Located in Karlskoga, Sweden, the company originates from the hammer mill "Boofors", which was founded as a royal state-owned company in 1646 when P. L. Hosman was permitted to erect a forge at the site.[4] The modern corporate structure was created in 1873 with the foundation of Aktiebolaget (AB) Bofors-Gullspång.
The Bofors Hotel, which was designed by Wilhelm von Eick and built in an Italianate style, was initially intended to exclusively serve the guests of Bofors.
A leading Swedish steel producer by the early 1870s, when steel began to be used for gun manufacture in Sweden, Bofors initially sold cast and forged steel produced by the Siemens-Martin process to Finspång gun works, but soon started to expand into weapons manufacture. The company's first cannon workshop was opened in 1884. Bofors' most famous owner was Alfred Nobel, who owned the company from 1894 until his death in December 1896.[6][7] Nobel played a key role in reshaping the former iron and steel producer to a modern cannon manufacturer and chemical industry participant.[8][9] The powder manufacturer AB Bofors Nobelkrut, later an explosives and general organic-chemical producer, was created in 1898 as a wholly owned subsidiary.
The Bofors Headquarters completed in 1930
By 1911, AB Bofors-Gullspång had outcompeted, bought and closed down its Finspång Swedish competitor in cannon manufacture. The company's name was shortened to AB Bofors in 1919.[10]
Karlskoga grew around the Bofors Works, which employed almost 10,000 people by 1970.[11] The arms industry created numerous job opportunities in the 1900s, contributing to the population boom of the city.
Throughout its history, the works has been linked to several influential Swedish families such as Robsahm, Liljeström, Flygge, and Ekehjelm.[4]
Present ownership
In 1999, Saab AB[12] purchased the Celsius Group, then the parent company of Bofors.[13] In September 2000, United Defense Industries (UDI) of the United States acquired Bofors Weapons Systems (the heavy weapons division), while Saab retained the missile interests.
The British company BAE Systems acquired UDI and its Bofors subsidiary in 2005, and BAE Systems Bofors is now a business unit of the Swedish subdivision BAE Systems AB, while the Swedish unit Saab Bofors Dynamics is part of Saab AB.[14]
Products
Various cannon cartridges manufactured by Bofors, including proprietary ammunition for the m/40 anti-aircraft gun (20×145mmR, second from the left), m/32 AA gun (25×205mmSR), both 40mm AA gun families (40×311mmR & 40×365mmR), m/47 aircraft gun (57×230mmR), and 57mm naval gun family (57×438mmR), respectively
The name Bofors is strongly associated with the Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun used by both sides during World War II. This automatic cannon is often simply called the Bofors gun and saw service on both land and sea. It became so widely known that anti-aircraft guns in general were often referred to as Bofors guns.[15] Another well-known gun made by the company was the Bofors 37 mm Anti-Tank Gun L/45,[16] a standard anti-tank weapon used by a variety of armies from the mid 1930s throughout World War II. It was built under licence in a variety of nations such as Finland, The Netherlands and Poland[17] and used in a variety of tanks and armored vehicles, such as the Vickers 6-ton, M39 Pantserwagen and 7TP, among others.
^Schück, H (1950). Nobel - The Man and His Prizes. Stockholm: Solhmans Förlag. ISBN0444001174.
^"Latter life". Alfred Nobel : Biography. Nobel Prize : Official website. Retrieved 4 March 2014.
^Subramaniam, Chitra (1993). Bofors: the story behind the news. India: Viking. ISBN0670845256.
^Fransson, Stig A (2001). "BOFORS – förändringsvindar i gammal tid och nutid" (PDF) (in Swedish). Retrieved 29 November 2022. Bofors är nu som störst och har nästan 10 000 anställda i Karlskoga.
^"Press release". Celsius group. 12 September 2000. Retrieved 4 March 2014.
^Professor Øyvind Østerud, Professor Janne Haaland Matlary (March 2013). Denationalisation of Defence: Convergence and Diversity. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. p. 152.
^Gander, Terry (1 January 1986). The Bofors 40mm Gun. Patrick Stephens Ltd. p. 12. ISBN0850598400.
^Bofors (in German). Karlskoga, Sweden: AB Bofors, Karlskoga (Boforskoncernen). 1936. pp. 30, 31, 32.
^T Persson, Mats. . tfd.chalmers.se. Archived from the original on 1 July 2007. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
^ ab. Yahoo! News. Archived from the original on 5 January 2016.
^Mukherjee, A.P (2012). Unknown Facets of Rajiv Gandhi, Jyoti Basu and Indrajit Gupta. India: Pragun Publications. ISBN978-81-7049470-6.
^Subramaniam, Chitra (1993). Bofors: The Story Behind The News. Viking. ISBN0-67084525-6.
Works cited
Jernkontoret (1920). "Aktiebolaget Bofors". Iron and Steel in Sweden. Jernkontoret. pp. 17–36.
Steckzén, Birger (1946). Bofors historia 1646–1946 (in Swedish). Stockholm.
bofors, this, article, includes, list, general, references, lacks, sufficient, corresponding, inline, citations, please, help, improve, this, article, introducing, more, precise, citations, march, 2013, learn, when, remove, this, template, message, this, artic. This article includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations March 2013 Learn how and when to remove this template message This article is about the former arms manufacturer For the ice hockey team formerly named IFK Bofors see BIK Karlskoga AB Bofors UK ˈ b oʊ f er z BOH ferz US ˈ b oʊ f ɔːr z BOH forz 1 2 Swedish buːˈfɔʂː check vowel length is a former Swedish arms manufacturer which today is part of the British arms manufacturer BAE Systems The name has been associated with the iron industry and artillery manufacturing for more than 350 years 3 AB BoforsBofors older heraldic logotype featuring two lions upholding two circles containing the Bofors arrow B arrow crowned by a lit grenadeNative nameAktiebolaget BoforsFormerlyBofors Gullspang Company Ltd IndustryArms industryFounded1646 1646 in Karlskoga SwedenHeadquartersKarlskoga SwedenContents 1 History 2 Present ownership 3 Products 3 1 Guns 3 2 Missiles 3 3 Other weapons 4 India scandal 5 See also 6 References 6 1 Citations 6 2 Works cited 7 External linksHistory EditLocated in Karlskoga Sweden the company originates from the hammer mill Boofors which was founded as a royal state owned company in 1646 when P L Hosman was permitted to erect a forge at the site 4 The modern corporate structure was created in 1873 with the foundation of Aktiebolaget AB Bofors Gullspang The Bofors Works was acquired by Johan Eberhard Geijer 1733 1796 in 1762 It was then acquired by the latter s brother Emanuel af Geijerstam 5 The Bofors Hotel which was designed by Wilhelm von Eick and built in an Italianate style was initially intended to exclusively serve the guests of Bofors A leading Swedish steel producer by the early 1870s when steel began to be used for gun manufacture in Sweden Bofors initially sold cast and forged steel produced by the Siemens Martin process to Finspang gun works but soon started to expand into weapons manufacture The company s first cannon workshop was opened in 1884 Bofors most famous owner was Alfred Nobel who owned the company from 1894 until his death in December 1896 6 7 Nobel played a key role in reshaping the former iron and steel producer to a modern cannon manufacturer and chemical industry participant 8 9 The powder manufacturer AB Bofors Nobelkrut later an explosives and general organic chemical producer was created in 1898 as a wholly owned subsidiary The Bofors Headquarters completed in 1930By 1911 AB Bofors Gullspang had outcompeted bought and closed down its Finspang Swedish competitor in cannon manufacture The company s name was shortened to AB Bofors in 1919 10 Karlskoga grew around the Bofors Works which employed almost 10 000 people by 1970 11 The arms industry created numerous job opportunities in the 1900s contributing to the population boom of the city Throughout its history the works has been linked to several influential Swedish families such as Robsahm Liljestrom Flygge and Ekehjelm 4 Present ownership EditIn 1999 Saab AB 12 purchased the Celsius Group then the parent company of Bofors 13 In September 2000 United Defense Industries UDI of the United States acquired Bofors Weapons Systems the heavy weapons division while Saab retained the missile interests The British company BAE Systems acquired UDI and its Bofors subsidiary in 2005 and BAE Systems Bofors is now a business unit of the Swedish subdivision BAE Systems AB while the Swedish unit Saab Bofors Dynamics is part of Saab AB 14 Products Edit Various cannon cartridges manufactured by Bofors including proprietary ammunition for the m 40 anti aircraft gun 20 145mmR second from the left m 32 AA gun 25 205mmSR both 40mm AA gun families 40 311mmR amp 40 365mmR m 47 aircraft gun 57 230mmR and 57mm naval gun family 57 438mmR respectively Bofors 283 mm gun on the Swedish HSwMS Gustav V The name Bofors is strongly associated with the Bofors 40 mm L 60 gun used by both sides during World War II This automatic cannon is often simply called the Bofors gun and saw service on both land and sea It became so widely known that anti aircraft guns in general were often referred to as Bofors guns 15 Another well known gun made by the company was the Bofors 37 mm Anti Tank Gun L 45 16 a standard anti tank weapon used by a variety of armies from the mid 1930s throughout World War II It was built under licence in a variety of nations such as Finland The Netherlands and Poland 17 and used in a variety of tanks and armored vehicles such as the Vickers 6 ton M39 Pantserwagen and 7TP among others Guns Edit incomplete list Bofors 20 mm Automatic Anti Aircraft Gun L 70 Bofors 25 mm Automatic Gun L 64 Bofors 37 mm Anti Tank Gun L 45 Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L 43 Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L 60 Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L 70 Bofors 57 mm Automatic Aircraft Gun L 50 Bofors 57 mm Naval Automatic Gun L 60 Bofors 57 mm Naval Automatic Gun L 70 Bofors 75 mm Model 1929 Bofors 75 mm Model 1934 Bofors 105 mm Coastal Automatic Gun L 54 Bofors 120 mm Automatic Anti Aircraft Gun L 46 Bofors 120 mm Naval Automatic Gun L 50 Bofors 152 mm Naval Automatic Gun L 53 Bofors Tracked Automotive Gun 155 mm L 50 Bofors 155 mm Field Howitzer 77 A L 38 Bofors 155 mm Field Howitzer 77 B L 39 Bofors 155 mm Field Howitzer 77 BW L 39 L 52 Archer Bofors 283 mm Naval Gun L 45Missiles Edit incomplete list BANTAM Bofors Anti Tank Missile BILL Bofors Infantry Light and Lethal anti tank missile RBS 23 RBS 70Other weapons Edit incomplete list Bofors 375 mm multi barrel ASW rocket launcher Bofors HPM Blackout high powered microwave weapon systemIndia scandal Edit Finnish soldiers operating a Bofors gun during WWII Main article Bofors scandal In 1986 the Government of India and Bofors signed a US 285 million contract for the supply of 410 155 mm field howitzers 18 In 1987 Swedish Radio alleged that Bofors paid illegal commissions of 600 million equivalent to 6 4 billion or US 80 million in 2020 to top Indian politicians members of senior Congress party and key defence officials to seal the deal 18 The scandal contributed to the defeat of Rajiv Gandhi s government in the elections three years later 19 20 See also EditBofors Hotel The Bofors Gun 1968 British drama film directed by Jack Gold based on the play Events While Guarding the Bofors Gun by John McGrath List of modern armament manufacturers List of oldest companiesReferences EditCitations Edit Wells John C 2008 Longman Pronunciation Dictionary 3rd ed Longman ISBN 978 1 4058 8118 0 Jones Daniel 2011 Roach Peter Setter Jane Esling John eds Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary 18th ed Cambridge University Press ISBN 978 0 521 15255 6 Oza B M 1997 Bofors The Ambassador s Evidence India Konark Publishers a b Jernkontoret 1920 p 18 Steckzen 1946 p 28 Bergengren Erik 1962 Alfred Nobel The Man and His Work Edinburgh Thomas Nelson amp Sons Ltd Jernkontoret 1920 p 19 Schuck H 1950 Nobel The Man and His Prizes Stockholm Solhmans Forlag ISBN 0444001174 Latter life Alfred Nobel Biography Nobel Prize Official website Retrieved 4 March 2014 Subramaniam Chitra 1993 Bofors the story behind the news India Viking ISBN 0670845256 Fransson Stig A 2001 BOFORS forandringsvindar i gammal tid och nutid PDF in Swedish Retrieved 29 November 2022 Bofors ar nu som storst och har nastan 10 000 anstallda i Karlskoga AB aktiebolag is a joint stock company Press release Celsius group 12 September 2000 Retrieved 4 March 2014 Professor Oyvind Osterud Professor Janne Haaland Matlary March 2013 Denationalisation of Defence Convergence and Diversity Ashgate Publishing Ltd p 152 Gander Terry 1 January 1986 The Bofors 40mm Gun Patrick Stephens Ltd p 12 ISBN 0850598400 Bofors in German Karlskoga Sweden AB Bofors Karlskoga Boforskoncernen 1936 pp 30 31 32 T Persson Mats 37 mm Pansarvarnskanon m 34 amp m 38 tfd chalmers se Archived from the original on 1 July 2007 Retrieved 2 February 2022 a b 25 years of India s Watergate The Bofors scandal Yahoo News Archived from the original on 5 January 2016 Mukherjee A P 2012 Unknown Facets of Rajiv Gandhi Jyoti Basu and Indrajit Gupta India Pragun Publications ISBN 978 81 7049470 6 Subramaniam Chitra 1993 Bofors The Story Behind The News Viking ISBN 0 67084525 6 Works cited Edit Jernkontoret 1920 Aktiebolaget Bofors Iron and Steel in Sweden Jernkontoret pp 17 36 Steckzen Birger 1946 Bofors historia 1646 1946 in Swedish Stockholm External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bofors BAE Systems Bofors Saab Bofors Dynamics http nobelkarlskoga se welcome 2 bofors industrial museum Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bofors amp oldid 1149356036, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
