Eden Prairie-based Winnebago Industries Inc. announced Tuesday plans to open a new Twin Cities facility in 2023 to support the development of next-generation technologies.
The RV and boat maker, which owns brands including Winnebago, Grand Design, Chris-Craft, Newmar and Barletta, has not disclosed the location of the facility, but said development of the center will begin early next year.
“The Winnebago Industries Advanced Technology Innovation Center will focus on incubating and prototyping new technology applications across a broad range of technology and product function categories, including alternative energy management and autonomy,” the company announced.
Innovation is the cornerstone of the company, President and CEO Michael Happe said in a statement.
“Our ability to differentiate in the market and further industry leadership will depend on our ability to enhance the consumer experience through technology,” Happe said.
The new facility is billed as a physical investment in the company’s Advanced Technology Group, which was formed in 2019 and is currently designing next-generation RV and marine products.
“The Advanced Technology Innovation Center will enable Winnebago Industries to work with business units to enhance these efforts across multiple technology timelines to meet short- and long-term strategies and goals,” said Shailendra Singh, vice president of advanced technologies.
“We are committed to bringing together Winnebago Industries’ growing R&D talent, new technology adoption and growing ecosystem of technology partners under one roof.”
This year, Winnebago became the first major RV manufacturer to unveil an all-electric, zero-emission RV concept.