Force Motors

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Force Motors Limited
FormerlyBajaj Tempo Motors
TypePublic
ISININE451A01017
Industry
  • Automotive
  • Commercial Vehicles
Founded1958; 63 years ago (1958)
FounderN.K. Firodia
Headquarters
Pune, Maharashtra
,
India
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
  • Abhay Firodia (Chairman)
  • Prasan A. Firodia (Managing Director)
Products
  • Traveller
  • Trax
  • Gurkha
  • Orchard
  • Balwan Tractors
RevenueDecrease ₹2,012.71 crore (US$280 million) (2021)
Negative increase ₹ -111.86 crore
(US$ -16 million) (2021)
OwnerAbhay Firodia
Number of employees
10,000+ (2021)
ParentFirodia Group
Websitewww.forcemotors.com

Force Motors Ltd is an Indian multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Pune. It is owned and managed by the Firodia Group.[1] From 1958 to 2004, the company was known as Bajaj Tempo Motors due to its origin as a joint venture between Bachraj Trading Ltd. and Germany's Tempo.[2] In 2005 the company was renamed as Force Motors.[2] Over the last five decades it has partnered with global manufacturers such as Daimler, ZF, Bosch, VW, Traton and MAN.

Force Motors is India’s largest van maker[3] and was part of Forbes India's Fortune India 500 companies list in 2016.[4]

History[]

Tempo Trax

Aside from manufacturing light transport vehicles, Force Motors also makes engines and axles, as well as a large variety of die-cast aluminium parts. The foundation of Bajaj Tempo originates with the Bachraj Trading Company, which was established in 1945.[2] Bachraj started assembling three-wheeled Tempo auto rickshaws and small trucks in 1951, under license from Germany. In 1958 the companies announced the creation of a joint venture, called the Bajaj Tempo Motors, with 26 % of the shares belonging to Tempo. In 1968 the Firodia Group took a majority stake in Bajaj Tempo.

In 1971, Tempo (Germany) passed into the hands of Daimler-Benz, who retained a 16.8 % share in Bajaj Tempo until 2001. Daimler sold its stake in April 2001 after 43 years citing little synergy between the two companies.[5]

The Tempo Matador was the first diesel light commercial vehicle in India. The company started production of the Hanseat 3-Wheelers in collaboration with Vidal & Sohn Tempo Werke Germany in 1958. The word Tempo (a registered trade mark of Daimler) is now generic for any small goods carrier in India.[6]

Force Traveller used as an Ambulance

In 1987, Force Motors set up a new plant at Pithampur in Madhya Pradesh, for the production of Tempo Traveller.[7] This plant was designed and built to the specification of Daimler-Benz.[7]

In 1997, Daimler asked it to set up a dedicated facility for assembling and testing engines for Mercedes passenger cars to be made in India.[8]

In 2005 the company was renamed as Force Motors.[2]

Force Motors signed technology sourcing agreements in 2003 with MAN SE for which payments were made up front. On completion of the localization of the licensed technology and with the request from MAN, a joint venture was created forming MAN Force Trucks Pvt. Ltd to manufacture the full range of HCVs from 16t GVW to 49t GCW. MAN proceeded to buy out Force and MAN Trucks India was established as a separate concern in 2012.[9]

In 2012, Force Motors launched Traveller 26, a monocoque panel van that can seat 26 persons, designed entirely in-house. It had disk brakes on all four wheels and also came with safety features like ABS and EBD.[10]

In 2015, the company was awarded a contract by BMW, resulting in a new facility in Chennai which produces and test engines and transmissions exclusively for all BMW cars and SUVs made in India.[11] This plant can produce up to 20,000 engines per year.[12]

A new plant was inaugurated at Chakan, Pune in June 2016.[13] This facility assembles and tests engines for all Mercedes Cars and SUVs made in India.[13] The new plant has a current annual capacity of 20,000 engines and 20,000 front and rear axles.[13]

Force Motors has a nationwide dealer presence. The company also exports to various countries in Africa, Latin America, SAARC and ASEAN countries, Gulf and Germany.[14]

Products[]

Force Motors manufactures a range of vehicles including Small Commercial Vehicles (SCV), Light Commercial Vehicles (LCV), Multi Utility Vehicles (MUV), Special Cross Country Vehicles and Agricultural Tractors.[15][16]

Light Commercial vehicles

  • Traveller range of vehicles (including Traveller 26, School Bus, Ambulance, Quick Response Vehicle, Royale)

Small Commercial Vehicles

  • Shaktiman 200
  • Shaktiman 400

Multi Utility Vehicles

  • Force Trax (including Toofan, Cruiser, Cruiser Deluxe)
  • Kargo King
  • Trax Delivery Van

Agricultural vehicles

  • Balwan tractors
  • Orchard tractors

Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs)

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "Force | The Force". www.forcemotors.com. Retrieved 2 January 2018.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b c d Mazur, Eligiusz, ed. (2006). World of Cars 2006·2007. Warsaw, Poland: Media Connection Sp. z o.o. p. 149. ISSN 1734-2945.
  3. ^ "Largest Van Maker". www.moneycontrol.com.
  4. ^ "Fortune 500 companies". www.fortuneindia.com. Retrieved 2 January 2018.
  5. ^ "DAIMLER EXITS BAJAJ TEMPO". Telegraph India. 24 April 2001. Retrieved 16 February 2020.
  6. ^ "History". Force Motors. Retrieved 16 February 2020.
  7. ^ Jump up to: a b Chadha, Arjun (9 March 2020). "Force Motors and Their 2020 Gameplan - Automobiles". Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  8. ^ Khandwal, Raghav (3 July 2020). "India's commercial vehicle markets's major player-FORCE". Stress Buster. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  9. ^ "Ten years of MAN Truck & Bus in India". PressCenter. MAN SE. 16 September 2016. Archived from the original on 17 October 2016.
  10. ^ "Force Motors launches world's only monocoque panel van Traveller 26". 17 October 2012.
  11. ^ "Force Motors inaugurates plant for BMW engine assembly". Autocar India. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
  12. ^ Raghunathan, Anu. "Pune's Force Motors Makes Engines For BMW And Mercedes-Benz". Forbes.
  13. ^ Jump up to: a b c Bureau, Our. "Force Motors commissions ₹100-cr plant for Merc". @businessline. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
  14. ^ "Force Motors Ltd". Business Standard India. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  15. ^ "Force | Commercial Vehicles". www.forcemotors.com. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  16. ^ "Force Cars Price in India - Force Car Models 2021 Images & Reviews". CarDekho. Retrieved 12 August 2021.

External links[]

Official website

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