite trepidations in the evolving market we are delighted to have set a new record for orders.”
This comes as Jerba was featured as a prominent case study in a joint report created by associations representing cooperatives, social enterprises and employee-owned businesses to help build business following the Covid-19 pandemic.
The ‘Rebuilding Business for Society’ report highlighted key areas in which businesses can adapt
According to the report, a YouGov survey in July found 85% of consumers would rather purchase a product from a respected business with a ‘good corporate citizen’ track record, an increase of 7% from a previous survey in July 2017.
Simon added: “Featuring in such a prominent report is testament to the values which we hold dear.
“It is a clear indication that consumers attitudes towards employee-owned business is changing for the better.
“There is greater focus on how ethical a business is, and this plays to our strengths, and our commitment to giving back to the local community and sharing the positive message of employee ownership.”
Jerba’s mission is to achieve bespoke solutions to campervan conversions which are able to fit around the customer’s lifestyle, whatever it may be.
The customers’ needs have been integral to the business since it was founded in 2006 by Simon and his wife Cath, who after hiring and buying campervans themselves realised they could improve the design and user experience.
The success behind the scenes of this employee owned business can be reflected through its impressive conversions, which are recognised by VW as an official body builder for its transporter T6.1 model. The North Berwick-based team is one of the very few VW converters who have received a full vehicle type approval, which is the highest one can receive for road safety in the UK.
Jerba Campervans offers five different conversions of both the short wheel base and long wheelbase T6.1 transporter van from VW, made to suit your every needs.
To find out more about Jerba Campervans, visit www.jerbacampervans.co.uk
