Bajaj Auto
Bajaj Auto Limited is an Indian two-wheeler and three-wheeler manufacturing company. Bajaj Auto manufactures and sells motorcycles, scooters and auto rickshaws. Bajaj Auto is a part of the Bajaj Group. It was founded by Jamnalal Bajaj in Rajasthan in the 1930s. It is based in Pune, Mumbai, with plants in Chakan (Pune), Waluj (near Aurangabad) and Pantnagar in Uttarakhand. The oldest plant at Akurdi (Pune) now houses the R&D centre 'Ahead'.
Bajaj Auto is the world's sixth-largest manufacturer of motorcycles and the fourth-largest in India. It is the world’s largest three-wheeler manufacturer.
On 31 March 2013, its market capitalisation was INR 520 billion (US$9.57 billion), making it India's 23rd largest publicly traded company by market value. The Forbes Global 2000 list for the year 2012 ranked Bajaj Auto at 1,416.
History
Bajaj Auto came into existence on 29 November 1944 as M/s Bachraj Trading Corporation Private Limited. It started off by selling imported two- and three-wheelers in India. In 1959, it obtained a licence from the Government of India to manufacture two-wheelers and three-wheelers and it became a public limited company in 1960. In 1970, it rolled out its 100,000th vehicle. In 1977, it sold 100,000 vehicles in a financial year. In 1985, it started producing at Waluj near Aurangabad. In 1986, it sold 500,000 vehicles in a financial year. In 1995, it rolled out its ten millionth vehicle and produced and sold one million vehicles in a year.
With the launch of motorcycles in 1986, the company has changed its image from a scooter manufacturer to a two-wheeler manufacturer.