Lippert Components, Inc.

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Lippert is a global manufacturer and supplier of RV, marine, automotive, commercial vehicle and building products headquartered in Mishawaka, Indiana. The company also has interests in the hospitality industry and rail transport market.

Lippert was founded by Larry Lippert in 1956. It began as B&L Industries, a galvanized mobile home roofing business. Since then, Lippert has grown into a multinational company through the creation of new products and brands, as well as numerous acquisitions.

Lippert Components, Inc.

Lippert logo (2021-Present)
Type	Public
Traded as	LCII
ISIN	🆔
Industry	RV, Marine, Automotive, Commercial Vehicle, Building Products
Founded 📆	May 17, 1956 (1956-05-17)
Founder 👔	Larry Lippert Don Baldwin
Headquarters 🏙️	, Mishawaka, IN , United States
Area served 🗺️	Worldwide
Key people	Jason Lippert (CEO)
Members
Number of employees	15,000
🌐 Website	lci1.com
📇 Address
📞 telephone

History & Acquisitions

On May 17, 1956, Lippert was founded as B&L Industries by Larry Lippert and Don Baldwin. That year, they began manufacturing galvanized mobile home roofing, creating a product called Duratop. Detroiter Mobile Homes and Redman Industries were B&L's first customers. In 1957, Baldwin sold his shares of B&L to Larry Lippert. With a strong foundation laid, Larry led the company to develop many innovative technologies and improve industry processes. In 1958, Larry purchased Riverdale Steel Works (RSW), a company that manufactured mobile home chassis and chassis components, from Bill Langdin.

Towards the beginning of the 1960s, B&L struggled to pay bills and expansion projects were temporarily put on hold. To rebuild existing plants and to fund additional expansions, Larry entered a deal with William "Bill” Redman. Bill's son, Donald Redman, became a managing partner of B&L Industries, alongside Larry, in exchange for cash to rebuild the plants and to fund additional expansion. Shortly thereafter, B&L Industries expanded into Pennsylvania, Kansas, Georgia and Michigan. B&L's corporate office also moved into a larger building in Alma, MI, formerly the Alma Products building. In 1964, Larry bought out Donald Redman and once again became sole shareholder of B&L Industries.

For the next few years, Larry worked to expand the company across several other states. Plants opened in Syracuse, IN, Bonham, TX and Bear Creek, AL. B&L Industries of the Carolinas was also founded. During this time, Larry’s son, Doug Lippert, became Plant Manager of B&L’s Syracuse, IN facility.

Larry Lippert worked to aggressively expand B&L in 1969, acquiring several manufacturing companies: D&H Tops, a manufacturer of Formica counter tops, Coachmen Draperies, Spreads by Cynthia, Comfo Sleep, maker of mattresses for housing and C&B Manufacturing, which would eventually become LCI of Florida in Clearwater. These acquisitions would be crucial to attaining Skyline's manufactured housing business decades later. However, the names of the aforementioned businesses would soon disappear, along with B&L Industries, to be replaced by Lippert Components, Inc. (LCI).

In 1970, LCI began selling its non-steel-related businesses and closed both Comfo Sleep and Spreads by Cynthia in an effort to refocus on the steel industry.

By 1972, LCI had expanded within Florida, opening an additional plant in Ocala. A joint venture was also formed with Riblet Industries, combining forces in North Carolina and Kansas to maintain profitability for both companies within those states. In 1974, Riblet Industries became a publicly traded company, forcing LCI and Riblet to divide their assets between the two companies. With the flip of a coin, it was decided that Riblet would own and operate the facility in Burrton, Kansas and LCI would own and operate the Henderson, North Carolina facility. This division would prove to be instrumental for LCI's future growth in many ways. By a sheer stroke of luck, North Carolina would soon after become a major hub for the manufactured housing industry. Clayton Homes and Oxford Homes became major players in the manufactured housing industry, boosting LCI's sales to all-time highs. This began a kind of "golden age" in the manufactured housing industry. With the business thriving, LCI further expanded into Kingston, Tennessee.

Between 1976 and 1977, Doug Lippert became CEO and President of LCI, and he opened a second division in Harrisburg, North Carolina. LCI also relocated the Bonham, TX plant to Alvarado, TX. In 1977, after Larry Lippert's retirement from the business, LCI acquired Farmville Manufacturing, a maker of axle hubs in Cordele, GA. Additionally, LCI of Indiana relocated to Nappanee, IN.

The manufactured housing industry experienced meager productivity increases during the early 1980s, and as a result, LCI's business slowed. An energy crisis and tight governmental monetary policy caused the manufactured housing industry to all but tumble. Through it all, LCI managed to stay afloat. As they expanded into Eatonton, Georgia, they were awarded the business of Horton Homes, which became LCI's largest customer at that time, taking sales from $30 to $40 million annually.

In 1988, LCI acquired the assets of Riblet Industries, their largest competitor within the manufactured housing industry at the time. This acquisition led to expansions in New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Louisiana and Wisconsin. Doug Lippert also formed a long-lasting relationship with Jim Miller, VP of Purchasing for Skyline. Skyline would quickly become LCI's largest customer, allowing LCI to supply all their manufactured home chassis, chassis parts and galvanized roofing products. By the end of 1988, LCI's sales grew from $45 to $80 million annually.

In 1992, Hurricane Andrew devastated families in and around Homestead, Florida, requiring 18,000 FEMA housing units to be built for misplaced families. LCI was called upon to provide chassis for the 18,000 FEMA units, with 10,000 of those chassis needed immediately. LCI teams rallied around the effort, operating three-shift, 24-hour days for an entire year. With the sharp increase in demand, LCI's facility in Florida increased chassis production from 15 to 55 chassis per day. LCI's ability to fluidly increase production capacity and to produce such a high number of chassis caught the eye of Drew Industries, a New York-based holding company that would eventually acquire LCI.

Between 1994 and 1995, LCI acquired Winn Industries, expanding into Fitzgerald, Georgia. In 1995, LCI opened its second Indiana plant in Goshen.

LCI took a major step in vertically integrating the company in 1996 with the acquisition of Continental Stamping, a Goshen-based steel parts fabricator. This acquisition helped LCI gain better quality control for the various steel parts for its chassis production.

Seeing a need for diversification, a young Jason Lippert, the son of Doug Lippert and grandson of Larry Lippert, received the green light from management in 1997 to start a travel trailer chassis line in McAdoo, Pennsylvania. As fate would have it, this would become the single largest turning point in the company's history. LCI was soon acquired by Drew Industries, a long-established investor in the manufactured housing and RV markets. Having acquired Kinro decades earlier, the LCI acquisition further strengthened Drew's portfolio in the manufactured housing and RV industries.

In 1998, LCI expanded its RV operations into Berkeley Springs, West Virginia, and by the year 2000, LCI became an international company with the opening of a facility in Lindsay, Ontario in Canada. Towards the beginning of the decade, LCI also acquired Coil Clip, a manufacturer of fabricated steel parts in Boaz, Alabama. Keeping pace with the growing RV industry, LCI acquired three Indiana-based RV chassis manufacturers over the next few years: Quality Frames in 2001, We-Shape in 2002 and ET&T in 2003. Drew Industries also purchased Better Bath, adding plastic thermoformed kitchen and bath components to the growing portfolio.

Doug Lippert made the decision to step down as CEO of LCI in 2003, passing the torch to his son, Jason Lippert. This made Jason LCI’s third generation of leadership.

Under Jason’s new leadership, the company continued acquisitions. LCI acquired Zieman Manufacturing in 2004, its largest purchase at the time. Zieman Manufacturing added boat, small watercraft and equipment trailer production to LCI's growing list of production capabilities. The acquisition also expanded LCI's operations into the west coast of the U.S. The same year, LCI acquired LTM Manufacturing, marking LCI's entry into the RV accessory market. Today, LCI is known as the industry leader in RV accessory and component innovation.

Acquisitions continued over the next several years. In 2005, LCI acquired Venture Manufacturing, increasing manufactured and residential housing chassis capabilities and capacity in Howe, Indiana. Then, in 2006, LCI acquired Happijac, a manufacturer of numerous patented RV products such as bed lifts, slide-outs, camper jacks and tie down systems. The same year, LCI also acquired Steelco, a manufacturing company that held numerous slide-out patents.

In 2007, LCI began manufacturing Coach Step products, adding motorized entry steps to the list of capabilities. In a major acquisition for LCI, the company purchased Trailair, an industry leader in ride improvement components. Trailair products include the Equa-Flex rubberized equalizer, the Air Ride pin box and the Center Point air ride suspension system. Additionally, LCI acquired Extreme Engineering and began building specialty trailers for high-end watercraft, further expanding marine trailer capabilities.

LCI acquired Seating Technology in 2008, marking the company’s entry into the RV Interiors market with a variety of custom RV furniture and mattresses, allowing LCI to begin producing RV furniture and mattresses to OEMs’ custom specifications. LCI also acquired JT'S RV Accessories and began producing JT's Elephant Pads, Strong Arm stabilizers and digital levelers — products that dramatically reduce rocking and promote better rest for a more enjoyable camping experience.

Also entering the RV entry door market, LCI acquired Nappanee Door in 2009. Over the next two years, LCI would amass almost half of the RV entry door market. Eventually, they would introduce more than 40 innovations to the RV entry door, marking their place as a strong competitor in the industry.

In 2010, LCI acquired certain products from Schwintek. The revolutionary Schwintek In-Wall slide-out changed the landscape of the RV industry with its compact and efficient design. LCI also acquired the rights to manufacture Level Up, an innovative automatic hydraulic leveling system for 5th wheels, providing both front-to-rear and side-to-side leveling to protect the chassis. In 2010, there were no RVs that were manufactured with an automatic leveling system. By 2016, it was almost the standard or optional across the board. LCI also acquired EZ-Ride and Sellers Corporations in 2010 and began producing E-Z Cruise rubber suspension systems to dramatically reduce road shock and vibrations on motorhomes.

The acquisition of Sellers marked LCI's entry into the motorized chassis modification market. In 2011, LCI acquired M&M Fabricators & M-Tech to grow and diversify products into the RV motorhome and bus chassis modification business. LCI also acquired Home-Style, further expanding RV furniture capacity to the west coast. To expand further into the specialty markets, LCI acquired Starquest which allowed them to produce windows and doors for trucks caps, horse trailers and buses. Also in 2011, LCI introduced its popular Solera line of manual and electric awnings and protective slide-out sleeves. In just four years Solera would account for 50% of all awnings produced in the RV OEM market. LCI also acquired towable chassis and slide-out mechanisms from Dexter Chassis Group in 2011.

In 2012, LCI acquired Amerimax and launched an innovative line of RV entry door products developed from combined Amerimax and LCI technology. The company also acquired Agile Resources to expand its thermoforming product production in the Midwest and to further expand plastic production for specialty markets.

With a new interest in focusing on retail and aftermarket product offerings and marketing programs, LCI officially launched its aftermarket sales division in 2012.

Marking a momentous occasion for the company, LCI's founder and patriarch, Larry Lippert, was inducted into the RV/MH Hall of Fame in August of 2013, surrounded by his two children, six grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren, for his lifelong work in the industry. Just ten years after being named CEO of LCI and Kinro, Jason Lippert was named CEO of Drew Industries.

The next few years brought several more acquisitions for LCI. In 2013, as part of LCI's automation initiative, LCI acquired Midstates Tool and Die in order to streamline manufacturing efficiencies. In 2014, LCI acquired IDS Electronics integrated electronics business. This was a critical turning point for LCI, adding the capability to design and engineer specific electronic technologies for RV towing, leveling and actuation products. LCI also acquired Star Design, further expanding RV and adjacent market thermoforming capabilities. Additionally, LCI acquired Duncan Systems, the industry leader in RV glass replacement, to further expand LCI's customer service capabilities. In 2014, LCI also acquired Power Gear/Kwikee, adding two industry-trusted brands in the entry step, slide-out and leveling categories to their portfolio.

In 2015, LCI acquired EA Technologies, giving LCI e-coat capabilities for the RV and other adjacent industries. LCI also acquired Spectal, officially forming Lippert of Canada, Inc. and further expanding LCI's window production capabilities in adjacent industries. Additionally, LCI acquired Signature Seating in 2015, a Fort Wayne based marine seating manufacturer. That same year, Drew Industries eclipsed one billion in sales for the first time.

In 2016, LCI acquired Highwater Marine Seating and Flair Interiors, further expanding marine and RV furniture manufacturing capabilities. LCI also made its first European acquisition, purchasing Project 2000 SRL, an Italian manufacturer of innovative products for the European and North American RV markets. In 2016, LCI also acquired the chassis and seating businesses of Atwood Mobile Products, as well as Camping Connection, an RV service provider with locations in Florida and South Carolina. Drew Industries officially changed its name to LCI Industries that year.

With further interest in the European market, LCI acquired Sessa Klein, Metallarte and RV Doors in 2017. Sessa Klein is an Italian manufacturer of rolling stock windows for high-speed and commuter trains, and Metallarte and RV Doors are Italian manufacturers of caravan and motorhome entry doors, as well as access doors. That year, LCI also acquired Lexington, the leading manufacturer of rota-molded furniture solutions for the marine and motorhome industries in the U.S., for $40 million. This acquisition propelled LCI to become the leading manufacturer of pontoon furniture. In 2017, LCI broke ground on its automated chassis beam processing center, the largest ever capital project in its history.

In 2018, LCI acquired Hehr, a long-time competitor in the window market. At $49 million, Hehr was LCI's second largest acquisition to date. LCI also acquired STLA., an Italian manufacturer of bed, lifts, ladders, table mechanisms, holding tanks and caravan accessories. In its largest acquisition at the time at $88 million, LCI acquired the Taylor Made Group and its affiliated companies. These included Taylor Made Systems, Taylor Made Glass, Taylor Made Products, Ameritex, Taylor Made Glass and Systems and Trend Marine.

With even more growth into the marine industry, LCI acquired SureShade, PWR-ARM and Lewmar in 2019. SureShade is the manufacturer of a patented telescoping shade system for the marine and RV markets, while PWR-ARM is known for its highly patented powered bimini for the North American pontoon boat industry. Lewmar, a UK-based company, is a manufacturer of premium marine products for the international boating industry.

The same year, LCI also acquired Ciesse, an Italian manufacturer that produces interior products for the international rail industry.

In the largest acquisition in the history of the company, LCI acquired CURT Group in 2019 for $340 million. Based out of Eau Claire, Wisconsin, CURT Group owns five highly coveted brands: CURT ARIES, LUVERNE, RETRAC and UWS. The brand sells highly engineered products with 100% of its sales provided to the automotive and RV aftermarkets.

In 2020, LCI acquired the Polyplastic Group, a Netherlands manufacturer of highly engineered shaped acrylic products. Polyplastic was the largest European acquisition to date.

In 2021, LCI was rebranded to Lippert. The company’s core line of RV and commercial products formerly branded as Lippert Components became Lippert. Taylor Made, CURT, Lewmar and all of Lippert's other sub brands were endorsed by Lippert to reinforce Lippert's role as a leading global manufacturer.

The same year, Lippert acquired Veada Industries, Inc., a manufacturer and distributor of boat seating and marine accessories. Veada represented the fifth acquisition in the marine sector by Lippert since 2015. Lippert also acquired all the business assets of Challenger Door, LLC, a leading manufacturer and distributor of branded doors for the RV industry and products for specialty and cargo trailers. The same year, Lippert acquired Ranch Hand, one of the most recognized names in the truck accessories industry, best known for meticulously engineered steel bumpers and grille guards.

Lippert's German subsidiary, LCI Industries GmbH, acquired Schaudt GmbH Elektrotechnik & Apparatebau in 2021, a company located in Markdorf, Germany and known as a leading supplier of electronic control and energy management systems for the European caravan industry.

With a renewed focus on sustainability, Lippert also acquired Furrion in 2021, a technology and innovation leader in premium, energy efficient products for RV, marine and other specialty industries. Furrion offers a large range of appliances, electronics and more to OEMs and aftermarket customers.

In 2022, Lippert acquired Girard, a leader in automatic patio awnings, door awnings, window awnings and slide awnings for RVs, homes, commercial spaces and specialty vehicles. To stay ahead of RV trends and keep up with the explosion of the RV lifestyle, Lippert also acquired T.J. Snuggles, Inc. in 2022. T.J. Snuggles is a Bremen, IN based company that manufactures custom tents for expandable RV trailers as well as cubical curtains and room dividers for hospitals.

Industries

• RV - Supplier and manufacturer of RV, travel trailer and camper components, offering OEM and aftermarket product lines
• Marine - Manufacturer of boating products in polyform, glass and metal
• Towing - Manufacturer of USA-made custom-fit hitches, and supplier of a complete line of towing products
• Truck Accessories - Manufacturer and supplier of accessories for pickup trucks, SUVs, CUVs and Jeeps
• Utility Trailer - Supplier of spring and torsion axles, as well as couplers, jacks, windows, doors and more, offering an array of products for cargo, horse and other utility trailers
• Commercial Vehicle - Manufacturer and supplier of windows, hitches, grille guards and other products for on and off-highway vehicles
• Hospitality - Supplier of mattresses, furniture, privacy curtains, kitchen and bath products to universities, hotels, camps, the military and more
• Building Products - Manufacturer of a wide range of high-quality entryway, kitchen, bed, bath and window products for the residential housing industry
• Rail - Manufacturer of rolling stock windows and interior seating for the global railway industry, with facilities on four continents
• Fitness - Supplier to training facilities, fitness centers and personal gyms across the U.S. through the Aqua Training Bag product
• Insurance - Supplier of replacement RV glass

Capabilities

Lippert supplies a broad array of engineered components to OEM and aftermarket customers across several industry segments, such as: recreational vehicles, marine, transit and school bus, equestrian and cargo trailers, heavy and light trucking, housing and building products, and others. Serving critical customer needs, Lippert specializes in high variation with short runs at scale.

Lippert is a global company with 66 U.S. locations, as well as locations in Canada, Mexico, Tunisia, United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Ireland and Italy. Research and development expertise and innovation are core components of the business, as well as safety of the environment and communities. Lippert is conscious about resource selection and makes process improvements that aim to lessen the impact of the manufacturing process.

Lippert capabilities include:

• Axles - With engineering and innovative technology, Lippert produces high-quality, durable axles.
• Coatings - With facilities across the United States, Lippert specializes in E-coating, powder coating, CARC, pickling, anodizing and more.
• Electronics - Lippert is a designer, developer and manufacturer of hardware and software solutions for the RV, marine and automotive industries.
• Furniture - The company produces RV and marine furniture using the latest machinery in wood, plastic and fabric manufacturing.
• Glass - Lippert specializes in glass with capabilities in bending, fabricating, tempering, lamination and more.
• Lamination - With a manufacturing footprint of over half-a-million square feet, Lippert offers a variety of size options, colors and finishes.
• Mattresses - Lippert customizes and manufactures thousands of mattresses for multiple industries, each meeting strict specifications.
• Metal Fabrication - Lippert stamps, cuts, forms and welds steel and aluminum, using robotics, lasers and a team of welders.
• Plastic Molding - Lippert specializes in thermoforming, injection molding and roto-molding in an ISO-certified paint facility.
• Power & Motion Systems - Lippert also specializes in electric and hydraulic actuating systems that improve and enhance the mobile lifestyle.

Brands

Lippert is a complete house of brands, serving the RV, marine, towing and automotive industries and beyond.

• Lippert
• Taylor Made
• CURT
• Lewmar
• Ranch Hand
• Furrion
• Aqua Training Bag
• Aries
• DoubleCOOL
• Duncan
• EnviroSpring
• Girard
• HappiJac
• Heritage
• Luverne
• OneControl
• Polyplastic
• RETRAC
• Schaudt
• Solera
• Somnum
• SureShade
• Thomas Payne
• Trend Marine
• UWS
• Veada
• Zieman
• Better Bath
• Ciesse
• Kinro
• Sessa Klein
• Ameritex

Products

Lippert’s brand portfolio covers a variety of innovative products, from chassis, windows and walls to electronic components and mobile apps.

RV

• Axles
• Chassis
• Appliances
• Air Conditioners
• Awnings
• 5th wheel products
• Cargo & Storage
• Class B Van Products
• Entry Doors
• Ramp Doors
• Access & Baggage Doors
• Electronics
• Fresh Water & Waste Management
• Furniture & Mattresses
• Kitchen & Bath
• Leveling & Stabilization
• Outdoor Living Products
• Power & Motion Products
• Safety & Security
• Slide-Outs
• Steps & Decks
• Water Heaters
• Windows

Marine

• Anchors & Windlasses
• Covers
• Dock Products
• Fenders & Buoys
• Flags
• Furniture
• Sailing and Yacht Products
• Shade Solutions & Biminis
• Steering & Thrusters
• Glazing Systems

Towing

• Trailer Hitches
• 5th Wheel Hitches & Pin Boxes
• Cargo Management
• Flat Towing
• Gooseneck
• Towing Accessories
• Towing Electrical
• Trailer Parts & Accessories
• Weight Distribution

Automotive

• Bumpers & Grille Guards
• Running Boards & Steps
• Toolboxes & Transfer Tanks
• Mud Flaps
• Headache Racks
• Jeep Products
• Truck Cap Windows

Utility Trailer

• Axles
• Access & Baggage Doors
• Awnings
• Cargo & Horse Trailer Doors
• Horse Trailer Windows
• Leveling & Stabilization
• RV & Trailer Windows

Commercial Vehicle

• School Bus Windows
• Transit Bus Windows
• Track Cap Windows
• Bumpers & Grille Guards
• Mirrors
• Mattresses
• Bus Doors

Building Products

• Chassis
• Kitchen & Bath
• Residential Doors
• Residential Windows

Hospitality

• Furniture
• Mattresses
• Kitchen & Bath

Rail

• Interior Products
• Exterior Solutions
• Windows

References

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