Storyteller Overland, a manufacturer of Type B RV adventure vans, acquired Global Expedition Vehicles, LLC, a manufacturer of expedition vehicles and bespoke Adventure Trucks.
Rene’ Van Pelt, co-founder and co-owner of Global Expedition Vehicles, said she and her husband, Mike Van Pelt, are confident Storyteller has the expertise to build on their company’s legacy of “boutique-style expedition vehicles.”
“The rugged Adventure Trucks that we build are a natural progression, the next step up for Storyteller customers in the line of overlanding vehicles,” Rene’ Van Pelt said. “This merger will allow both companies to grow and expand in a collaborative production of the Adventure Truck Series together.”
Following the acquisition, which was officially announced on site at the Florida RV Supershow in Tampa, Global Expedition Vehicles (GXV) will continue to provide its entire custom expedition vehicles line to customers in North America and beyond. Merging with Storyteller Overland will create a rapid expansion of the market for the Adventure Truck Series, which will ultimately be offered on both the Ford F550 and Ram 5500 chassis.
As a result of this acquisition, Storyteller Overland will introduce high-volume production of the GXV style Super C RV and Adventure Trucks.
The custom Global X and GXV rigs will continue to be built in Springfield, Missouri. The higher volume Adventure Truck units will be built by the Storyteller team in its newly expanded facilities in Birmingham, Alabama.
The new Storyteller GXV line of Adventure Trucks will feature a focused floorplan and RVIA-certified feature set, Storyteller stated. It will be available through Storyteller Overland’s nationwide dealer network.
Global Expedition Vehicles will keep its company name. Mike and Rene’ Van Pelt will remain heavily involved in steering the combined future growth of the business as president and vice president of Global Expedition Vehicles, LLC, the companies stated.
“The heart of Global X will remain here in Springfield,” said Mike Van Pelt, “with our world-class crew of designers, artisans, and technicians continuing to craft the world’s finest custom expedition rigs for clients right here at our shop. So, in that way nothing will change.”
He said the couple is excited to grow the company through the merger, and hope to be more involved in adventure travel with the current GXV and Storyteller owner community, enabling the two to travel and work.
Jeffrey Hunter, Storyteller Overland founder and CEO, said the merger is exciting for the entire overlanding community.
“We are grateful for our partnership with the Van Pelts and the stellar team they have built at GXV and want to be excellent stewards of their world renown brand,” Hunter said. “Obviously we are huge fans of the products and reputation they have built, and we are energized by the thought of what we will build together moving forward.”
