Information AboutPuch |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT PUCH | |
| companies of austria | |
| moped manufacturers | |
| motorcycle manufacturers of austria | |
| scooter manufacturers | |
| cycle manufacturers | |
| companies established in 1889 | |
Puch was a Manufacturing company located in Graz , Austria . The company was founded in 1889 by the industralist Johann Puch and produced Automobiles , Bicycles , and Motorcycles . PRE-WAR YEARS Johann Puch first produced bicycles in s. The main production plant, later called "''Einser-Werk''", was constructed in the south of Graz, in the district of Puntigam . Production of Engines were started in 1901 and Cars followed in 1904 . In 1906 the production of the two- Cylinder Puch Voiturette was started and in 1909 a Puch car broke the world high-speed record with 130,4 km/h. In 1910 , Puch even produced Sedans for members of the imperial family. In 1912 , the 38 PS (horsepower Type VIII "'' Alpenwagen ''" was developed. In 1912 Johann Puch went into retirement and became the company's honorary president. At that point the company was employed about 1,100 workers and produced 16,000 bicycles and over 300 motorcycles and cars annually. During World War I , Puch became an important Vehicle supplier to the Austro-Hungarian Army . However with the collapse of the empire following the War, the market for automobiles shrank and production was discontinued. In 1923 the double- Piston motor was Patented . In 1928 the company merger with Austro-Daimler and became a part of the new Austro-Daimler-Puchwerke . This company was merged in 1934 with Steyr AG to form Steyr-Daimler-Puch . Like all enterprises of its kind the Puch production plants had to change to arms production during World War II . The existing capacity was insufficient, therefore a second plant was constructed and openened in 1941 in Thondorf , Graz. In the three original halls, luxury vehicles for the American market were produced. POST-WAR YEARS In 1949 , an assembly cooperation agreement was signed with Fiat in Turin . The 1950s to the mid- 1970s saw a sharp increase in production of motorcycles, bicycles and mopeds. Even though Puch was a part of Steyr-Daimler-Puch, it still produced products under its own name, as well as for Steyr-Puch and other companies.
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PUCH SCOOTERS The late 1950s saw strong sales of the Puch 125cc two-stroke single Motorscooters , which had three gears shifted from the left twistgrip. These machines developed a reputation for reliability and were popular for daily commuting, providing good weather protection and ease of use with an electric starter. In this role their moderate performance, with a top speed of around 45mph, was not a problem. Later models had a 150cc engine and foot-operation, giving better performance of 6 Hp instead of 5 hp but retaining the three gears. Puch produced the famous Twingle Engine and the Maxi, Puch Newport , and MK mopeds, which were popular from the late 1970s to early 1980s . In Austria and The Netherlands , Puch mopeds played a big role in the 1960s Popular Culture . LEGACY In the late 1980s , the company was being squeezed out by competition. In 1987 massive restructuring of the company led to the end of the production of two-wheelers in Graz. The company's technical know-how was always better than its marketing and commercial success. The Puch motorcycle company was sold to Piaggio , maker of the Vespa , in 1987 and still produces bikes under the name "Puch". Steyr-Puch , assembler of Four Wheel Drive vehicles and parts, still exists next to the Piaggio division. The so-called "''Einserwerk''", the first production plant, shut down in the early 2000s . The historical assembly-hall was declared a protected Industrial Monument . When Graz became European Capital Of Culture in 2003 , a Puch museum was opened in one of the former assembly halls {Link without Title} . SEE ALSO EXTERNAL LINKS
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