The Husqvarna Group () is a Swedish manufacturer of outdoor power products including
chainsaw
A chainsaw (or chain saw) is a portable gasoline-, electric-, or battery-powered saw that cuts with a set of teeth attached to a rotating chain driven along a guide bar. It is used in activities such as tree felling, limbing, bucking, pru ...
s,
trimmers,
brushcutters,
cultivator
A cultivator is a piece of agricultural equipment used for secondary tillage. One sense of the name refers to frames with ''teeth'' (also called ''shanks'') that pierce the soil as they are dragged through it linearly. It also refers to ...
s, and
garden tractor
A lawn mower (also known as a mower, grass cutter or lawnmower) is a device utilizing one or more revolving blades (or a reel) to cut a grass surface to an even height. The height of the cut grass may be fixed by the design of the mower, but g ...
s. Founded as a firearms manufacturer in 1689, it is one of the
oldest continuously running companies in the world. Headquartered in
Stockholm
Stockholm () is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, largest city of Sweden as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in Scandinavia. Approximately 980,000 people liv ...
, Sweden, the group also produces consumer watering products, cutting equipment and diamond tools for the construction and stone industries.
Their
motorcycle division was spun off in 1987, and is now owned by
KTM
KTM AG (Kraftfahrzeug Trunkenpolz Mattighofen, formerly KTM Sportmotorcycle AG) is an Austrian motorcycle, bicycle and sports car manufacturer owned by Pierer Mobility AG and the Indian manufacturer Bajaj Auto. It was formed in 1992 but traces ...
.
Their sewing machine division was sold off in 1997 and is now owned by
SVP Worldwide.
Husqvarna Group sponsors the Swedish
ice hockey
Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice hock ...
club
HV71
HV71 (), often referred to as just HV, is a Swedish professional ice hockey club based in Jönköping, playing in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL), the first tier of Swedish ice hockey. The team played in the 2008–09 Champions Hockey League s ...
and several local community engagement projects around the world.
History
1689 – Firearms
The drilling work at the waterfalls in
Husqvarna, southern Sweden, was the first large plant. The state-owned rifle factory had some 1,000 employees at the beginning of the 18th century. The company was spun off from
Husqvarna Vapenfabriks Aktiebolag
Husqvarna Vapenfabriks Aktiebolag or simply ''HVA''; {{IPA-sv, ˈhʉ̂ːsˌkvɑːɳa, pron, sv-Husqvarna.ogg) was a Swedish firearms manufacturing company in the town of Huskvarna by lake Vättern.
History
In 1689 the manager at the nearby stat ...
in 1959. Shotguns were produced for 300 years, the last in 1989.
1872 – Sewing machines
When demand declined, it turned out that the machinery for production of rifles was well-suited for producing sewing machines.
1874 – Kitchen equipment in cast iron
Husqvarna started a foundry to produce details for sewing machines, a large part being the base frames. Soon the assortment was broadened to include such products as kitchen equipment in cast iron and later on stoves and ovens.
1896 – Bicycles
Bicycle production began in the Huskvarna factory. Several patents were registered. The last bicycle was produced in 1962.
1903 – Motorcycles
The first motorcycle, which could reach the impressive speed of 4–5 km/hour, was produced in 1903. Starting in the 1930s, Husqvarna's lightweight engines helped make some successful track racing and motocross bikes. Husqvarna's first titles in Motocross World Championship came in 1959 and 1960. The operation was divested in 1987 and is since 2013 part of the KTM family.
1919 – Lawn mowers
When Husqvarna acquired Norrahammars Bruk in 1918, the product range expanded to heating boilers and lawn mowers. The first test with a lawn mower powered by an engine was done in 1947.
1959 – Chainsaws
As demand for bicycles, mopeds and motorcycles declined, forestry became increasingly important. The expertise in engines was utilized in new areas and the first chainsaw was produced in 1959.
1968 – Power cutters
A saw rebuilt to a power cutter in 1968 was the starting point of what today is the business area Husqvarna Construction.
1978 –
Electrolux
Electrolux AB () is a Swedish multinational home appliance manufacturer, headquartered in Stockholm. It is consistently ranked the world's second largest appliance maker by units sold, after Whirlpool.
Electrolux products sell under a variety ...
acquired Husqvarna.
1986 – The motorcycle division was sold to
Cagiva.
1995 – Robotic lawn mowers
The world's first solar powered robotic lawn mower was launched. Sales of robotic mowers did not flourish until 15 years later.
1997 - divestment of sewing machines
The Husqvarna-branded sewing machines were sold to the
VSM Group
VSM Group AB (Viking Sewing Machines), previously named Husqvarna Sewing Machines is a company based in Huskvarna, Sweden.
Founded in 1872, the company is best known for "smart" (computerized) sewing machines and sergers under the brands ''Hu ...
and later became part of
SVP Worldwide.
1999 – Husqvarna acquired Yazoo/Kees
Husqvarna acquired
Nebraska
Nebraska () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Kansas to the south; Colorado to the southwe ...
-based lawn mower manufacturer Yazoo/Kees.
2006 – On its own feet
The company was
spun off by Electrolux.
2007 – Acquisitions of strong brands
The acquisition of
Gardena in 2007 made the Husqvarna Group the European leader in consumer watering products.
Acquiring Zenoah brought a strong brand and geographical expansion in Japan.
2008 – Expanded presence in China
The acquisition of Jenn Feng and the construction of a new plant for chainsaws and other handheld products gave expanded presence in Asia.
2009 – Demolition robot
Husqvarna launched its first remote-controlled demolition robot.
2013 – Chainsaw chains
The decision was made to invest in a new production facility for chainsaw chains in Huskvarna.
Ongoing –
Husqvarna developed and sold snowblowers, which were unable to reach "automated robot" status in comparison to the robotic lawnmower line.
2017 – Floor grinding and polishing
Acquired
HTC Sweden AB
HTC Corporation ( zh, t=宏達國際電子股份有限公司, s=宏达国际电子股份有限公司, p=Hóngdá Guójì Diànzǐ Gǔfèn Yǒuxiàn Gōngsī, first=t) or High Tech Computer Corporation, (literally ''Hongda International Electron ...
, the leading manufacturer of floor grinding machines and related diamond tooling, along with its France, Germany, UK and USA subsidiaries.
2018 – E-Bikes (Licensing)
Electro-
Bicycles
A bicycle, also called a pedal cycle, bike or cycle, is a human-powered or motor-powered assisted, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A is called a cyclist, or bicyclist.
Bi ...
offered by Pexco GmbH, Schweinfurt, Germany, founded by
the Puello family (former executive of ''Haibike'') and Stefan Pierer, CEO of
KTM Industries AG (KTM motorcycles). Include motors by Shimano.
2019 – Celebrations
Husqvarna group are celebrating 330 years of innovation, as well as 60 years as a chainsaw manufacturer.
2020 – Floor grinding and polishing
Acquired
Blastrac, manufacturer of floor grinding machines and related diamond tooling, along with its European subsidiaries.
Brands
Husqvarna owns several brands:
* Husqvarna
*
Gardena
*
McCulloch
McCulloch is a Scottish surname. It's a variation of the Northern Irish surname McCullough. It's commonly found in Galloway.
Notable people with the surname include:
*Alan McCulloch (politician), New Zealand politician
*Alan McLeod McCulloch ( ...
*
PoulanPro
*
Weed Eater
*
Flymo
Flymo is a hover lawnmower invented by Karl Dahlman in 1964, after seeing Sir Christopher Cockerell's hovercraft
A hovercraft, also known as an air-cushion vehicle or ACV, is an amphibious craft capable of travelling over land, water, m ...
*
Jonsered
Jonsered () is a locality situated in Partille Municipality, Västra Götaland County, Sweden with 930 inhabitants in 2010.
Jonsered is an old, traditional industrial community by the Säve river outside Gothenburg in Sweden. Jonsered's facto ...
KlippoDiamant BoartRedMax*
HTC
HTC Corporation ( zh, t=宏達國際電子股份有限公司, s=宏达国际电子股份有限公司, p=Hóngdá Guójì Diànzǐ Gǔfèn Yǒuxiàn Gōngsī, first=t) or High Tech Computer Corporation, (literally ''Hongda International Electron ...
*
Blastrac
Over the years, Husqvarna has manufactured products for retailers, including
Sears
Sears, Roebuck and Co. ( ), commonly known as Sears, is an American chain of department stores founded in 1892 by Richard Warren Sears and Alvah Curtis Roebuck and reincorporated in 1906 by Richard Sears and Julius Rosenwald, with what began a ...
. Most of these products have a model number that begins with "917".
See also
*
Husqvarna Vapenfabriks Aktiebolag
Husqvarna Vapenfabriks Aktiebolag or simply ''HVA''; {{IPA-sv, ˈhʉ̂ːsˌkvɑːɳa, pron, sv-Husqvarna.ogg) was a Swedish firearms manufacturing company in the town of Huskvarna by lake Vättern.
History
In 1689 the manager at the nearby stat ...
*
Husqvarna Motorcycles
References
External links
*
HTC
{{Authority control
1689 establishments in Sweden
21st century in Sweden
Agricultural machinery manufacturers of Sweden
Chainsaws
Companies established in 1689
Companies listed on Nasdaq Stockholm
Companies related to the Wallenberg family
Electrolux brands
Garden tool manufacturers
Huskvarna
Lawn and garden tractors
Lawn mower manufacturers
Logging
Manufacturing companies based in Stockholm
Multinational companies headquartered in Sweden
Power tool manufacturers
Robots of Sweden
Swedish brands
Tool manufacturing companies of Sweden