Kimbo founder and owner Mark King reveals what led to the production pause, why the company is restructuring and relocating, what it means for current owners, and plans for the Kimbo 6 and Kimbo 8.
For nearly ten years, Kimbo has built one of the most distinctive truck campers in the marketplace. With its welded aluminum construction and unconventional design, the Kimbo 6 has carved out a category almost entirely its own. According to Kimbo, more than 650 campers are on the road today. Now the company is entering a period of significant change.
Kimbo has paused camper production and is restructuring and relocating its operations. At the same time, the company has been developing the Kimbo 8, a larger camper for full-size trucks that has not yet reached production. Naturally, that raises a lot of questions.
Why has Kimbo paused production? What prompted the restructuring? When does Kimbo expect production to resume? What does the transition mean for existing Kimbo owners, current orders and deposits? And what happens next with the Kimbo 6 and the highly anticipated Kimbo 8? Rather than speculate about the answers, we went directly to the Kimbo leadership team.
In the following interview, Mark King, owner and founder of Kimbo Campers, explains what’s happening inside the company, why these changes are being made, what customers and owners should expect, and where Kimbo goes from here.
What circumstances led to the decision to pause production?
There are a number of factors. Earlier this year, we moved to a beautiful new shop for the purpose of consolidating our production line, router shop, production shop, and press brake. The goal was to vertically integrate, increase quality, and have all of our processes under one roof. It was a great shop to achieve that, and we did it. But we undertook significant expenses to make that move happen.
On the tail end of that, orders began to decline. Over time, our sales declined about 30 percent as competition increased, gas prices went up, interest rates increased, and general economic uncertainty took a toll. In response, we worked hard to increase advertising and sales efforts as much as possible. I personally went back to bolster our SEO and developed a new website.
At the same time, we’ve been developing the Kimbo 8. The Kimbo 8 took about a year and a half because I wanted to make it beautiful. The product was announced too early, and that created a dynamic where some people held off on ordering the Kimbo 6 while waiting for the 8.
With increased interest rates, gas prices, uncertainty, the development of the Kimbo 8, and the burden of the expense of the shop move, orders couldn’t keep up with expenses for a number of months. Ultimately, there were a lot of forces coming together at the same time, and we reached a point where we needed to pause and restructure.
Tell us about your current plans to relocate and restructure, and your planned timing.
The business is going to be moved to a smaller facility. We also need to limit production to fit the new factory. This gives us an opportunity to maintain the quality and trust in the brand. In looking at ways to right-size the business and make everything work successfully again, we need to overhaul everything.
We’re also looking at increasing prices in a ladder—one price initially, and then a higher price later—to right-size the business. The used market, in response to the increased price of the new product, should increase as well. That’s a positive for past customers.
Kimbo is an amazing brand and an amazing product. I don’t want to give up because of a challenging moment in the marketplace.
How long do you expect production to be paused?
There is a move happening right now. We’re packaging up the shop, and we’re planning to reopen in mid-to-late Q1 of 2027.
Will existing employees relocate with the company?
No. We’ve set our employees up as best we can. I truly care about our team. I’ve worked with them for years. It’s heartbreaking. I really care about them. Getting to this place was terrible. What’s happening is nobody’s fault. It’s the dynamics of the economy and a gravity greater than we can lift.
What can the 650-plus existing Kimbo owners expect for parts, warranty service, repairs, and technical support during the transition?
It takes time and funds to do all of that, and those resources are currently exhausted. We are taking care of customers now, but we’re not going to be able to service Kimbos or personally assist customers during the transition until Q1 of 2027. Setting up the new shop and restarting production has to be the priority.
In terms of customer service, the team that fields customer service is going to evolve into the new team that comes together in Q1. Current employees are going to help with the handoff.
What happens to customers who have orders or deposits with Kimbo?
Customers who had deposits have been taken care of. We’ve addressed that. Anything else would not work with my conscience.
Going forward, I plan to keep orders open, but they will be paper orders rather than deposits. I want to begin filling production spots for when we reopen, and I plan to set that up on the website.
When production resumes, will Kimbo continue building both the Kimbo 6 and Kimbo 8?
Yes. I’m personally building the Kimbo 8 right now. When we reopen, we’ll have the Kimbo 8 and the Kimbo 6. Kimbo 8 sales will probably eclipse the 6. I’m in the second round of prototype revisions, and I want the world to see it.
Once the relocation and restructuring are complete, what is your longer-term vision for Kimbo?
Kimbo will have smaller and more limited production, at least for now. That helps us rebalance and right-size the company. We need to become a more flexible company that’s capable of absorbing uncertainties, including gas prices, interest rates, and an increasing number of competitors. Overall, Kimbo will become a low-production shop—maybe five campers a month—and we’ll continue to increase quality.
Is there anything else you want existing owners, prospective customers, and the truck camper community to understand about Kimbo’s situation and where it’s going?
I really care about our customers. To our current customers, we’re going to do everything we can to right-size the company and be available. In the interim, I really want to connect people who are Kimbo owners through the Kimbo One app. It’s a resource that gives everyone who is a Kimbo owner a way to interact and meet up with other owners and potential new owners.
Kimbo is an incredible company. We have done things the right way for our customers for years. I’m really proud of what we’ve done and proud of our guys, and I’m thankful to our community and for the way it has developed. People are passionate about our product. I’m proud of that.
We created something that had never been built before, and we did that with integrity. We’ve balanced a lot of pieces for years, and we’re proud of what we’ve accomplished. I want to say thank you.
The months ahead will require Kimbo to dig deep, make difficult changes, and work hard. But there’s every reason to look forward to what comes next. Kimbo has built more than 650 campers, created one of the most distinctive products in the truck camper marketplace, fostered a passionate owner community, and proven the strength of its approach to design and construction.
The plan for a smaller, more focused operation is intended to allow Kimbo to build on those strengths while becoming leaner, more flexible, and more resilient. This pause isn’t an ending. It’s an opportunity for Kimbo to reset, refocus, and build a stronger foundation for its next chapter.
