Samsonite Group

Samsonite Group is a Luxembourg-registered, Hong Kong-listed travel luggage and accessories company that ranks as the world's largest maker of luggage and bags. Its history begins in 1910, when Jesse Shwayder founded the Shwayder Trunk Manufacturing Company in Denver, Colorado, producing trunks and later pioneering lightweight hardside luggage. The Samsonite name, introduced in the 1940s and inspired by the biblical strongman Samson, became the company's identity and was formally adopted as the corporate name in the 1960s. Over the following decades Samsonite expanded from a single American luggage maker into a multi-brand global group. It acquired and developed a portfolio that today includes Samsonite, Tumi, American Tourister, High Sierra, Gregory, Lipault, Hartmann, Speck and other labels, spanning hardside and softside luggage, backpacks, business cases, travel accessories and lifestyle bags. The group sells through department stores, specialty luggage retailers, its own retail stores and e-commerce channels across North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America and the Middle East. Samsonite International S.A. was incorporated in Luxembourg and has been listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange since 2011, trading under the ticker 1910.HK. The group's operational base is in Hong Kong, and it has grown substantially through acquisitions — most notably the 2016 purchase of Tumi Holdings, which added a premium business and travel brand to the portfolio. Samsonite positions itself across price tiers: Samsonite as the global mainstream travel brand, Tumi in premium business and luxury travel, and American Tourister in value-oriented family travel. The company has weathered industry cycles including the COVID-19 pandemic, which sharply reduced global travel and hit luggage demand, followed by a recovery as travel resumed. Today Samsonite Group presents itself as a global travel lifestyle company, investing in lightweight materials, durable hardside shells, smart luggage features and sustainability initiatives, while managing a portfolio of brands that address different consumer segments and regions.

Samsonite's story starts in 1910, when Jesse Shwayder founded the Shwayder Trunk Manufacturing Company in Denver, Colorado. The business made sturdy trunks and travel cases for a mobile American population. In the 1940s the company introduced a lightweight hardside suitcase and adopted the Samsonite brand name, a reference to the biblical figure Samson, evoking strength and durability. The name proved so successful that the company eventually took it as its corporate identity, becoming Samsonite Corporation. Through the mid-20th century Samsonite built a reputation for durable, mass-market luggage and expanded internationally, becoming one of the best-known travel goods brands in the world. It diversified into furniture and other products at points in its history, but luggage and bags remained the core. The company passed through several ownership structures, including a period under Sara Lee Corporation and later private equity ownership before returning to public markets. In 2011 Samsonite International S.A., incorporated in Luxembourg, listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange under the ticker 1910.HK — a landmark that reflected the group's heavy exposure to Asian travel markets and its global ambitions. The listing gave the group capital to pursue acquisitions. It added brands such as High Sierra, Hartmann, Lipault, Speck and Gregory, building a portfolio that covered outdoor, premium business, fashion and accessories segments. The largest and most transformative deal came in 2016, when Samsonite acquired Tumi Holdings, the premium business and travel bag brand, for a substantial sum that significantly expanded its presence in high-end travel retail and in North America. The acquisition moved Samsonite up the price ladder and broadened its customer base among frequent business travelers. In the late 2010s the group continued to expand its retail footprint and e-commerce capabilities. The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020–2021 was a severe shock, as international travel collapsed and luggage demand fell sharply; the group cut costs, reduced its retail network and preserved liquidity. As travel recovered from 2022 onward, sales rebounded strongly, particularly in Asia and Europe. Samsonite Group today operates as a multi-brand travel lifestyle company, with Samsonite as its flagship global brand, Tumi in premium, and American Tourister in value, supported by a family of specialty labels.

• 2016

  Samsonite acquires Tumi Holdings, adding a premium business and travel brand.

• 2011

  Samsonite International S.A. lists on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (1910.HK).

• 1960

  The company formally adopts Samsonite as its corporate name.

• 1940

  The Samsonite brand name is introduced for lightweight hardside luggage.

• 1910

  Jesse Shwayder founds the Shwayder Trunk Manufacturing Company in Denver, Colorado.

Multi-brand global travel luggage leader spanning mainstream (Samsonite), premium (Tumi) and value (American Tourister) segments.

• Samsonite hardside spinner luggage

• Tumi business and travel bags

• American Tourister luggage

• High Sierra backpacks and outdoor bags

• Gregory outdoor backpacks

• Speck phone cases and accessories

• 2026-08-13

  Samsonite Group to acquire 85% stake in Béis for US$178.5 million[2]新秀丽集团将以1.785亿美元收购Béis 85%股份insideretail.asia

  Reported: 2026-08-13

  Samsonite Group entered an agreement to acquire an 85 per cent stake in California-based travel brand Béis, founded by actor Shay Mitchell, for US$178.5 million. The deal is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2026, subject to approval. Béis leadership will remain, with Shay Mitchell retaining a 15 per cent stake, while majority shareholder Beach House Group sells its ownership stake.

1. 1Samsonite official websitesamsonite.com
2. 2新秀丽集团将以1.785亿美元收购Béis 85%股份insideretail.asia