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. 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 chairs and
card tables 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. In 1995, Astrum split, and an independent Samsonite (now including American Tourister) was once again headquartered in Denver. Bottoli left the company in 2009. In July 2007, private equity firm
CVC Capital Partners took over Samsonite for $1.7 billion. CVC Capital Partners Ltd. became Samsonite's fifth owner in 21 years. On September 2, 2009,
Samsonite Company Store LLC (U.S. retail division), formally known as
Samsonite Company Stores Inc., filed for
Chapter 11 bankruptcy. It planned to close up to 50% of its stores and discontinue the "Black Label" brand in the United States. In June 2011, Samsonite raised $1.25 billion in an
initial public offering in Hong Kong. In August 2012, Samsonite paid $35 million in cash to buy the high-end luggage brand
Hartmann, which was founded in 1877. In June 2014, Samsonite agreed to buy technical outdoor backpack brand
Gregory Mountain Products from
Black Diamond, Inc., for $85 million in cash. In March 2016, Samsonite agreed to buy luxury baggage maker
Tumi Inc. for $1.8 billion in its largest ever acquisition. In April 2017, Samsonite agreed to acquire
eBags.com for $105 million in cash. In 2023, Samsonite was rated the best overall luggage for travelers by
Good Housekeeping Magazine. In September 2023,
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. == Toy manufacture ==