July 25 (Reuters) - The U.S. economy may ultimately skirt a recession, but it's felt like one for months at Jon Ferrando's 103 RV dealerships. "Our industry has always been a little challenged on forecasting around demand," said Jason Lippert, CEO of LCI Industries, a large supplier of parts to the RV industry that is also based in Elkhart. "If I was just looking at RV data, I would be screaming recession," said Michael Hicks, an economics professor at Ball State University in Indiana who tracks the industry, adding that pullbacks in RV shipments have signaled every U.S. recession since 1981. "We expect in the second half of this year shipments (of RVs) will start to increase again," Geraci said. Gregg Fore, an RV industry consultant who previously ran an RV parts supplier, said half the new inventory at some dealers he works with are 2022 models.

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Persons: it's, Jon Ferrando's, Ferrando, Michael Happe, Eden, Jason Lippert, Michael Hicks, RVIA, Monika Geraci, Geraci, Gregg Fore, Tyler Hermon, Timothy Aeppel, Dan Burns, Paul Simao Organizations: Winnebago Industries, Federal Reserve, RV Industry Association, Thor Industries, LCI Industries, Ball State University, Dealers, Thomson Locations: U.S, Fort Lauderdale , Florida, RVs, United States, Elkhart , Indiana, Eden Prairie , Minnesota, Elkhart, Indiana, North America, RVing