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Forest River (company)

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For other uses, see Forest River (disambiguation).
Forest River
Company typeSubsidiary
IndustryRecreational vehicle products
FoundedJanuary 26, 1996; 28 years ago (1996-01-26)
FounderPeter Liegl
Headquarters
Elkhart, Indiana
,
United States
Number of locations
More than 100 Plants
Key people
Peter Liegl (CEO)
Number of employees
11,000
ParentBerkshire Hathaway (2005-present)
Divisions
List of Divisions
  • Prime Time Manufacturing
  • Coachmen RV
  • Shasta RV
  • Palomino RV
  • Forest River RV
  • Dynamax Corporation
  • Glaval Bus
  • Elkhart Coach
  • Starcraft Bus
  • AmeraLite
  • Cargo Mate
  • Continental Cargo
  • Haulin Trailers
  • Lightning Trailers
  • Rance Aluminum Trailers
  • US Cargo
  • Berkshire Pontoon
  • South Bay Pontoon
  • Trifecta Pontoon
  • Qualridge
  • Rockport Commercial Vehicles
  • Berkshire Coach
  • East to West
  • Battisti Customs
Websitewww.forestriverinc.com

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, travel trailers, fifth wheels, and park models under the model lines Salem, Sierra, Sandpiper, Wildwood, Rockwood, Flagstaff, Summit, and Quailridge. Later that same year, they began producing cargo utility trailers as Cargo Mate.[4]

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 Starcraft Bus[7] and Glaval Bus.

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 2020, they closed the Federal Coach, Goshen Coach, Krystal Coach, and World Trans brands soon after acquisition.

In January 2024, Forest River acquired the school bus manufacturer Collins Bus from REV Group.[28]

On November 18, 2024, Forest River, Inc. Founder and CEO Peter J. Liegl died. He is survived by his wife Sharon, daughter and two 2 grandchildren.[29]

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

Vans

  • Forest River Vans
  • Mobility Trans

Cargo Trailers

  • Force Trailers
  • Restroom Trailers
  • AmeraLite
  • Cargo Mate
  • Cargo King
  • 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

  1. ^ "Our Story | Forest River Inc., A Berkshire Hathaway Company".
  2. ^ "Liegl Conveys Gratitude on Forest River's 20th". RV Business. Archived from the original on 2016-02-11. Retrieved 2016-02-19.
  3. ^ (RV Business Vol 56, no. 9 pg 38)
  4. ^ "Cargomatetrailer.com-AboutUs". www.cargomatetrailer.com. Archived from the original on 2021-07-27. Retrieved 2016-02-23.
  5. ^ "Continentalcargotrailer.com-AboutUs". www.continentalcargotrailer.com. Archived from the original on 2016-02-23. Retrieved 2016-02-23.
  6. ^ 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.
  7. ^ "Forest River Buys Starcraft Bus Business". RV Business. Archived from the original on 26 April 2016. Retrieved 2016-02-05.
  8. ^ "Palomino RV - Manufacturer of Quality RVs since 1968". www.palominorv.com. Archived from the original on 2016-02-22. Retrieved 2016-02-23.
  9. ^ "Berkshire Hathaway Annual Report-2005" (PDF).
  10. ^ "Billionaire Buffett Operates on 'Gut Instinct'". RVBusiness. RVBusiness. Archived from the original on 2016-04-26. Retrieved 2016-04-12.
  11. ^ "Our Story". Elkhart Coach. Elkhart Coach.
  12. ^ "About Priority One: History". www.p1fs.com. Archived from the original on 2016-04-23. Retrieved 2016-02-23.
  13. ^ "Coachmen and Forest River Working out the Details". RV Business. Archived from the original on 2016-04-26. Retrieved 2016-02-09.
  14. ^ "Coachmen RV - Manufacturer of Travel Trailers - Fifth Wheels - Tent Campers - Motorhomes". www.coachmenrv.com. Retrieved 2016-02-23.
  15. ^ Manufacturing, Prime Time. "Prime Time Manufacturing - Manufacturer of Travel Trailers - Fifth Wheels". www.primetimerv.com. Retrieved 2016-02-23.
  16. ^ "Forest River Launches Shasta RV Division". RV Business. Retrieved 2016-02-09.
  17. ^ "Liegl Expects Few Changes at Dynamax Corp". RV Business. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 2016-02-19.
  18. ^ "New business could add up to 70 jobs in Silverton". Statesman Journal. Retrieved 2016-02-23.
  19. ^ "Our Town – Silverton, Mt. Angel & Scotts Mills » Blog Archive » Match made: Forest River expands manufacturing operations into Silverton". ourtownlive.com. Retrieved 2016-02-23.
  20. ^ "HEMET: First trailer rolls out of new manufacturing plant". Press Enterprise. Retrieved 2016-02-23.
  21. ^ "Hundreds of Jobs Expected as Major RV Manufacturer Opens Plant in Hemet | Patch". Banning-Beaumont, CA Patch. Retrieved 2016-02-23.
  22. ^ "RV makers, dealers on roll as show opens in Novi". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved 2016-02-23.
  23. ^ "Nearly 400 jobs coming to St. Joseph County as RV maker Forest River Manufacturing expands". MLive.com. Retrieved 2016-02-23.
  24. ^ "Forest River Acquiring Startrans Shuttle Bus Unit". Archived from the original on 2017-03-12. Retrieved 2017-03-09.
  25. ^ Tribune, Lincoln Wright South Bend. "Forest River launches luxury bus line". South Bend Tribune. Retrieved 2017-01-16.
  26. ^ "Forest River Acquires Battisti Customs". RV Pro. Retrieved 2017-06-20.
  27. ^ "Forest River acquires REV Group's shuttle bus business". Retrieved 2020-05-13.
  28. ^ "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.
  29. ^ "Forest River, Inc. Mourns the Passing of Founder Pete Liegl, Celebrating His Visionary Leadership and Philanthropy". businesswire.com.
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