The name “Hispano-Suiza” still sets pulses racing, because of the company’s legendary history in both automobiles and aviation. For more than a century now, whether in France or abroad, its brand image has evoked quality, innovation, ruggedness and lightness, qualities that are just as much in evidence today.

1899 - 1918: HISPANO-SUIZA TAKES OFF

1899: Marc Birkigt, a young Swiss engineer, sets up shop in Barcelona, the industrial capital of Catalonia. He develops an internal combustion engine for the company La Cuadra. In 1904, Birkigt and Spanish banker Damian Mateu establish their own company, with the two partners contributing, respectively, capital and patents.

1904: La Cuadra is renamed Hispano-Suiza, in honor of the nationalities of its two co-founders, or more officially “Sociedad Hispano-Suiza, fabrica de automoviles, systema Birkigt.”

1911: Marc Birkigt sets up a Hispano-Suiza plant in Levallois, near Paris, to manufacture automobile chassis and engines.

1914: Hispano-Suiza opens another plant near Paris, in Bois-Colombes, to assemble and sell luxury car models manufactured in Spain in the French market. This factory will support the war effort by producing engines for light planes.

1916: Series production of aircraft engines, especially for the SPAD VII flown by French ace Georges Guynemer. His squadron is known as La Cicogne (“The Stork”), and this emblem will soon be adopted by Hispano-Suiza in honor of the valiant pilots of the First World War.

Georges Guynemer

1919 - 1939: GOLDEN AGE

1919: At the end of the war, Hispano-Suiza enjoys a sterling reputation. It restarts civilian production, looking to develop more innovative new products. The company’s expertise will be applied to cars, planes, boats and trains. Hispano-Suiza introduces the elegant H6 32CV, nicknamed the “French Rolls Royce”, at the first post-war automobile show, and decides to decorate it with the Stork emblem.

1923: Hispano-Suiza becomes an independent company, and no longer a subsidiary of the original Spanish company.

1933: The unrivaled performance of Hispano-Suiza aircraft engines helps set 14 international records, including the West to East crossing of the North Atlantic by Coste and Bellonte.

1936: Construction of the wind tunnel at Bois-Colombes and termination of automobile manufacture.

War breaks out, and all resources are dedicated to weapon manufacture. Hispano-Suiza supplies engines, propellers and guns for French fighters. Factories operate normally until occupation of the North zone. After the armistice, the Bois-Colombes plant is requisitioned. Some of the machines and tools are shipped to Tarbes, in southwest France. Bombing by the Allies will partly destroy the Bois-Colombes plant.

1946 - 1970: DIVERSIFICATION

Hispano-Suiza emerges from the war weakened, but determined to resume its business as an aircraft engine manufacturer.

1946: Hispano-Suiza acquires a license from Rolls-Royce to manufacture the Nene jet engine with centrifugal compressors (which will power the Mistral and Ouragan), followed by the Tay.

1949: Based on the Tay, Hispano-Suiza develops a more powerful engine known as the Verdon. This engine will power the historic Dassault Mystère IVA.

1950-1970: Hispano-Suiza comes up with a series of innovative solutions for the aviation, rail, naval and nuclear markets. Its product line includes power transmissions, ejection seats (under Martin Baker license), turboprops, braking systems, landing gear (Concorde and Caravelle), industrial gas turbines, turbochargers for diesel engines and robots for nuclear facilities.

1970 - 2005: RETURN TO AVIATION

1977: Hispano-Suiza merges with CNMP (Compagnie Normande de Mécanique de Précision). This Le Havre-based company had actually been working closely with Hispano-Suiza since 1969, especially through their joint work on an engine that would make waves in the future, the CFM56! They teamed up on major components such as the thrust reverser, mechanical transmissions and lubrication pumps.

1978: Hispano-Suiza becomes a subsidiary of Snecma.

1997: Le Havre becomes an independent unit, Hispano-Suiza Aerostructures.

1998: The Bois-Colombes plant moves to Colombes, near Snecma’s production plant in Gennevilliers. Hispano-Suiza sets up its commercial and military aero-engine power transmission design and production facilities at this site.

1999: Hispano-Suiza starts production of fine mechanical parts for aircraft at a plant in Bezons, along with the design and production of turbochargers for diesel engines.

2002: Hispano-Suiza transfers its turbocharger business to fellow Snecma Group company Turbomeca, and consolidates its engine control business by merging with Snecma Control Systems.

2004: In June, initial public offering of Snecma shares.

2005: Announcement in May of the merger of Snecma and Sagem, creating the SAFRAN Group. Hispano-Suiza becomes a subsidiary of SAFRAN, an international high-tech group. In

2005: July, Snecma Polska becomes a subsidiary of Hispano-Suiza and is renamed Hispano-Suiza Polska.

2006: In January, Hispano-Suiza Canada becomes a subsidiary of Hispano-Suiza. This company is specialized in the design and production of electronic control units for business aircraft.