Swift Leisure
Encyclopedia
Swift Leisure are a British
manufacturer of leisure vehicles, including caravans
and motorhomes. Started in 1965, the company is based in Cottingham
, East Riding of Yorkshire
.
The company started with the single Swift brand of caravans, based on a distinctive tri-front window design (all of which opened - unique at the time), which also allowed easy see through to the rear for the driver whilst travelling. Following the break-up of the travelling caravan business of Cosalt
plc, in 1994 the company acquired the Cosalt brand of Abbey, followed in 1994 with the purchase of Sprite leisure and the Ace brand in 2001. Since late 2008 Swift Leisure has dropped the Abbey and Ace brands of touring caravans. Within the Swift International division, the company has operations in Denmark
, the Netherlands
and New Zealand
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
manufacturer of leisure vehicles, including caravans
Travel trailer
A travel trailer or caravan is towed behind a road vehicle to provide a place to sleep which is more comfortable and protected than a tent . It provides the means for people to have their own home on a journey or a vacation, without relying on a motel or hotel, and enables them to stay in places...
and motorhomes. Started in 1965, the company is based in Cottingham
Cottingham, East Riding of Yorkshire
Cottingham is a village and civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It lies just to the north-west of the city of Kingston upon Hull...
, East Riding of Yorkshire
East Riding of Yorkshire
The East Riding of Yorkshire, or simply East Yorkshire, is a local government district with unitary authority status, and a ceremonial county of England. For ceremonial purposes the county also includes the city of Kingston upon Hull, which is a separate unitary authority...
.
The company started with the single Swift brand of caravans, based on a distinctive tri-front window design (all of which opened - unique at the time), which also allowed easy see through to the rear for the driver whilst travelling. Following the break-up of the travelling caravan business of Cosalt
Cosalt
Cosalt plc was a diversified marine safety and leisure company, based in Grimsby, Lincolnshire. It was a constituent of the FTSE Fledgling Index....
plc, in 1994 the company acquired the Cosalt brand of Abbey, followed in 1994 with the purchase of Sprite leisure and the Ace brand in 2001. Since late 2008 Swift Leisure has dropped the Abbey and Ace brands of touring caravans. Within the Swift International division, the company has operations in Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
.
Group brands
- Abbey
- Caravans (until 2008)
- Ace
- Caravans (until 2008)
- Motorhomes (until 2008)
- Autocruise (purchased in 2007)
- Motorhomes
- Bessacar
- Caravans (until 2006)
- Motorhomes
- Escape
- Motorhomes
- Mondial
- Motorhomes
- Sprite
- Caravans
- Sterling
- Caravans
- Swift
- Caravans
- Motorhomes
Timeline
Key events in the companies history:- 1965 Swift Caravans founded
- 1986 Swift Motorhomes launched
- 1992 Abbey Caravans purchased
- 1994 Sprite Leisure purchased
- 1995 Sprite Leisure renamed Sterling
- 1996 Bessacarr Caravans purchased
- 1997 Bessacarr Motorhomes launched
- 2001 Ace Caravans purchased
- 2001 Ace Motorhomes launched
- 2004 Swift Holiday Homes launched
- 2004 Sprite Caravans relaunched
- 2008 Autocruise purchased