bombardier inc. (pronounced "bombardier") is a Canadian conglomerate that produces railroad and aviation equipment. Included in the Fortune Global 500 list. The company began as a manufacturer of snowmobiles and all-terrain vehicles.
The founder of the company, Joseph-Armand Bombardier, while still a teenager, built his first, albeit not very successful, snowmobile - in fact, a primitive sled with a car engine. Winter in the Canadian province contributed to the fact that for a long time he then tried to design a more or less acceptable design that would combine speed, lightness and provide high cross-country ability. And although the technical development of that time did not allow to achieve a combination of these qualities, Joseph continued to work hard, trying to achieve at least acceptable results. The work was spurred on by a tragedy - the two-year-old son of the inventor died due to the fact that they simply did not have time to deliver him to the hospital on time - deep impenetrable snowdrifts did not allow. The persistence of the inventor was rewarded. In 1937, he introduced a rather ugly, but reliable snowmobile with high cross-country ability and relatively low weight. It took more than ten years of hard work to create this miracle of technology.
The snowmobile interested many industrialists. But Joseph did not want to sell his idea and decided to open his own company. To promote it, he spent no less money and effort than when creating his snowmobile. And it justified itself - by the beginning of the 40s L'Auto-Neige Bombardier Limitée, has already produced hundreds of snowmobiles a year. The outbreak of World War II played the most positive role in the fate of the company. Bombardier's snowmobiles were also useful at the front.
By the beginning of the 1950s, the Canadian province was no longer suffering from impassable snowdrifts - the roads were being cleared. The sales level fell by almost 50%. But Joseph did not lose heart, taking up light snowmobiles for outdoor activities - now he has the opportunity to create light and maneuverable equipment! The company begins to expand its range, starting to produce all-terrain vehicles, motor boats, and, over time, railway equipment (division Bombardier Transportation). In the future, aircraft under the brand name bombardier (subdivision Bombardier Aerospace).
At the beginning of the 21st century, the company sold the division Bombardier Recreational Products, which was engaged in every "little thing", like the same snowmobiles - it was decided to completely switch to aviation and rail transport. It is understandable - for the production of civil aviation bombardier second only to such giants as Airbus и Boeing, producing small aircraft for domestic flights and business (according to some reports, being the absolute leader in this sector). Things are no worse with railway equipment - and here the company is one of the largest. Over the decades of its development, bombardier inc. absorbed more than one manufacturer both in America and Europe. As a result, locomotives and trams of its production are found almost everywhere. A good example of the use of the company's products can be the automatic subway in Vancouver and other Canadian cities, where electronically controlled trains run with little or no human intervention.
The company's headquarters is located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada (Montreal, Quebec, Canada).