Editing Samsonite (section)

== History ==
[[File:I do want Samsonite, 1953.jpg|thumb|left|upright|A 1953 ad for Samsonite]]

The company was founded in [[Denver, Colorado]], on March 10, 1910, by [[Black Hawk, Colorado]]-born luggage salesman [[Jesse Shwayder]] (1882–1970) as the '''Shwayder Trunk Manufacturing Company'''.<ref name="IPO">{{cite news |title=Samsonite HK IPO bags $1.25 billion after pricing at bottom |url = https://www.reuters.com/article/us-samsonite-idUSTRE7590PS20110610 |publisher= [[Reuters]] |first= Elzio |last= Barreto | date= June 10, 2011 | access-date = 2012-03-04}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Diamond |first=Madline |date=2021-08-31 |title=The Evolution of Luggage: A Timeline |url=https://www.travelandleisure.com/style/evolution-of-luggage |access-date=2023-01-20 |website=Travel + Leisure |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Machajewski |first=Sarah |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_yFhDwAAQBAJ |title=Colorado's Changing Cities: Then and Now |date=2015-12-15 |publisher=The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc |isbn=978-1-4994-1504-9 |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":2" /> A religious man, Shwayder named one of his initial cases [[Samson]], after the [[Bible|Biblical]] strongman, and began using the trademark ''Samsonite'' in 1941 for its tapered [[Vulcanized fibre|vulcanized fiber]] suitcase, introduced in 1939.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|url=http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/samsonite-corp-history/|title=Samsonite Corp. History|work=International Directory of Company Histories|publisher=St. James Press|year=1996|volume=13}}</ref> In 1965, after the Samsonite suitcase became its best-selling product, the company changed its name to SAMSONITE. For many years the subsidiary SAMSONITE Furniture Co. made [[folding chair]]s and [[card table]]s in [[Murfreesboro, Tennessee]].

The Shwayder family sold the company to [[Beatrice Foods]] in 1973. In 1974, the company released the brand's first wheeled suitcase.<ref name=":1" /> 

[[File:Samsonite Streamlite Flee! 1960.jpg|thumb|left|upright|A 1960 ad for Samsonite]]

Samsonite operated with relative independence within Beatrice until 1986, when Samsonite was sold to [[Kohlberg Kravis Roberts]]. Subsequently, in the 1980s and into the 1990s, Samsonite went through multiple ownership changes. [[Forbes Magazine]] states that "the company spent most of the 1980s and 1990s in turmoil amidst multiple handoffs."<ref name="Forbes" /> First, Samsonite was spun off from KKR as part of [[E-II]], which came under the control of [[Fortune Brands (1969–2011)|Fortune Brands]].<ref name=":0" /> E-II went through bankruptcy and was renamed [[Astrum International]]. In 1993, Astrum purchased [[American Tourister]] luggage, complementing Samsonite.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1993/09/26/business/wall-street-new-name-new-life-for-astrum.html|title=Wall Street; New Name, New Life, for Astrum|last=Strom|first=Stephanie|date=1993-09-26|work=The New York Times|access-date=2017-11-27|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> In 1995, Astrum split, and an independent Samsonite (now including American Tourister) was once again headquartered in Denver.<ref name=":0" /> The Denver factory, which employed 4,000 people at its peak, closed in May 2001.  

After a change of ownership in May 2005, Samsonite's headquarters moved from Denver to [[Mansfield, Massachusetts]].  Effective September 1, 2005, Samsonite then moved its U.S. marketing and sales offices from [[Warren, Rhode Island]], to Mansfield, Massachusetts.

In 2005, the company was acquired by Marcello Bottoli, former CEO of [[Louis Vuitton]], to pull it out of a long slump.<ref name = Forbes>{{cite news| first =Robyn | last = Meredith |url=https://www.forbes.com/global/2005/0620/036.html |title=Sleeker Samsonite |work=Forbes | date = June 20, 2005|access-date=2010-09-30}}</ref> Bottoli left the company in 2009.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://people.forbes.com/profile/marcello-bottoli/44675 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090414050323/http://people.forbes.com/profile/marcello-bottoli/44675 |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 14, 2009 | type = profile | title= People | work= Forbes}}</ref>

[[File:TSA Lock.JPG|thumb|Luggage lock]]
[[File:Sam53450-1776slv-2.jpg|thumb|Samsonite Cosmolite suitcase in silver]]

In July 2007, private equity firm [[CVC Capital Partners]] took over Samsonite for $1.7 billion.<ref>{{cite news|last=Sivaraman|first=Aarthi| url=https://www.reuters.com/article/business/cvc-to-acquire-samsonite-for-17-billion-idUSN05240952/ | title=CVC to acquire Samsonite for $1.7 billion|date=July 5, 2007|access-date=March 20, 2025|publisher=Reuters}}</ref> CVC Capital Partners Ltd. became Samsonite's fifth owner in 21 years.<ref>{{cite web|last=Clothier|first=Mark|title=Samsonite Sold to Buyout Firm|date=July 5, 2007|url=http://www.denverpost.com/search/ci_6305363|via=Denver Post|publisher=Bloomberg News|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090804074532/http://www.denverpost.com/search/ci_6305363|archive-date=August 4, 2009|access-date=March 20, 2025|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|last=Clothier|first=Mark|title=Luggage Maker Packs up Sale Deal|date=July 6, 2007|url=http://www.denverpost.com/search/ci_6308095|newspaper=Denver Post|publisher=Bloomberg News|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091216075656/http://www.denverpost.com/search/ci_6308095|archive-date=December 16, 2009|access-date=March 20, 2025|url-status=dead}}</ref>

On September 2, 2009, '''Samsonite Company Store LLC''' (U.S. retail division), formally known as '''Samsonite Company Stores Inc.''', filed for [[Chapter 11 bankruptcy]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Samsonite Chapter 11 Petition|url=https://www.pacermonitor.com/view/SY5M2EI/Samsonite_Company_Stores,_LLC__debke-09-13102__0001.0.pdf|website=PacerMonitor|access-date=6 June 2016}}</ref> It planned to close up to 50% of its stores and discontinue the "Black Label" brand in the United States.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.samsonitecompanystores.com/reorg/pressrelease.do |title=Samsonite |publisher=Samsonite company stores |date=September 2, 2009 |access-date=2010-09-30 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100810151146/http://www.samsonitecompanystores.com/reorg/pressrelease.do |archive-date=August 10, 2010 |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN0253269920090902 |title= Samsonite retail unit files for bankruptcy |publisher=Reuters |date= September 2, 2009|access-date=2010-09-30}}</ref>

In June 2011, Samsonite raised $1.25 billion in an [[initial public offering]] in Hong Kong.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://dealbook.nytimes.com/2011/06/10/samsonite-i-p-o-raises-1-25-billion/ |title=Samsonite I.P.O. Raises $1.25 Billion| work = The New York Times |date=June 10, 2011|access-date=2012-03-03}}</ref>

In August 2012, Samsonite paid $35 million in cash to buy the high-end luggage brand [[Hartmann Luggage|Hartmann]], which was founded in 1877.

In June 2014, Samsonite agreed to buy technical outdoor backpack brand [[Gregory Mountain Products]] from [[Black Diamond Equipment|Black Diamond, Inc.]], for $85 million in cash.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.snewsnet.com/news/black-diamond-sells-gregory-to-samsonite/ |title=Black Diamond sells Gregory to Samsonite| work = SNews |date=June 19, 2014|access-date=2018-11-07}}</ref>

In March 2016, Samsonite agreed to buy luxury baggage maker [[Tumi Inc.]] for $1.8 billion in its largest ever acquisition.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Murphy |first=Dan |title=Samsonite to buy Tumi for $1.8 billion in its largest deal since 2011 |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2016/03/03/samsonite-to-buy-tumi-for-18-billion-in-its-largest-deal-since-2011.html |access-date=2023-01-20 |website=CNBC |date=March 4, 2016 |language=en}}</ref>

In April 2017, Samsonite agreed to acquire [[eBags.com]] for $105 million in cash.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.digitalcommerce360.com/2017/04/07/samsonite-buys-ebags-105-million/ |title=Black Samsonite buys eBags for $105 million| work = digitalcommerce360 |date=April 7, 2017|access-date=2020-09-17}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://seekingalpha.com/news/3256135-samsonite-acquires-ebags |title=Black Samsonite Acquires eBags| work = Seeking Alpha |date=April 7, 2017|access-date=2020-09-17}}</ref>

In 2023, Samsonite was rated the best overall luggage for travelers by [[Good Housekeeping Magazine]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-05-05 |title=Travel Experts Reveal The Best Luggage Brands for Every Budget |url=https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/travel-products/g26898407/best-luggage-brands/ |access-date=2023-05-16 |website=Good Housekeeping |language=en-US}}</ref>

In September 2023, [[Bloomberg News|Bloomberg]] reported that Samsonite was exploring the possibility of a second listing in the U.S. as the luggage maker looked to broaden its investor base.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-08-16 |title=Samsonite Is Exploring Possibility of Second Listing in US |language=en |work=Bloomberg.com |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-08-16/samsonite-is-said-to-study-possibility-of-second-listing-in-us |access-date=2023-09-27}}</ref>