Winnebago was established in Forrest City, Iowa, in 1960, when the city was going through a rough economy. In an attempt to pull the city out of the economic downturn, businessman John Hanson convinced a travel trailer company to open a factory in the city.
In 1960 Hanson, together with four other businessmen, purchased the factory and renamed it to Winnebago Industries. In addition to manufacturing the motor homes, the company also manufactured all the furniture and components that went inside. The much improved motor homes went on sale in 1966 for a considerably cheaper price than models available in the market.
By 1977, Winnebago Industries had produced 100,000 units and was considered the first manufacturer to ever build that many units. The company continued to grow stronger and it doubled its production almost 10 years later.
During the company’s 50th anniversary in 2008, they declared that they had completed the 400,000th unit, and introduced a new class of motor homes at the same time. Winnebago Industries went through several changes over the years, but one thing remains – quality. The company has held on to their tradition of producing quality motor homes, and though many of their units have a modern design, the quality, both exterior and interior, remains the same.
Winnebago Industries still has its headquarters in Forrest City, but today, they have a total of 235 dealer locations in the United States, and 230 locations in Canada. Not only does the company produce motor homes, they also produce OEM parts of vehicles produced by other manufacturers. The company is currently being led by Randy Potts, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.
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