Major RV Company Shutting Down Manufacturing Sites In Hemet, Rialto

ELKHART, IND — Forest River Inc., a well-known manufacturer of recreational vehicles, announced it is closing its manufacturing facilities in Hemet and Rialto and, in the process, laying off more than 400 Southern California employees.

The plant closures at 920 West Mayberry Avenue in Hemet and 255 S. Pepper Avenue in Rialto are expected by the end of the year.

The move marks the RV maker's total manufacturing exit from the Golden State.

Warren Buffet's Berkshire Hathaway is the parent company of Forest River, having acquired the Indiana-based business in 2005. A request for comment was not immediately returned.

An Oct. 15 report from RVBusiness states that the decision to close the California manufacturing operations "stems from the rising cost of doing business in the state. These increasing costs have made it challenging to maintain a competitive advantage from these facilities."

According to the Forest River website, the company has manufactured RVs, cargo trailers, pontoon boats, buses, vans, and commercial vehicles since 1996. Over the years, the company has acquired and/or launched other popular RV brands — Coachmen, Dynamax, and Prime Time Manufacturing, for example — bringing them under the Forest River umbrella.

While Forest River manufacturing will end in the Golden State, the company is reportedly converting its Hemet site into a dedicated service center. It's unclear how many employees will staff the facility.

Oct. 15 WARN notices filed with the state of California by Forest River show the company will cease manufacturing at the SoCal facilities on Dec. 13. At the Hemet site, 239 employees are affected. Another 176 employees at the Rialto location are also getting pink slips, according to the state data.

In a statement this month in RVBusiness, Doug Gaeddert, president of Forest River's RV Division, promised to continue supporting the company's California customers and dealers.

"Forest River has a strong commitment to the California retail market, and although our manufacturing presence is ending, our dedication to our dealers and customers is unwavering," Gaeddert said. The opening of the new Hemet service center "ensures that our California RV owners and dealers will have local access to our best-in-class service network."