Bofors AB is a Swedish arms manufacturing company. The name has been
associated with the iron industry and artillery manufacturing for more than
350 years. History
Located in Karlskoga, Sweden, the company originates from the hammering
trip hammer mill "Boofors" founded as a royal state-owned company in 1646. The
modern corporate structure was created in 1873 with the foundation of
Aktiebolaget Bofors-Gullspång as a totally government-owned public company.
A leading Swedish steel producer by the early 1870s, Bofors expanded into
weapons manufacture when steel produced by the Siemens-Martin process began to
be used for gun manufacture. Bofors was divested by the late 1880s, with the
government retaining a small share and two members on the highest body. 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. Nobel played the key role in reshaping the former iron and
steel producer to a modern cannon manufacturer and chemical industry
participant. The powder manufacturer AB Bofors Nobelkrut, later an explosives
and general organic-chemical producer, was created in 1898 as a wholly owned
subsidiary. 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. Bofors gun scandal
In 1986, a $285 million contract between the Government of India and Swedish arms
company Bofors was signed for supply of 410 155mm howitzer field guns. In 1987,
Swedish Radio alleged that Bofors paid illegal commissions to top Indian
politicians and key defence officials to seal the deal. The scandal contributed
to the defeat of Rajiv Gandhi in elections three years later.
Present ownership In 1999 Saab AB purchased the Celsius
Group, then the parent company for Bofors. In September 2000 United Defense
Industries of the United States acquired Bofors Weapons Systems, while Saab
retained the missile interests. BAE Systems acquired United Defense and
its Bofors subsidiary in 2005, and BAE Systems Bofors is now a business unit of
BAE Systems AB, Saab Bofors Dynamics is a unit of Saab AB
Products The name Bofors is strongly associated
with the 40 mm anti-aircraft 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. Another well-known gun made by the
company was the Bofors 37 mm anti-tank gun, a standard anti-tank weapon used by
a variety of armies early in the war. It was built under licence in Poland and
the USA and was also used in a variety of tanks, including the 7TP and M3A3
Stuart. M/40 Automatic cannon
Bofors 25mm Bofors 37mm
Bofors 40mm Bofors 40mm
Bofors 57mm Bofors 57mm
Archer Artillery System Bofors 375 mm twin barrel ASW rocket
launcher = Missiles=
Bantam BILL 1 Anti-tank guided weapon
BILL 2 Anti-tank guided weapon RBS 23
RBS 70 See also
Alfred Nobel Bofors Scandal
List of modern armament manufacturers List of oldest companies
References External links
BAE Systems Bofors Saab Bofors Dynamics