Suzuki Marine

The year of foundation of Suzuki Corporation is considered to be 1909, when in Hamamatsu the Japanese entrepreneur Michio Suzuki founded a small manufacturing plant for the production of weaving looms. After 11 years, it received the status of a joint stock company, as well as the name of Suzuki (by the name of its founder).

The production of machine tools successfully developed and grew; Suzuki even received a government award for the release of models that are ahead of the British and Dutch machines. But, despite the success of their machines, Suzuki made a decision: his company must develop in other directions.

The first prototypes of cars that came off the Suzuki conveyor were equipped with water-cooled four- stroke engines. However, after the government announced that passenger cars are not “essential goods”, it was decided to suspend the further development of this completely successful project.

The plant again returned to the production of weaving machines. However, due to a shortage of materials and strong fluctuations in demand, Suzuki was unable to achieve the same level of production. In order to save the enterprise, they started to produce agricultural equipment, heaters and even musical instruments.

Later, the management of the company once again tried to return to the initial profile production of weaving looms, but in vain. Initially, the occupation authorities encouraged the importation of cotton into Japan. And while the number of orders from Japanese textile manufacturers grew, Suzuki’s business went uphill, but in 1951 the cotton market collapsed.

Suzuki once again began to develop automotive direction. The Cooleda motorcycle with a 125 cm3 engine and the innovative Suzulight passenger car presented by the company after the Second World War were truly revolutionary. Due to such characteristics as the front and four-wheel drive, independent suspension and steering gear-rack type. The first outboard motor went off the Suzuki assembly line in 1965. It was a two-stroke D55, with 5.5 horsepower.

With the 60s of the 20th century, Suzuki began to rapidly increase its influence worldwide. In 1967, a Thai Suzuki Motor Co. assembly plant was built in Thailand. Joint companies and sales offices are opened in Ontario (Canada), in Manila in the Philippines, in France, New Zealand, Spain, and the USA. Production starts in Pakistan and India. In 1977, American Suzuki Motor Co. opens the Marine division, specializing in outboard motors. In 1980, this unit introduced a new model of outboard motor DT85 to the market. And by 1980 Suzuki was selling a full line of two-stroke engines, starting with a modest 2- liter model. with. and ending with a powerful engine of 225 liters. with. Along the way, Suzuki presented a number of major technological advances: computer engine control, which provides optimal engine performance. Suzuki is the first company to give a three-year limited warranty - the longest ever offered for marine engines. The presence of Suzuki in the international market is expanding - a plant opens in India, in the next, in 1984 - New Zealand, France, Germany, and in 1985 - Spain and the USA, where Suzuki of America Automotive Corp. was founded, which began producing Suzuki cars ( before that, Americans knew Suzuki only as a motorcycle company). It was a big breakthrough; Americans appreciated compact, practical off-road vehicles; Suzuki sales were in the hundreds of thousands.

In 1986, Suzuki produced a motorcycle that became a real symbol and the future winner of the race - the GSX-R 750, and in 1987 the production of the Cultus model began in Colombia. The total number of car exports reached 2 million units at that time. In 1988, a famous Suzuki model, the Escudo (Vitara), appeared, equipped with a 1.6-liter 95-liter engine. with. and all-wheel drive.

By 2000, Suzuki reached 12th place among the world's automakers with sales of about 1.8 million units per year, and also became the fastest growing Japanese car company in the United States, with sales increasing by 22% per year. After celebrating its 80th anniversary, the company changed the president (it was Masao Toda), founded the foundation of education and culture, launched the new models - the Wagon R Solio and the Grand Escudo. And in 2001, the new model entered the American market - the 7- seater XL-7 SUV, the largest car in size, Suzuki. The company refused to use lead when painting cars and motorcycles.

Over a hundred years, from a small group of talented engineers who develop weaving machines, Suzuki has grown into a worldwide company of almost 15,000 people, producing and selling its products in more than 190 countries. Worldwide, Suzuki sells more than 1.6 million cars and as many motorcycles annually.