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Page 23Across the Nation continued...agreement with the Ingram family andFirst Source Bank.Searer said, “I am pleased for theopportunity, as challenging as it is,because the Hall of Fame is too greatan asset to the RV and ManufacturedHousing industries to allow it to fadeaway.”About the RV/MH Hall of Fame- The RV/MHHeritage Foundation was formed on March22, 1972 by a group of trade and consumermagazine publishers attending the MHMAmeeting in Washington, D.C. In early 2007, theFoundation moved into its new facility at 21565Executive Parkway in Elkhart. The 56,000 squarefoot brand new building houses the RV/MH Hallof Fame honoring industry leaders, a museumof vintage units from 1913 up to the 1970s, a GoRVing Hall showcasing the latest current models,an Exhibitors Hall where industry supply firmstell their company story, and the world’s largestlibrary of RV and manufactured housing relatedliterature and photos.4,139 New HUD CodeHomes Shipped in February2012In the month of February 2012,4,139 new manufactured homeswere shipped, up 43.5 percent fromFebruary 2011. Increases wereacross the board with shipments ofboth single-section and multi-sectionhomes up compared with the samemonth last year. Single-section homesaccounted for the largest portion ofthe increase, with shipments up 60.4percent compared with the February2011 figures.Compared with the prior year,2012 recorded shipment increases inJanuary and February. For the first twomonths of this year, shipments totaled8,084 homes compared with 5,661homes in 2011, a net increase of 42.8percent.The seasonally adjusted annual rate(SAAR) of shipments was 63,111 inFebruary 2012, up 2.1 percent fromJanuary 2012, which had 61,802shipments. The SAAR correctsfor normal seasonal variations inshipments and projects annualshipments based on the currentmonthly total.Total floors shipped in February2012 were 6,245, an increase of 38.0percent over February 2011. Thenumber of plants reporting productionin February was 122, one more than inJanuary. The number of manufacturingcompanies stands at 46, also one upfrom January.Source: Manufactured Housing InstituteStabenow Amendment toExtend the ENERY STAR TaxCredit for Manufactured andModular Homes Defeated inthe SenateOn March 14, 2012, the proposedStabenow amendment to the Senate’ssurface transportation reauthorizationlegislation (S. 1813) that would renewthe Energy Efficient Home Tax Credit(I.R.C. 45L) was defeated in the Senate.The Stabenow amendment deadlockedat 49-49.The opposition was led by SenatorJim DeMint (R-SC) who wanted manyof the renewable and clean energyincentives sunsetted. Proponentsof the tax incentives will now haveto regroup and decide upon anotherlegislative approach to extend thetax credits beyond 2011. MHI iscommitted to working with lawmakers,including Majority Leader Harry Reidof Nevada, Finance Chairman MaxBaucus of Montana and SenatorOlympia Snowe of Maine, to finda path forward to extend the NewEnergy Efficient Home Tax Credit formanufactured and modular homes.Specifically, the Stabenowamendment would have extendedthe new energy efficient homes taxcredit, the efficient existing homestax credit, and the offshore windinvestment tax credit. The New EnergyEfficient Home Tax Credit (I.R.C. 45L)for manufacturers who build energyefficient homes expired on December31, 2011.Manufacturers who build ENERGYSTAR homes were eligible to receive$1,000 tax credit while modular homebuilders were eligible to receive a$2,000 tax credit by exceeding theInternational Energy ConservationCode (IECC) by 50 percent.Source: MHI News Wire – April 2012New Idaho Plant to MeetGrowing Demand ofModular Housing in EnergyATCO Structures & Logistics willbe opening a 200,000 square-footmanufacturing plant in Idaho, theCanadian company’s third U.S.production facility. CEO Harry Wilmothas said that “a committed and skilledworkforce will be key to the successof the plant which will crank outmodular housing to accommodateoilfield workers”. “As a result,” headded, “ATCO will work with the localcommunity to hire the most skilledtrade people and production workersavailable.” Several production workersand office staff were hired includingmore than 150 full-time employees,including carpenters, electricians, andplumbers. The facility is expected tobegin operations in June 2012.Source: MHI News Wire – April 2012