From looms to fuel cells:
Suzuki celebrates 100 years of innovation
Suzuki, a global automotive company that continues to grow in reputation, popularity and success celebrates its centenary this October. Through its 100-year history, Suzuki has earned the distinction of manufacting automobile and motorcycle products that offer excellent value for money as well as exceptional reliability. Beginning as a producer of weaving looms, Suzuki has evolved into one of the top 10 automotive manufacturers worldwide.
Humble Beginnings
Michio Suzuki founded the Suzuki Loom Company in Hamamatsu, Southern Japan in 1909. While manufacturing looms for production of plain white fabric, he learned that weavers wanted looms that could produce cloth with vertical and horizontal stripes, so he developed a unique loom capable of weaving patterned cloth from dyed yarn. Suzuki’s new innovation represented the start of an uncompromising focus on creating products that meet people’s needs and realise new lifestyle possibilities.
Suzuki expanded into production of motorcycles in 1952 with the ‘Power Free’ using a 36cc two stroke engine. The Power Free was simple in design, offered very easy maintenance and was unique at that time as it could be ridden fully motorized, partially motorized or by using the pedals without any engine assistance. Just a year later, Suzuki was building 6,000 motorcycles per month.
Suzuki car production began in 1955 with the Suzulight, a compact car with a 360cc two-stroke engine. The Suzulight was one of the first cars to feature front-wheel drive, four-wheel independent suspension and rack and pinion steering. Suzuki’s off-road vehicle heritage began in 1970 with the launch of the LJ series lightweight 4×4. The first marine outboard motor was introduced in 1965, then pre-fabricated houses in 1974, general-purpose engines in 1980 and its first All Terrain Vehicle (ATV) in 1982.
Global Presence
In 2008, Suzuki sold 2.3 million cars globally — strong results for the brand despite the very difficult current trading conditions. Sales of motorcycles are also strong with global figures of 3.4 million last year. In the UK, Suzuki has led the market for the last six years in the above 126cc category.
The same creativity and dedication of Michio Suzuki underpin Suzuki’s development of its world strategic models. The first one in this category, the Swift, is produced in Japan, Hungary, India, China, Indonesia, Taiwan, and Malaysia. The current Swift was introduced in 2005 and last year, aggregate production of the supermini reached 1 million units.
In 2006, Suzuki created its second world strategic model, the Grand Vitara, as an evolution of the first-generation Vitara series, with which it pioneered the market for compact sport utility vehicles 21 years ago. Worldwide production of the Grand Vitara has now reached 2.6 million units.
The third model, the SX4 sport crossover, proved to have such outstanding chassis potential when launched in 2006 that Suzuki ran it in the World Rally Championship in 2007 and 2008 (45 years after Suzuki’s participation in the first Japanese Grand Prix in 1963).
In March this year the seventh generation Alto was launched; named after the car with which Suzuki has dominated the mini vehicle segment in Japan for 30 years, the Alto is the smallest of Suzuki’s world models and reflects a focus on eco-friendliness with low emissions and excellent fuel efficiency. The Alto is built in India, where Suzuki has a 50 per cent share of the passenger car market. 2009 is also an important milestone for Alto as 10 million have been sold globally since 1979.
Commitment to R&D
One of the essential elements to Suzuki’s growth has been its commitment to continuing research and technology, to meet its customers changing needs. In 2008, the Suzuki SX4-FCV fuel-cell vehicle had been certified by the Japanese government. The company has also announced plans to develop a hydrogen-powered motorcycle, the Suzuki Crosscage.
What was once a small group of dedicated engineers, designing the world’s finest weaving machinery, has today grown into a worldwide company of almost 50,000 people, who create and distribute products in more than 190 nations.
Worldwide, Suzuki sells more than 2-million vehicles annually, surpassing the sales of such renowned marques as BMW, Mercedes, and Mazda. Suzuki motorcycles are the first choice of more than 2-million riders every year.
As it enters its 100th year, Suzuki will continue its tradition of technological trailblazing and appealing to customers who demand unique design, value, reliability and superior engineering.
