Forest River (company)
This article needs additional citations for verification. (December 2006) |
Parent Berkshire Hathaway (2005-present) | | |
Divisions | List of Divisions
| |
---|---|---|
Website | www |
Forest River Inc. is an American manufacturer of recreational vehicles, cargo trailers, utility trailers, pontoon boats, and buses.[1]
History
Forest River, Inc. was founded in 1996 by Peter Liegl[2] after purchasing certain assets of Cobra Industries,[3] where CEO Peter Liegl worked from 1985 to 1993. The company started by manufacturing tent campers,
In 1997, Forest River established a second cargo trailer line in 1997 called Continental Cargo.[5]
In 1998, Forest River Launched Forest River Marine and began producing pontoon boats.[6] That same year the company purchased certain assets of Firan Motorhomes to begin manufacturing class A motorhomes.
In 2000, Forest River acquired US Cargo, another manufacturer of utility trailers.
In 2001, Forest River entered the bus business through the acquisitions of
In 2002, Rockport Commercial Vehicles, a brand of commercial vehicles and cargo trucks, was launched. That same year, the company acquired Vanguard Industries and the assets of Palomino.[8]
In 2005, Forest River, Inc., was acquired by Warren Buffett and Berkshire Hathaway Inc.[9][10] In the same year, a new luxury coach brand, Elkhart Coach, was launched.[11]
Forest River continued to expand with the acquisition of Rance Aluminum Fabrication and Priority One Financial Services in 2007.[12]
The following year, the company acquired assets of Coachmen RV, a subsidiary of Coachmen Industries[13][14] and a manufacturer of class A motorhomes, class C motorhomes, travel trailers, fifth wheels, tent campers and sport utility trailers.
Prime Time Manufacturing, which builds towable recreational vehicles, was established in 2009[15] followed by the revival of the Shasta product line in 2010,[16] one of the intellectual properties of the Coachmen asset acquisition.
In 2011, Forest River acquired Dynamax Corporation,[17] which builds luxury motorhomes (class C and super class C).
In 2014, the company expanded further with the addition of production facilities in Silverton, Oregon,[18][19] Hemet, California,[20][21] and White Pigeon, Michigan.[22][23] That same year, the company acquired StarTrans Bus.[24]
In 2016, Forest River Marine added the Trifecta Pontoon line.
In January 2017, Forest River launched its new line of luxury buses, Berkshire Coach.[25] In June of the same year, Battisti Customs was acquired.[26]
In May 2020, Forest River acquired the REV Group shuttle bus brands Champion, Federal Coach, World Trans, Krystal Coach, ElDorado, and Goshen Coach. [27]
In January 2024, Forest River acquired the school bus manufacturer Collins Bus from REV Group.[28]
Subsidiaries
Forest River, Inc., though known best for its recreational vehicles, sells a wide variety of products including cargo trailers, buses, and pontoon boats. Below are the subsidiary brands of Forest River, Inc.:
Buses
- Berkshire Coach
- Glaval Bus
- Elkhart Coach
- Starcraft Bus
- StarTrans Bus
- Battisti Customs
- ElDorado Motor Corp.
- Champion Bus
- Collins Bus
Cargo Trailers
- Force Trailers
- Restroom Trailers
- AmeraLite
- Cargo Mate
- Continental Cargo
- Haulin Trailers
- Lightning Trailers
- Rance Aluminum Trailers
- US Cargo
Commercial Trucks
- Rockport Commercial Vehicles
Park Models
- Cabins and Suites
- Summit
- Quailridge
Pontoon Boats
- Berkshire Pontoons
- South Bay Pontoons
- Trifecta Pontoons
References
- ^ "Our Story | Forest River Inc., A Berkshire Hathaway Company".
- ^ "Liegl Conveys Gratitude on Forest River's 20th". RV Business. Archived from the original on 2016-02-11. Retrieved 2016-02-19.
- ^ (RV Business Vol 56, no. 9 pg 38)
- ^ "Cargomatetrailer.com-AboutUs". www.cargomatetrailer.com. Archived from the original on 2021-07-27. Retrieved 2016-02-23.
- ^ "Continentalcargotrailer.com-AboutUs". www.continentalcargotrailer.com. Archived from the original on 2016-02-23. Retrieved 2016-02-23.
- ^ Pontoons, South Bay. "South Bay Pontoon - a division of Forest River, Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway company". www.southbaypontoon.com. Archived from the original on 2016-04-02. Retrieved 2016-02-23.
- ^ "Forest River Buys Starcraft Bus Business". RV Business. Archived from the original on 26 April 2016. Retrieved 2016-02-05.
- ^ "Palomino RV - Manufacturer of Quality RVs since 1968". www.palominorv.com. Archived from the original on 2016-02-22. Retrieved 2016-02-23.
- ^ "Berkshire Hathaway Annual Report-2005" (PDF).
- ^ "Billionaire Buffett Operates on 'Gut Instinct'". RVBusiness. RVBusiness. Archived from the original on 2016-04-26. Retrieved 2016-04-12.
- ^ "Our Story". Elkhart Coach. Elkhart Coach.
- ^ "About Priority One: History". www.p1fs.com. Archived from the original on 2016-04-23. Retrieved 2016-02-23.
- ^ "Coachmen and Forest River Working out the Details". RV Business. Archived from the original on 2016-04-26. Retrieved 2016-02-09.
- ^ "Coachmen RV - Manufacturer of Travel Trailers - Fifth Wheels - Tent Campers - Motorhomes". www.coachmenrv.com. Retrieved 2016-02-23.
- ^ Manufacturing, Prime Time. "Prime Time Manufacturing - Manufacturer of Travel Trailers - Fifth Wheels". www.primetimerv.com. Retrieved 2016-02-23.
- ^ "Forest River Launches Shasta RV Division". RV Business. Retrieved 2016-02-09.
- ^ "Liegl Expects Few Changes at Dynamax Corp". RV Business. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 2016-02-19.
- ^ "New business could add up to 70 jobs in Silverton". Statesman Journal. Retrieved 2016-02-23.
- ^ "Our Town – Silverton, Mt. Angel & Scotts Mills » Blog Archive » Match made: Forest River expands manufacturing operations into Silverton". ourtownlive.com. Retrieved 2016-02-23.
- ^ "HEMET: First trailer rolls out of new manufacturing plant". Press Enterprise. Retrieved 2016-02-23.
- ^ "Hundreds of Jobs Expected as Major RV Manufacturer Opens Plant in Hemet | Patch". Banning-Beaumont, CA Patch. Retrieved 2016-02-23.
- ^ "RV makers, dealers on roll as show opens in Novi". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved 2016-02-23.
- ^ "Nearly 400 jobs coming to St. Joseph County as RV maker Forest River Manufacturing expands". MLive.com. Retrieved 2016-02-23.
- ^ "Forest River Acquiring Startrans Shuttle Bus Unit". Archived from the original on 2017-03-12. Retrieved 2017-03-09.
- ^ Tribune, Lincoln Wright South Bend. "Forest River launches luxury bus line". South Bend Tribune. Retrieved 2017-01-16.
- ^ "Forest River Acquires Battisti Customs". RV Pro. Retrieved 2017-06-20.
- ^ "Forest River acquires REV Group's shuttle bus business". Retrieved 2020-05-13.
- ^ "Forest River Acquires Collins Bus, Strengthening Position as America's Premier Shuttle and School Bus Builder". businesswire.com. 2024-01-29. Retrieved 2024-01-29.