Profile

The Shyft Group , formerly also known as Spartan Motors, is an American automobile design company that designs, engineers and manufactures specialty chassis, specialty vehicles, truck bodies and aftermarket parts for the recreational vehicle , government services, and delivery and service markets. The company started in 1975 as a direct result of the bankruptcy of Diamond Reo. It is currently based in Charlotte, Michigan and has 2,700 employees. In 1974, Lansing, Michigan-based Diamond Reo Trucks was forced into bankruptcy. Diamond Reo had been the largest customer of the Form-Rite Corporation in Charlotte, Michigan, and Form-Rite was owed a considerable amount of money for plastic parts they had supplied to Reo. During the bankruptcy hearings, Form-Rite president Charles R. McManamey learned of a significant contract that Reo had just won for custom fire truck chassis. From connections made through the hearing, McManamey was able to draw together the additional talent and knowledge required to build such trucks.