bombardier celebrates 5millionth rotax engine
Amsnow
On May 9, 2001, Bombardier's Rotax engine plant in Gunskirchen, Austria, celebrated the five millionth engine coming off the assembly line.
In 1962, the Canadian entrepreneur Joseph-Armand Bombardier, founder of Bombardier, was looking for a light air-cooled two stroke engine to power Ski-Doo snowmobiles. He found it in Austria. The Rotax engine model 165 increased the maximum speed of snowmobiles at that time by 30%. Having found the best-suited engine for its recreational products, Bombardier acquired Rotax in 1970. Today Rotax engines are manufactured in a manufacturing facility in Gunskirchen, Austria.
"Flexibility, vision and highly qualified people have made us stronger and stronger since these early days", says Harald Ploeckinger, managing director of Bombardier-Rotax, "and finally lead us to a world-class corporation which allows us to continue to grow and prosper."
Rotax engines are delivered to Valcourt in Québec, and Rovaniemi, Finland to power both Ski-Doo and Lynx snowmobiles.
The group manufactures Rotax engines for SEA-DOOs, Sea-Doo sport boats as well as for Bombardier all-terrain vehicles (ATV). Rotax manufactures four stroke motorcycle engines, engines for the kart industry and light aircraft technologies.