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Öhlins Racing AB comes
back home to Sweden
Sweden (12/21/2007) - This morning
the Company founder Kenth Öhlins has reclaimed
a 95% share of the world famous suspension manufacturer
Öhlins Racing AB after a 25 year long, prosperous
cooperation with the Yamaha Group. The company has
grown to an annual turnover of 52 million with 235
employees with distributors in more than 50 countries
on all continents. Öhlins Racing AB is also
represented with subsidiary offices in Germany and
USA.
It all started back in 1975 when Kenth Öhlins,
26 years old, founded the company that became
one of the most prestigious suspension brands
in the world“ Öhlins Racing AB. With
a core business focus on high performance racing
and technological excellence the young Swede soon
got a high reputation in the racing community
and the company prospered.
During the years that followed Öhlins Racing
AB entered new business areas such as ATV, snowmobiles,
automotive and the vast street racing motorcycle
sector. The urge to find new, brilliant solutions
to the challenges within the suspension industry,
resulted in new patents that needed substantial
investments.
In 1987 Yamaha Motor Europe N.V. became the
majority owner of Öhlins Racing AB though the
suspension manufacturer continued to be an independent,
dynamic company. The support from Yamaha was necessary
to realize all the ideas that Kenth had in mind.
One of the most well known products that were
born thanks to the new cooperation was the CES
valve. The CES valve was patented in 1984 and
now, more than 20 years later the automotive industry
has fully understood the power of the Continuously
Controlled Suspension System. Today Volvo, Ford,
Audi and Mercedes use the system in their cars
and in the end of 2008 the total number of delivered
CES valves exceeds 1,000,000 units.
Kenth Öhlins has never left the day-to-day management
despite the fact that he travels the globe to
represent the brand as the president of the company.
His motivation and endless energy has inspired
the staff throughout the years and the focus has
been clear.
After several months of negotiations Yamaha Group
and Kenth Öhlins have found a strong ground for
further cooperation. The bond between Yamaha and
Öhlins Racing AB is as strong as ever but now
with a change of the majority stake. Kenth Öhlins
owns from today, the 21 December 2007, 95% of
the shares in the company, bringing the company
back home to Swedish soil once again.
Öhlins Racing AB is looking forward to the coming
years with great expectations. New technological
innovations are about to be realized the coming
years and it is with great pride and satisfaction
that the products from Öhlins Racing AB continues
to be a Swedish quality product, made in Sweden
owned by the founder of the company.
For further company information, please visit:
www.ohlins.com
www.ohlins.com
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