Amadas Coach, the luxury motorhome, commuter coach and transporter manufacturer headquartered here in Suffolk, announced this week it has acquired the inventory line of Featherlite Coaches, Inc., a Florida-based luxury motor coach manufacturer.

Jimmy Adams, president of Amadas Coach, said Friday the Amadas staff is excited about the new venture, which he said could have large long-term effects for the company.

“We expect you’re going to see more growth,” Adams said. “Obviously, right now the luxury goods marketplace is sluggish as best. But we expect that market to pick back up, hopefully in mid to late 2009, and as demand picks back up, we hope to add significantly more to our staff.”

Adams estimated that this acquisition will cause an increase of about five employees in the short term and as many as 50 employees long-term.

“I think 50 would be a best case and not totally unrealistic,” he said.

Amadas will continue the sales, service and warranty support of the Featherlite brand through select dealers. Featherlite will close-out its current inventory and its manufacturing of the coaches at its factory to allow Amadas to assume production of the product line, according to a company press release.

Featherlite Coaches, which is based in Sanford, Fla., will continue in the future as the exclusive dealer for Florida under the name Featherlite Coaches of Florida.

“The transfer of ownership of the Featherlite Coach brand to Amadas Coach is a positive step towards the long-term support and continued success of the Featherlite Coach Prevost conversion,” Jim Wooley, President of Featherlite Coaches, said in a press statement.

“We are excited about continuing to market and sell Featherlite Coaches as the exclusive Florida Dealer, and look forward to continuing to support our valued customers here in Florida, both for warranty and service.“

Prevost manufactures the bus shells that both Amadas and Featherlite convert into high-end motorhomes.

Amadas Coach is headquartered in Suffolk, but owns two plants totaling 75,000 square feet in Suffolk and Moneta, Va.

Amadas Coach specializes in building luxury motorhomes, executive transporters, luxury commuter coaches, and mobile marketing solutions.