Forest River (company) explained

Forest River
Type:Subsidiary
Founder:Peter Liegl
Key People:Doug Gaeddert (CEO)
Industry:Recreational vehicle products
Num Employees:11,000
Parent:Berkshire Hathaway (2005-present)
Location City:Elkhart, Indiana
Location Country:United States
Locations:More than 100 Plants

Forest River Inc. is an American manufacturer of recreational vehicles, cargo trailers, utility trailers, pontoon boats, and buses.[1] [2]

History

Forest River, Inc. was founded in 1996 by Peter Liegl[3] after purchasing certain assets of Cobra Industries,[4] 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.[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 2001, Forest River acquired Starcraft Bus[7] and Glaval Bus.

In 2005, Forest River, Inc., was acquired by Berkshire Hathaway.[8] [9] As the Wall Street Columnist Ben Cohen noted: "Liegl came to him (Warren Buffett) with a price in mind: $800 million. So he did some basic diligence. The next day, Buffett made an offer. The next week, Liegl came to Omaha. They met for 20 minutes and shook hands on a deal."[1]

Forest River continued to expand with the acquisition of Rance Aluminum Fabrication and Priority One Financial Services in 2007.[10]

The following year, the company acquired assets of Coachmen RV, a subsidiary of Coachmen Industries[11] [12] and a manufacturer of class A motorhomes, class C motorhomes, travel trailers, fifth wheels, tent campers and sport utility trailers.

In 2011, Forest River acquired Dynamax Corporation,[13] which builds motorhomes (class C and super class C).

In 2014, the company expanded with production facilities in Silverton, Oregon,[14] [15] Hemet, California,[16] [17] and White Pigeon, Michigan.[18] [19] That same year, the company acquired StarTrans Bus.[20]

In January 2017, Forest River launched its new line of luxury buses, Berkshire Coach.[21] In June of the same year, Battisti Customs was acquired.[22]

In May 2020, Forest River acquired the REV Group shuttle bus brands Champion, Federal Coach, World Trans, Krystal Coach, ElDorado, and Goshen Coach.[23] In 2020, they closed the Federal Coach, Goshen Coach, Krystal Coach, and World Trans brands soon after acquisition.

In 2022-2024, they shut down Battisti Customs, Berkshire Coach & Elkhart Coach bus brands.

In January 2024, Forest River acquired the school bus manufacturer Collins Bus from REV Group.[24] Later, the company acquired another school bus manufacturer Trans Tech.

Forest River Bus & Van acquired L.A. West Coaches in January 2025.[25]

In March 2025, co-CEO David Wright announced his retirement from Forest River, Inc., citing the recent passing of his longtime friend, mentor and Forest River founder, Pete Liegl.[26]

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

Cargo Trailers

Commercial Trucks

Park Models

Pontoon Boats

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Cohen. Ben . 2025-02-28 . Warren Buffett Knew Nothing About This Business. It Made Him Billions. live . https://archive.today/PkVJ9#selection-5835.188-5835.201/https://www.wsj.com/business/warren-buffett-berkshire-letter-rv-pete-liegl-f3519820 . 2025-03-01 . The Wall Street Journal.
  2. Web site: Our Story | Forest River Inc., A Berkshire Hathaway Company.
  3. Web site: Liegl Conveys Gratitude on Forest River's 20th. RV Business. 2016-02-19. en-us. 2016-02-11. https://web.archive.org/web/20160211000322/http://www.rvbusiness.com/2016/02/liegl-conveys-gratitude-on-forest-rivers-20th/. dead.
  4. (RV Business Vol 56, no. 9 pg 38)
  5. Web site: Cargomatetrailer.com-AboutUs. www.cargomatetrailer.com. 2016-02-23. 2021-07-27. https://web.archive.org/web/20210727124004/https://cargomatetrailer.com/AboutUs. dead.
  6. Web site: South Bay Pontoon - a division of Forest River, Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway company.. www.southbaypontoon.com. 2016-02-23. South Bay. Pontoons. 2016-04-02. https://web.archive.org/web/20160402101856/http://www.southbaypontoon.com/AboutUs.aspx. dead.
  7. Web site: Forest River Buys Starcraft Bus Business. RV Business . 2016-02-05 . en-us . https://web.archive.org/web/20160426190452/http://rvbusiness.com/2001/08/forest-river-buys-starcrafts-bus-business/ . 26 April 2016.
  8. Web site: Berkshire Hathaway Annual Report-2005.
  9. Web site: Billionaire Buffett Operates on 'Gut Instinct'. RVBusiness. 2016-04-12. November 18, 2005. 2016-04-26. https://web.archive.org/web/20160426151649/http://www.rvbusiness.com/2005/11/billionaire-buffett-operates-on-%E2%80%98gut-instinct%E2%80%99/. dead.
  10. Web site: About Priority One: History. www.p1fs.com. 2016-02-23. 2016-04-23. https://web.archive.org/web/20160423080436/http://www.p1fs.com/aboutus.asp. dead.
  11. Web site: Coachmen and Forest River Working out the Details. RV Business. 2016-02-09. en-us. 2016-04-26. https://web.archive.org/web/20160426154752/http://www.rvbusiness.com/2008/11/coachmen-forest-river-working-out-details/. dead.
  12. Web site: Coachmen RV - Manufacturer of Travel Trailers - Fifth Wheels - Tent Campers - Motorhomes. www.coachmenrv.com. 2016-02-23.
  13. Web site: Liegl Expects Few Changes at Dynamax Corp.. RV Business . 2016-02-19 . en-us . https://web.archive.org/web/20170202012302/http://www.rvbusiness.com/2011/02/liegl-expects-few-changes-at-dynamax-corp/ . 2 February 2017.
  14. Web site: New business could add up to 70 jobs in Silverton. Statesman Journal. 2016-02-23.
  15. Web site: Our Town – Silverton, Mt. Angel & Scotts Mills » Blog Archive » Match made: Forest River expands manufacturing operations into Silverton. ourtownlive.com. 15 October 2014 . 2016-02-23.
  16. Web site: HEMET: First trailer rolls out of new manufacturing plant. Press Enterprise. 2016-02-23. 2016-03-25. https://web.archive.org/web/20160325183011/http://www.pe.com/articles/plant-763078-forest-river.html. dead.
  17. Web site: Hundreds of Jobs Expected as Major RV Manufacturer Opens Plant in Hemet Patch. Banning-Beaumont, CA Patch. 15 December 2014 . 2016-02-23. en-US.
  18. Web site: RV makers, dealers on roll as show opens in Novi. Detroit Free Press. 2016-02-23.
  19. Web site: Nearly 400 jobs coming to St. Joseph County as RV maker Forest River Manufacturing expands. MLive.com . 27 January 2015 . 2016-02-23.
  20. Web site: Forest River Acquiring Startrans Shuttle Bus Unit . 2017-03-09 . 2017-03-12 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170312042444/http://www.rvbusiness.com/2014/03/forest-river-acquiring-startrans-shuttle-bus-unit/ . dead .
  21. News: Forest River launches luxury bus line. Tribune. Lincoln Wright South Bend. South Bend Tribune . 2017-01-16.
  22. News: Forest River Acquires Battisti Customs. RV Pro . 2017-06-20.
  23. News: Forest River acquires REV Group's shuttle bus business. 2020-05-13.
  24. Web site: Forest River Acquires Collins Bus, Strengthening Position as America's Premier Shuttle and School Bus Builder . businesswire.com . 2024-01-29 . 2024-01-29.
  25. Web site: Forest River Bus & van Acquires L.A. West Coaches, Expanding van Portfolio .
  26. Web site: Forest River Co-CEO Wright to Retire; Gaeddert Sole CEO - RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News . 24 March 2025 .

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