In this interview with the Managing Director Thetford Europe & APAC, we discussed highly topical issues such as electrification and the shift to compressor refrigeration, as well as transparency, value-driven innovation, and Thetford’s ability to work with customers in co-design

Words Antonio Mazzucchelli

The recreational vehicle sector is changing rapidly: electrification, environmental sustainability, and supply-chain pressure are reshaping the market amid intensifying competition. We spoke with Marie Boulanger, who shared her view of Thetford’s DNA − “global scale, local mindset” − and a partner-first approach that helps navigate both challenging moments and periods of growth, always with an eye on the future.

Aboutcamp BtoB − Thetford often describes itself as a global company with a very strong local mindset. How would you define Thetford’s DNA today, and how do partners and customers experience this in their daily cooperation with the brand?
Marie Boulanger − Thetford’s DNA today is deeply customer-focused, but in a very concrete way.
We are a global company, yet we deliberately organize ourselves locally. In key markets like France, Germany, Italy, the UK, Sweden, Australia, and China, we operate through strong local subsidiaries. That’s not a symbolic choice; it’s a structural one.
Those teams are close to OEMs, aftermarket partners, and dealer networks. They speak the local language, literally and culturally, and that matters. Because understanding customers is not only about specifications and volumes, it’s about context, habits, and expectations that differ from market to market.
What customers experience in their daily cooperation with us, is this: they work with people who understand their market, their needs and can act quickly, while still benefiting from the strength, scale, and reliability of a global organization. That balance is central to who we are.

Aboutcamp BtoB − Customer intimacy has long been a key value for Thetford. In a market that is becoming more complex and global, how do you ensure that relationships remain personal, transparent, and built on trust?
Marie Boulanger − The RV industry is demanding, and like any industrial player, we sometimes face challenges — for example in supply or lead times. What matters is not pretending those challenges don’t exist, but how we handle them. We aim to anticipate issues early, be very clear about what we can and cannot do, and communicate proactively rather than reactively.
Our teams go the extra mile to support customers — but always in a transparent way. I strongly believe that trust starts with honesty and this is what customers appreciate, especially in complex situations.
We also structurally support strong relationships through a robust key account management setup. Engagement is not limited to one level of the organization; it goes all the way up to our CEO, Stéphane Cordeille. That ensures alignment, speed, and a true partnership mindset.
We have the chance to work in one of those few industries where long-term relationships still matter. People work together for years, sometimes decades. Being humble, remaining approachable no matter our position, is still the best way to build personal, transparent, and lasting relationships.

Aboutcamp BtoB − You have grown within Thetford step by step, gaining experience across many functions. How has this journey shaped your leadership style and your vision for the company today?
Marie Boulanger − I joined Thetford 18 years ago, and I’ve grown up with the company.
I spent many years across different roles in Sales and Marketing, learning by doing, stepping outside my comfort zone, and sometimes learning the hard way. That journey taught me resilience, curiosity, and the importance of reflection — especially learning from mistakes and from people who challenged and coached me along the way.
My background is actually in law, which made me a bit of a hybrid from the start — not a classic sales profile, not a purely structured one either. I’ve always been curious about the full picture: finance, operations. That curiosity shapes my leadership today. I try to connect perspectives — translating customer realities into operational priorities, and explaining our industrial boundaries clearly back to the commercial teams.
I was raised professionally in a very stable organization, with long-term leadership and strong values. That gave me a deep respect for our DNA. But the world we operate in today is moving fast. Standing still is no longer an option. We have to anticipate, adapt, and sometimes make bold changes — especially in a highly competitive environment with increasing pressure from Chinese suppliers.
So, to make it short: I have the challenge to protect our DNA while making sure it doesn’t slow us down.

below: S220 separation toilet

Aboutcamp BtoB − The RV industry still has relatively few women in top management roles. Do you feel a responsibility to make leadership more visible and relatable—especially for younger generations and future talents?
Marie Boulanger − I’m very aware that I’m still an exception in our industry.
I don’t see that as a burden, but I do see it as a responsibility, mainly to show that leadership can look different and still be effective. Not better, not worse, just different.
I strongly believe in merit. Women don’t want recognition because of quotas; they want recognition because of competence, impact, and the value they bring to the discussion. That’s how I’ve approached my own career, and that’s what I try to reflect in my leadership.
At the same time, we should be honest about behavior. Men often take opportunities when they feel 70% ready; women tend to wait until they feel 100% ready. Encouraging talent, male or female, to take that step earlier is part of good leadership.
If my visibility helps younger generations see that there isn’t one single leadership model, then that’s positive. Not by pushing labels or positive discrimination, but by creating an environment where ambition, competence, and diversity of perspectives are genuinely encouraged.

Aboutcamp BtoB − Beyond your role as a global manager, you are also a mother of three. When you step away from meetings, strategy, and daily operations, what helps you disconnect and recharge? Are there moments, passions, or routines in your personal life that play an important role in keeping your energy and perspective?
Marie Boulanger − I never fully disconnect, and with three daughters, I wouldn’t want to.
They are, without question, the most important part of my life, and also my most demanding one. They remind me every day what real presence means, especially on the difficult days, and they keep me very grounded. They certainly challenge me to evolve; if I stay stuck in ‘how it has always been’, they let me know very quickly.
To keep the balance and the energy this role requires, I rely on discipline. No matter how intense the day is, I make time for 30 minutes of sport. It helps me reset, stay calm, and remain centered.

Aboutcamp BtoB − The past years have shown how fragile supply chains can be. One aspect often appreciated by customers is Thetford’s proactive communication during shortages. How important is transparency when things become difficult?
Marie Boulanger − Transparency becomes most important precisely when things become difficult.
Today, there is no company that has not faced supply chain challenges. That reality is no longer exceptional. What truly differentiates companies is not whether issues occur, but how they are handled.
Transparency, anticipation, and consistency in communication allow us to support customers beyond the delivery itself — by helping them adapt and manage their own constraints.
In the end, difficult periods don’t weaken partnerships if they are handled correctly; they often strengthen them.

Aboutcamp BtoB − Stock imbalances and supply disruptions tend to repeat themselves in cycles within the RV industry. How can suppliers and OEMs work together more intelligently to anticipate cycles—rather than simply reacting to crises when they occur?
Marie Boulanger − The reality is that these cycles are not new; what is often missing is early collective action.
Suppliers typically have a broader, cross-OEM view of the market. We see production plans, order patterns, and shifts across regions. That doesn’t mean we ‘know better’, but it does mean we can help detect early signals — if there is openness to share and discuss them.
Together with my team, we spend a lot of time analyzing industry production trends and putting different data points into perspective over time. The value is not in the numbers themselves, but in the dialogue they can trigger.
This was also one of the ideas behind the creation of the Pan-European supplier base at ECF level: creating a forum where suppliers can contribute to a more fact-based, forward-looking discussion for the benefit of the entire industry.
If we want to move from reacting to anticipating, we need earlier conversations, more transparency, and the willingness to act on weak signals, even when the market still feels strong.

below: T2000 Series 12V compressor refrigerators

Aboutcamp BtoB − Innovation is often described as the engine that keeps the RV market moving. From your perspective, what is the responsibility of suppliers when it comes to innovation—and how important is listening to the market rather than following internal assumptions?
Marie Boulanger − No doubt that Innovation is essential in our industry, but it has to be intelligent.
RV suppliers operate under significant cost pressure, and at the same time, we face the risk of products becoming commoditized, especially with increasing competition from low-cost regions. In that context, innovation cannot be about adding complexity or cost for the sake of novelty.
Our responsibility as a supplier is to focus innovation where it truly creates value for OEMs and end users: weight reduction, efficient energy management, smart use of materials, and increasingly also sustainability and ESG-related expectations. These are very concrete topics, not abstract ideas.
Listening to the market is therefore critical. OEMs are under pressure themselves — from regulation, from end-user expectations, and from economics. Innovation only works if it helps them manage those constraints better.
Thetford will never innovate like some very famous consumer electronics companies, and we shouldn’t. The right dosage of innovation in RV is about differentiation with discipline: doing fewer things, but doing them better, and making sure they are scalable and industrially sound.

Aboutcamp BtoB − We are clearly seeing a transition from absorption refrigerators to 12V compressor technology. What are the main drivers behind this shift, and how does it benefit both end-users and OEMs?
Marie Boulanger − This transition is driven by a combination of technological, regulatory, and usage-related factors — not by one single trend.
First, there is a clear move away from gas-supported appliances. Absorption technology belongs to a different era in that sense. Today’s users expect appliances that integrate naturally into increasingly electric vehicles.
Second, compressor technology has evolved significantly. Modern 12V compressor refrigerators deliver more stable and predictable performance, particularly in warm climates such as Southern Europe, where absorption systems reach their limits.
Third, the energy ecosystem around the RV has changed. Lithium batteries, solar panels, and improved energy management systems make low-consumption 12V solutions not only viable, but efficient. This aligns well with the broader shift toward electrification in vehicles.
For end users, the benefits are clear: better cooling performance, higher comfort, and greater independence. For OEMs, it brings design flexibility, improved energy efficiency, and increasingly also cost competitiveness — which is important in today’s environment.
This shift is therefore not just about replacing one technology with another; it’s about adapting to how RVs are being designed, powered, and used today.

Aboutcamp BtoB − Separation toilets are gaining attention, but they also raise questions internally and externally. How did Thetford approach this topic—balancing sustainability ambitions, user freedom, and the reality that many OEMs still prefer cassette toilets?
Marie Boulanger − This is a topic where we deliberately chose a measured and fact-based approach.
When separation toilets started gaining attention, we first observed and listened. Many smaller players entered the market with strong claims, often linked to sustainability and user freedom. As a market leader in RV sanitation, we felt it would be irresponsible to react emotionally or defensively without a deep understanding of the full picture; including compliance, usability, waste handling, and real-life constraints in RV usage.
What became clear is that this discussion is often oversimplified. Separation toilets are not inherently more sustainable by default. In practice, solutions involving disposable bags and external waste streams raise legitimate questions. For many users, cassette toilets are still a very efficient, hygienic, and well-integrated solution, and not less sustainable in real terms.
At the same time, we do recognize that separation systems can make sense for specific usage profiles, especially where flexibility in dumping is a priority. So, our role was not to push one ideology over another, but to bring clarity.
Today, we offer different sanitation solutions and help OEMs and end users choose what best fits their actual needs. That’s how we balance sustainability ambitions, user freedom, and industrial reality — by replacing assumptions with understanding.

Aboutcamp BtoB − Thetford’s growth in the U.S. has taken an important step with the acquisition of Dave Carter & Associates in October 2025. How does this investment strengthen Thetford’s position in North America and create synergies on a global level?
Marie Boulanger − The acquisition of Dave Carter & Associates is a very logical step in strengthening our position in North America.
DCA is a well-established partner in the U.S. RV and holiday home markets, with strong customer relationships and a very powerful distribution and supply chain footprint, including 11 warehouses across the country. This significantly strengthens our distribution capabilities, service level, availability, and time-to-market for U.S. customers, which are critical differentiators in that market.
Beyond North America, the acquisition also opens the door to concrete global opportunities. DCA brings a strong portfolio of products and deep expertise in the mobile and holiday home segment in the U.S. While the holiday home market is already well developed in Europe, Thetford’s own presence in this segment remains limited today.
By integrating DCA’s know-how, Thetford gains a solid and proven basis to actively explore and gradually develop the holiday home segment in Europe.

Aboutcamp BtoB − With strong global growth, increasing innovation, and a clear focus on people and sustainability, how do you see Thetford’s role evolving in the RV industry over the next few years?
Marie Boulanger − The RV industry is entering a more demanding phase.
Growth will continue, but competition will intensify, products will be under increasing cost pressure, and parts of the market will inevitably move toward commoditization. In that environment, Thetford’s role cannot be to compete purely on price or volume. That’s not sustainable for us or for the industry.
Our strength lies in being close to our customers and acting as a long-term partner. That means supplying reliably and fast, being strong in service, and understanding how quickly the world around our customers is changing, from regulation and compliance to energy management and sustainability expectations.
We also see a clear distinction emerging between transactional suppliers and partners who co-create. Our ambition is very clearly to be in the second category. That requires listening, technical expertise, and the ability to translate complex requirements into practical, industrial solutions.
Sustainability and people remain essential, but again in a pragmatic way: reducing impact where it matters, designing responsibly, and supporting our customers in meeting their own obligations.
In short, as the market becomes tougher, Thetford’s role is to bring stability, clarity, and partnership to an increasingly complex industry.