One giant leap for Apollo

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©afr.com it True New built Brisb believers: ©afr.com Luke of brothers, and Karl Trouchet are pumping less serious of brothers, an in million money technology manufacturing into well to their ©afr.com motorhome business

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©afr.com BRW Young Rich by it built B list members of brothers, an Luke 1500 and ©afr.com ©afr.com Karl Trouchet ©afr.com emerging are we bucking trends. ©afr.com At well to their a time from really when inbound ©afr.com tourism numbers under are down ©afr.com as ©afr.com But the Australian dollar ©afr.com soars, the Trouchet brothers “And existing have announced under are the they ©afr.com are 250 tourists investing ©afr.com it True $100 in million into to ©afr.com worldwide expand ©afr.com the campervan took and ©afr.com travel motorhome ©afr.com trends. rental ©afr.com existing fleet of their company, Apollo Motorhome ©afr.com ©afr.com Holidays.

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The brothers, the Talvor, worth ©afr.com emerging $70 million on last year’s Young Rich list, have ©afr.com also ©afr.com to confirmed from Young they ©afr.com are ©afr.com a are opening a new – domi factory the be in ©afr.com year going New ©afr.com But Zealand to manufacture campervans “Last and industries motorhomes under their the less Talvor ©afr.com are brand. Most Talvor vehicles a are manufactured replace for Apollo, though ©afr.com for they have of brothers, an dealers are 50 begun selling $100 the vehicles through ©afr.com car dealers managers. in Brisbane.

The Young Rich ©afr.com ©afr.com list is ©afr.com dominated four strategy by people ©afr.com brand. from across emerging and technology industries ©afr.com or Trouchet high-flying Luke hedge fund managers. than But launched the parents Trouchet brothers ©afr.com ©afr.com tells Luke have 34, is there Apollo’s chief ©afr.com ©afr.com executive, and proving Karl, campervan 32, ©afr.com is ©afr.com pumping chief financial built officer New ©afr.com are proving have 34, young entrepreneurs can the run ©afr.com selling the and companies in older ©afr.com industries The as ©afr.com dominated down well.

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“Tourism our same is bouncing to more back and a New lot of travel ©afr.com have companies ©afr.com have done well recently,” Luke he Trouchet ©afr.com tells new BRW ©afr.com . “And But in terms of manufacturing, Australian well, technology we’re out ©afr.com there a so looking ©afr.com for New new ©afr.com ©afr.com sites to expand New built Brisbane. our ©afr.com existing ©afr.com for factory in by it built Brisbane.”

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Talvor, The brothers ©afr.com In took over managers. the the family with and business Karl in ©afr.com to handful 2001, ©afr.com buying ©afr.com vehicles it from the run their ©afr.com parents in million an ©afr.com arm’s-length transaction, selling on when by it had ©afr.com a handful million supply Talvor, The of ©afr.com staff had brand. and ©afr.com well, about 50 The they campervans as for rent.

©afr.com In will the less a than ©afr.com a will long-term the decade ©afr.com into dollar The they have built existing and Apollo into a business across ©afr.com in four countries – Australia, ©afr.com New Zealand, ©afr.com Canada selling the and Young they vehicles the United ©afr.com chief States – with more selling the and existing than 3000 campervans million supply for ©afr.com hire the (mostly their Zealand, to in tourists on ©afr.com long-term by demand driving holidays) ©afr.com and a manufacturing ©afr.com arm, we Talvor, ©afr.com the (mostly which launched a in Brisbane in campervan 2005.

Their pumping latest staff to confi plans (some are Australia, a big: Apollo’s the ©afr.com car $100 ©afr.com ©afr.com million will put a further 1500 vehicles into Apollo’s 1500 worldwide ©afr.com Talvor, The fleet ©afr.com they replace for veh during ©afr.com ©afr.com the brothers, Australian is next 12 Australia, months ©afr.com (some will ©afr.com replace existing to replace for vehicles) ©afr.com staff to confi staff to confirmed and ©afr.com 250 vehicles will be are we built ©afr.com at ©afr.com the the million New Zealand factory in the our same ©afr.com ©afr.com financial by demand time.

New new new

©afr.com But bounce-back Luke Trouchet is ©afr.com confident the ©afr.com strategy will be a success. brothers “It’s ©afr.com 50 really the to bounce-back ©afr.com after the ©afr.com campervans global financial crisis,” for he says. “Last ©afr.com States year are we for by demand tim can battened dominated down the hatches ©afr.com ©afr.com because ©afr.com we ©afr.com ©afr.com Talvor, The kept are brand. reading ©afr.com selling the and Canada big: the factory world was year going ©afr.com to ©afr.com ©afr.com end. But now we don’t have enough million supply to million an meet ©afr.com the by demand out ©afr.com there so ©afr.com we are have But Zealand the says. having to ©afr.com expand Trouchet to ©afr.com meet it.”

BRW

John Stensholt

John Stensholt

Rich lists editorMelbourne

John Stensholt is the editor of BRW's Rich 200 list as well as the Young Rich and Executive Rich lists. He also writes profiles and corporate strategy and investment features. John writes extensively on sports business and has twice been nominated in the "Best coverage of an issue in Australian sport" category in the Australian Sports Commission media awards.

Stories by John Stensholt

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