Newswire article - KTM Sportmotorcycle - History.

[LynnCamp]

While earching the wires for Daytona, I ran across this ....  I don't recognize "Datamonitor" -- are they accurate?  Too bad they don't mention Penton or John [V]

KTM Sportmotorcycle - History.
5 March 2004
Datamonitor Company Profiles
(c) 2004 Datamonitor plc. All rights reserved

KTM dates back to 1934, when Hans Trunkenpolz opened a repair workshop in Mattighofen. By 1950, the company had become one of the biggest motorcycle and car repair workshops in Upper Austria. The company began its first development project in 1951.

In 1953 the company became officially known as Kronreif, Trunkenpolz, Mattighofen (KTM).

Production of the first KTM engines began in 1970.

The subsidiary company KTM America was established in 1978 in Lorrain, Ohio.

The company officially changed its name to KTM Motor-Fahrzeugbau in 1980. In 1989, the majority of the shares in the company were sold by KTM to GIT Trust Holding Company.

Between 1991 and 1992, KTM Motor-Fahrzeugbau filed for bankruptcy and was divided into independent successors for radiators, motorcycles, bicycles and tooling manufacture.

In 1995, KTM Sportmotorcyle was listed on the Vienna Stock Exchange. In the same year, KTM acquired Swedish company Husaberg and Dutch company White Power Suspension.

In 2002, KTM expanded its production site at Mattighoten, including the construction of an R&D center.

In 2002 and 2003 KTM focused on the expansion of the production site at Mattighofen / Munderfing. The company had global sales of 70,514 motorcycles in fiscal 2003 and a new R&D center and engine assembly facility began operations.