LCI Industries, through its wholly owned subsidiary Lippert Components Inc., announced it has acquired substantially all of the business assets of Freedman Seating Company.

For over 130 years, Freedman has provided a variety of seating solutions to the bus, rail, marine, delivery truck, specialty, and commercial vehicle markets. 

A family-owned company since 1894, Freedman's seating manufacturing roots date back to the horse drawn carriage. 

Today, they are a leading supplier of seating solutions for a multitude of bus OEMs, distributors, the federal government, and many states and municipalities. 

Following the acquisition, Freedman's seating operations will continue in Chicago for the foreseeable future, honoring its longstanding ties to the local workforce and community partners.

Lippert’s Presence in the Bus, Transportation Markets

Lippert is no stranger to the bus and transportation vehicle markets, providing window and glass solutions to these industries for over 12 years. 

In March of this year, Lippert completed the acquisition of Trans Air, a leading manufacturer of climate control systems for the commercial bus industry. 

The addition of Freedman continues to build upon Lippert's diversification strategy into the transportation vehicle markets, giving them a comprehensive product offering to a very familiar customer base.

"We are pleased to welcome the Freedman team to the Lippert family,” said Ryan Smith, group president of Lippert’s North American OEM operations. “Between the two companies, we have almost 200 years combined of family leadership and there’s not too many organizations that can claim that. We’re excited to add Freedman's seating line to our growing portfolio of bus and transportation vehicle products and with our combined leadership teams we will be able to offer a better-than-ever customer experience to our partners in these industries."

"We're excited that we've found a future with Lippert,” added Craig Freedman, CEO of Freedman Seating. “They've expressed admiration for what we’ve built and want to help us grow it in ways that honor our mission and values. This acquisition gives us the opportunity to build on our legacy, expand our reach, and invest even more in our team."