Lohia Machinery Limited
| Company type | Public limited company (formerly) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Automotive |
| Predecessor | Lohia Machines Private Limited |
| Founded | 1972 |
| Defunct | 2 June 2017 (insolvency notice issued) |
| Fate | Insolvency and dismantling of manufacturing facility |
| Headquarters | Kanpur , India |
Area served | India, United States, United Kingdom, export markets |
Key people | K K Shangloo (Special Director, 2008) |
| Products | Scooters, motorcycles, three-wheelers |
LML (previously known as Lohia Machines Ltd) was an Indian manufacturer specializing in scooters and motorcycles, headquartered in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh.
History and overview
Established in 1972 under the name Lohia Machines Private Limited, the firm initially focused on producing synthetic yarn machinery through a technical partnership with ARCT, France. It transitioned to a public limited company in 1978 and broadened its scope to include synthetic yarn processing.
In 1984, LML entered into a technical alliance with Italy's Piaggio to initiate a scooter manufacturing venture. By 1990, both companies held equal shares of 23.6%. The launch of the LML Select in 1993 marked a commercial milestone. This collaboration concluded in 1999.
Following the partnership's end, LML continued manufacturing the Star, a steel-bodied scooter powered by a 150cc two-stroke engine. These scooters were exported to the United States under the name Stella and marketed in the United Kingdom via A.K. International (AKII), which reintroduced the Star Deluxe model in 2008 featuring Euro 3 compliant engines.
From 1998 until 2006, LML produced the Trendy 50 cc scooter, originally designed by Benelli and unrelated to Piaggio's lineup. In 1999, the company allied with South Korea’s Daelim Motor Company to produce four-stroke motorcycles. In recognition of its advancements in fuel efficiency and emission control, India’s Ministry of Science and Technology honored LML in 2000. The company then ventured into motorcycles equipped with three-valve technology.
The year 2001 saw LML unveil its first premium commuter motorcycle named Freedom, alongside the high-performance Adreno superbike, which was adopted by Maharashtra Police for traffic enforcement duties. In 2004, LML entered the 150cc lifestyle segment with the launch of the LML Graptor, developed in collaboration with Ugolini of Italy. That same year, they introduced both the Graptor XL (150cc) and two versions of the Freedom Prima (110cc and 125cc), marking their evolution into a diversified two-wheeler producer.
Despite broadening its product portfolio, LML encountered financial difficulties due to excessive expenditures. The company declared dividends only twice, lagging behind competitors such as TVS Motor Company, Hero MotoCorp, and Bajaj Auto, which experienced robust growth and enhanced shareholder returns. Meanwhile, new market entrants like Honda and Suzuki achieved monthly production volumes reaching 50,000 units—figures never attained by LML. This financial strain adversely affected Kanpur’s small-scale industries supplying proprietary components since the early 1980s, many of which either shut down or incurred losses.
In July 2006, LML secured funding from Credit Suisse and other financiers; production recommenced in March 2008 with a focus on geared Vespa-style scooters primarily destined for export markets. That year, K K Shangloo was appointed as Special Director under the Sick Industrial Companies Act.
In 2009, LML launched a four-stroke scooter variant visually similar to its two-stroke predecessor but powered by a different engine design. The LML Freedom DX, a 110cc commuter motorcycle, was reintroduced in 2013.
By 2016, LML had expanded its product range to include the Star 125 Lite automatic featuring a smaller frame, the Star Euro 150 automatic (150cc), and the geared Star Euro 200 four-stroke model. Additionally, it introduced its three-wheeler vehicle named the LML Buddy.
On 2 June 2017, LML issued an insolvency notice. As of August 2020, its manufacturing facility had been dismantled; spare parts, machinery, and scooters were scrapped, while some tooling equipment was sold to Germany’s SIP scooter shop.
See also
External links
- Companies based in Kanpur
- Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1972
- Scooter manufacturers
- Motorcycle manufacturers of India
- Indian brands
- Vehicle manufacturing companies disestablished in 2017
- Indian companies disestablished in 2017
- Indian companies established in 1972
- Economic history of Uttar Pradesh
- 1972 establishments in Uttar Pradesh
- Companies formerly listed on the National Stock Exchange of India
- Companies formerly listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange