Fresno's Field Van launches SHYFT camper with dealer deal

Fresno-based Field Van introduced the SHYFT camper conversion on Jan. 12, a new model built at the company’s Fresno facility and notable for a movable bench/seat rail system and other interior design innovations. The launch marks the first time Field Van will place a vehicle with an external dealership after reaching an agreement with a Mercedes-Benz dealer in Utah to sell the SHYFT.

The SHYFT’s movable bench/seat rail system is the headline feature: it allows interior components to be repositioned along rails, increasing flexibility for seating, sleeping and cargo arrangements. Field Van describes the design as part of a package of modifications aimed at making camper interiors more adaptable without adding permanent fixtures. Those design choices reflect rising consumer demand for modular, multipurpose van interiors that can serve work and recreation needs across Central Valley and beyond.

Engineering work on the SHYFT included contributions from Fresno State engineering students, who helped on design elements. That partnership ties local workforce development into the product: students gained hands-on experience with vehicle conversion engineering while Field Van leveraged local technical talent during product development. The company’s continued manufacturing presence in Fresno keeps final assembly and some fabrication in the 559, maintaining a local production footprint even as distribution expands.

The dealership agreement in Utah is the most significant commercial step to date for Field Van. Selling through an external Mercedes-Benz dealer gives the SHYFT broader market exposure and introduces a distribution channel outside direct-to-consumer and specialty-retailer networks the company has used previously. For a Fresno manufacturer, a dealer placement can shorten sales cycles in new regions, increase visibility among mainstream vehicle buyers and create follow-on service and parts opportunities that may ripple back to suppliers and workshops in the Valley.

Local economic impact is largely qualitative at this stage. Increased sales and wider distribution can support steady shop work in Fresno, sustain supplier relationships and strengthen links between local higher education and industry. For consumers in Fresno County, the SHYFT represents a locally made option in the growing camper and vanlife market, one that combines modular design with Valley-built manufacturing credibility.

Our two cents? If you’re curious about modular campers or looking to hire skilled local talent, keep an eye on Field Van’s next moves. The SHYFT shows how Fresno makers can scale by pairing Valley labor and university engineering know-how with outside dealer networks.