Apollo

Our support helped campervan-rental business Apollo pivot to attract domestic customers during COVID-19. 

Apollo is a global motorhome, campervan and caravan rental business, operating in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Europe, the UK and the US.

Apollo manufactures, builds and retails motorhomes, as well as renting holiday vehicles. They also sell end-of-life assets through their wholesale and retail network.

The border closures in March 2020 meant Apollo lost their international travel customers overnight, which represented 80% of their business.

To survive, CEO and Managing Director Luke Trouchet said the business needed to act fast. That’s when they decided to focus on domestic customers instead. To do this, Apollo needed additional finance to help cover working capital costs.

“Because of our motorhome assets, we’ve typically financed the business through asset finance,” explained Luke. “But we were staring down the barrel of potentially not having enough working capital if the pandemic continued for a couple of years.”

Surviving and thriving

Apollo approached us about the COVID-19 Export Capital Facility, which assists formerly profitable businesses that have been negatively impacted by the pandemic.

“We went through an exhaustive due-diligence process to ensure we ticked all the boxes,” said Luke.

“The QLD Business Development team were very supportive. They went to great lengths to understand the different aspects to the business.”

Access to the facility gave the business the ability to execute its pivot strategy – which is already paying off.

“With Australia starting to open up, we've not only been able to retain many of our people, we're also employing more, so we can get back to the same level we used to operate at.”

With the loan supporting Apollo’s working capital in the short term, Luke says the business is set to thrive once international tourists return.

“COVID-19 isn't here for perpetuity. The world will return to normal. And when it does, we'll be well-placed to capitalise on that once again,” he said.