All about Jayco

More than 50 years and still fun!

Peace and love were in the air—and so was entrepreneurial spirit. In 1968, Lloyd and Bertha Bontrager set out to make a family dream a reality in their quiet corner of Northern Indiana. Let the fun begin!

In the '70s, while families gathered  around the newfangled video boxes (TVs of course!), we began to make a name for ourselves too, acquiring competitors, delivering new products and selling internationally for the first time. Look out, TVs! We’ve got an idea for family time too.

Jayco was established among the powers of the RV industry in the '80s and we mourned the loss of our fearless leader, Lloyd, in a tragic plan crash. That did not stop the momentum, but instead  we doubled down on the vision for family fun.

In the '90s Jayco acquired Starcraft, one of the oldest and most respected builders of campers. Lloyd was inducted into the RV Hall of Fame.  We built and shipped our 300,000 unit in 1997, and our new corporate headquarters facility was completed in Middlebury, Indiana.

In 2002, Jayco introduced the Jay Flight travel trailers which as of today, has been the #1 selling travel trailers in North America for thirteen years straight.  In 2006, we built and shipped our 500,000th unit, and introduced the first lightweight toy hauler travel trailer built with a wider stance, known first as the Talon.  And, in 2008, we acquired assets of the former Travel Supreme and launched the Class A diesel-pusher Entegra Coach division.

Between four division of Jayco, Starcaft RV, Entegra Coach and Highland Ridge RV in May of 2016, we built and celebrated our 1,000,000the unit in total.  On July 1st of the same year, Jayco Corporation, including all of the brands of Jayco, Starcraft RV, Entegra Coach, and Highland Ridge RV, was acquired by Thor Industries.

Fast forward to the '20s, a global pandemic reawakened everyone's desire to get outside and sparked another golden age for the RVing community.  With eyes toward a bright future, Jayco, Entegra Coach, Highland Ridge and Starcraft unified as the Jayco Family of Companies.