Camco CEO Leverages Startup Speed And Strategic Focus

With more than 20 years of experience scaling high-growth consumer brands like Soylent and Califia Farms, Demir Vangelov is now applying his expertise to the world of outdoor living. As CEO of Camco, a Greensboro, North Carolina-based manufacturer of products and accessories for RVs, boats and camping, Vangelov is leading a transformation aimed at accelerating growth, deepening retail partnerships and driving innovation through strategic collaborations.

Vangelov spoke with Chief Executive about Camco’s evolving strategy, domestic manufacturing focus and ambitious five-year vision to become the most recognized brand in the outdoor recreation space.

You’re now in your second year with Camco. Tell us about any initiatives you’ve launched.

I spent my first year reorganizing our operations, sales and marketing teams to align more closely with consumer sentiment and demand. This work has helped us build stronger relationships with our retailers, allowing us to become better partners through consumer-oriented strategies.

Drawing on my startup experience, where speed and efficiency are critical, I’ve brought a mindset of doing things quickly and cost-effectively to Camco. This has accelerated the development of consumer-friendly marketing messaging, and enhanced our ability to work with both large and small retailers across all channels. By removing roadblocks and improving speed to market, we’ve created innovative ways to engage with retailers and consumers alike.

Ultimately, my focus has been on driving growth by introducing consumer-centric approaches and applying the retail and marketing discipline that led to success in my previous roles. This approach is directly tied to why Camco brought me on: To help accelerate brand growth, streamline operations and further establish Camco as a leader in RV after-market products.

Tell us about Camco’s strategy to collaborate with inventors and small businesses to bring innovation to RVs, boats and camping essentials.

Camco has always been committed to fostering innovation in the outdoor living and recreation space through strategic collaboration. We have a strong history of partnering with smaller brands, either through acquisitions or royalty-based partnerships with inventors. This approach has allowed us to expand our portfolio while also driving innovation and launching new product categories.

Moving forward, Camco’s strategy is to continue leveraging these partnerships. In addition to our longstanding approach, we are also collaborating with TJC, a growth-focused private equity firm, which will provide us with even greater capital and resources. This partnership will further enhance our ability to acquire and collaborate with even more brands and inventors, accelerating our growth and innovation efforts.

By combining our history of strategic acquisitions with this new partnership, we are well-positioned to continue to drive innovation and bring new products to market. Through this approach, Camco is committed to working with established and emerging brands to shape the future of outdoor and recreational products.

Detail your manufacturing operations and how, where and when you may expand, or acquire, facilities.

Camco’s manufacturing operations are located primarily in the United States, with the majority of our products and solutions being made here. We are strongly committed to domestic manufacturing, particularly in our core product categories. While most of our key products are manufactured in the U.S., we do source some parts and raw materials from overseas to support our supply chain.

Looking to the future, our primary investment will be in expanding and enhancing our existing facilities in Indiana and North Carolina. These locations are central to our operations, with Indiana being home to many of the RV manufacturers, making it a strategic hub for our industry. Our investment in these U.S.-based facilities will strengthen our position in the market and support our long-term growth and innovation.

Are additional acquisitions planned for the near future?

As part of our ongoing strategy to drive growth and innovation, we will continue to explore opportunities to expand our portfolio and strengthen our market position through strategic acquisitions.

Where do you see Camco in five years, and will it be a dramatically different company by then?

In five years, we see Camco as a much larger and more influential company, driven by both organic and inorganic growth. Our goal is to become the biggest and most recognized brand in the outdoor space, with a strong, ubiquitous presence across various outdoor categories. We expect to see continued success and growth in our current product categories, while also expanding into new and adjacent categories as we diversify our portfolio.

As we approach saturation in some of our key categories, where we hold greater than 75 percent market share, we will explore opportunities to expand into new solutions and product areas. This strategic move will enable us to continue growing and evolving, even as our core categories reach their full potential.

Additionally, we anticipate further expansion within the retail landscape, particularly across North America, strengthening our relationships with both new and existing retail partners. Overall, we’re focused on expanding our brand’s reach, continuing to innovate and providing consumers with an even wider range of outdoor solutions.