Suzuki

Suzuki Motor Corporation (スズキ株式会社, Suzuki Kabushiki-gaisha?) is a multinational corporation headquartered in Hamamatsu, Japan that specializes in manufacturing compact automobiles, a full range of motorcycles, All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs), outboard marine engines, wheelchairs and a variety of other small internal combustion engines. Suzuki is the 12th largest automobile manufacturer in the world by production volume, employs over 45,000 people, has 35 main production facilities in 23 countries and 133 distributors in 192 countries.

"Suzuki" is pronounced in Japanese as "soo-zoo-kee" /suzuki/, with emphasis on a high "kee". It is almost always pronounced in English as "suh-ZOO-kee" /səˈzuːki/, with a stressed "zoo". This pronunciation is used by the English-speaking public and by the Suzuki company in marketing campaigns directed towards this demographic.

History

In 1909, Michio Suzuki founded the Suzuki Loom Company in the small seacoast village of Hamamatsu, Japan. Business boomed as Suzuki built weaving looms for Japan's giant silk industry. In 1929, Michio Suzuki invented a new type of weaving machine, which was exported overseas. Suzuki filed as many as 120 patents and utility model rights. The company's first 30 years focused on the development and production of these exceptionally complex machines.