Once there was camping – and then glamping – but Professional Builder has discovered something else which might just become the latest must do activity in 2023 – “Vanping!”
Got a big business idea for 2023? The sage advice, of course, is always to sleep on it… which is quite literally what long term friends and now business partners, Richard Hill and Mike Gerlin did when they developed their ingenious van conversion kit which essentially turns a conventional workday interior space into something more akin to a weekend camper van. Intrigued, Professional Builder recently caught up with the pair at their well-appointed workshop in rural Sussex where they took us through the backstory of the Bobeka, a product which clearly has the potential to totally transform the way tradespeople view their vans.
But first, Richard explained how they had got to this exciting point in their careers. “My background is in landscaping and for years I was involved in putting together displays at the Chelsea Flower Show amongst others. I had encountered Mike on a number of occasions and knew that with his excellent engineering skills we shared a lot of common ground on product development.
Great outdoors
“Just before Covid we decided to formalise a working partnership and acquired this workshop to work on some ideas which we had been mulling over for some time. With his Scandinavian background Mike has a real passion for working with wood and, of course, the great outdoors, which people are craving for like never before, post Covid. As a result, the demand for camper vans currently well exceeds current supply and vehicles for sale and hire are attracting unprecedented prices. All of this led us in the direction of thinking that it should be possible to help anyone who owns a small or medium sized to enjoy weekend breaks and leisure pursuits at a fraction of the cost and with minimal disruption to their daily work routines.”
Initially a brainchild of Mike’s, he relates the principle behind Bobeka: “Of course, conversion kits have been around for years, but they tend to be permanent fixtures with no flexibility of use and a myriad of intricate components to assemble. We needed to simplify the whole process and the key to doing that is our own patented modular fixing system, with nothing fixed into the vehicle structure.
“The whole concept is built around a precision engineered sturdy birch-faced plywood storage bench and table which is easily transformed into a rigid platform which then provides a double sized bed. We have tried to think of everything a casual camper needs for a short stay away and provide an assortment of built in, secure storage capacity for things like portable cookers, water bottles and provisions. It is not luxury camping by any means but is perfectly adequate for short stays, either for leisure or perhaps a tradesperson working away from home for a couple of days and doesn’t want his profits eaten into by expensive hotel bills.”
Recalls Mike: “Working on a number of protoypes, and experimenting with different materials – plus a significant investment in new machinery – by the end of 2022 we had a product which we were confident enough to bring to market. In principle the system is suitable for every popular make of small/medium van, although we can pretty much adapt the design to suit even a non-standard shaped vehicle if required.
He adds: “With no actual moving parts it’s the sort of product which should provide excellent service for many years and in most cases is transferable to a new vehicle when the time comes. Everything simply slots into place and, of course there are very few components to go missing! When it’s not in use the kit can simply be stored at the back of the garage, or the garden shed. In fact, it could actually be used in the summer as a useful piece of garden furniture.”
Easy set-up
After the trials and tribulations of Covid, and with spring in the air, Richard and Mike are confident that 2023 will be a breakthrough year for Bobeka, whether its people investing around £1,000 to buy one outright or take advantage of a hire option for a very reasonable £150. “Everything you need is delivered on one pallet and even as a novice we are confident it can all be put together in around 15 minutes. It certainly won’t cause the sort of family rows commonplace with some flat packs we could mention”, jokes Mike.
As Richard confirms: “Ultimately, it’s all about squeezing some extra life out of your vehicle which, let’s face it, is costing a small fortune to keep on the road these days what with skyrocketing fuel and insurance premiums.
“The fact is thousands of people would like to be able to enjoy the full camper van experience but are currently being priced out of that opportunity because of soaring demand and the high entry points of purchase and hire. With the Bobeka system we hope to be able to provide a taste of that experience at a fraction of the cost to anyone who owns a van and yearns on occasion to escape the stresses and strains of running their own small business.” 
Having come this far, they clearly won’t take anything other than total success laying down!
For further information on the Bobeka Van Conversion Kit, click here.
