Safari Motorcoach Corporation
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 | |
| Industry | Automotive |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1986 |
| Founder | Matt Perlot and Curt Lawler |
| Defunct | 2009 |
| Fate | Brand Closed Along With Beaver |
| Headquarters | Harrisburg, Oregon (1986 - 2009) |
| Products | Motorcoaches |
| Parent | Monaco Coach (2002-2009) |
Safari Motorcoach Corporation (also known as Safari Coach) is a defunct American motor coach manufacturing company that was based in Oregon. The company's manufacturing plant was initially located in Harrisburg. The Safari Coach brand name was purchased by Monaco in 2002, however the Safari Coach name was no longer being used as of 2009.
History
Safari was founded in the 1980s by Mat Perlot and Curt Lawler, former employees of Beaver Motorcoach Corporation. The company started building diesel- and gas-powered Class A motorhomes. Safari bought Beaver in 1994 for $7.6 million after outbidding Country Coach. In 2002, Monaco Coach purchased Safari and the Beaver brand name. Beaver moved its assembling plant in 2006, but Safari was able to keep its plant in Harrisburg open. Safari also shared ownership in Beaver's Bend assembling plant, but in 2006 the Beaver plant was moved and Safari also had to vacate the plant.
Bankruptcy And Closure Of Brand
In 2009, Monaco filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The following year Navistar International purchased Monaco, but Navistar did not purchase the Safari Coach brand name, the Safari and Beaver brand names were no longer used.[citation needed]