Volvo

Volvo is a car manufacturing company whose central offices are located in the city of Gotherburg in Sweden. While at one time it held a niche spot in the manufacture of passenger cars, the main focus of its production now revolves around more heavily around lorries and construction vehicles. Technically, Volvo can trace it roots back to 1915 when it was created as an offshoot of a Swedish company that specialized in the manufacture of ball bearings. The first official car that was sold to the public was released in 1927.

Business grew at a steady pace throughout the 1930s and 1940s, however the Second World War obviously limited the potential market for passenger automobiles. It was not until 1963 that the first production plant outside of Sweden was opened (located in Halifax, Canada). Into the beginning of the 21st century, Volvo sold its car production line of operations to Ford Motor Company for a sum of just over six billion dollars. Many of the engineering characteristics of Volvo vehicles can now be seen in Ford models including the Land Rover and the Focus.

Nonetheless, Volvo remains a formidable force in the manufacture and distribution of many lorries throughout the world. This has allowed Volvo to represent a sizable market share for such vehicles although its line of passenger cars is no longer a part of the company.