The company
Two engineers,
one shipyard heritage.
Artica was born in 1992 in Rendsburg — not as a carmaker, but as a shipyard that wanted to build holidays to last. That DNA still runs through everything we make.
Our story
From the shipyard to the open road.
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01
1992 – Founded in Rendsburg
Shipbuilding engineers Jörn Ahlström and Ketil Brix found Artica on the Kiel Canal with one obsession: build motorhomes the way shipyards build boats — sealed, light, durable.
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02
1998 – The first NORDKAPE
The N 690, a fully integrated 6.99 m motorhome, establishes the young brand across northern Germany and Scandinavia.
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03
2005 – VANSTER arrives
Artica becomes one of the first German manufacturers to put its own camper van line into series production.
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04
2012 – Arctic-Cell® is born
In-house sandwich press and climate chamber: from now on, every prototype proves itself for 72 hours at −30 °C.
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05
2018 – The new plant
Expansion to 42,000 m² on the canal: in-house furniture manufactory, production line and a visitor centre for factory tours.
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06
2026 – Artica today
340 employees, three vehicle lines, 60 distribution partners in Europe — and one unchanged goal: vehicles that digest every season.
1992
Founded
340
Employees
3
Vehicle lines
60
Distribution partners
Our values
Honest construction, not an options catalogue
We don't sell equipment packs you have to buy one by one. Anything that touches safety, sealing or winter is standard at Artica.
Three fixed principles: cells built entirely in our own plant, systematic winter verification, and a vehicle that still holds its value after ten years.
Come and meet us
Factory tour, test drive or simply a conversation — we take the time.