Tangalakis-Temax
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TEMAX is today the leading Greek manufacturer of fire-fighting vehicles, while under its previous name, Tangalakis, it has been one of the most historic bus manufacturers in that country.
[edit] History
There has been more than 100 bus manufacturers in Greece (the vast majority being body manufacturers) but Tangalakis is particularly remembered to this date for many reasons, including the quality of its products. Already involved in vehicle body construction, Petros Tangalakis joined in 1925 as a partner G. Tournikiotis, a vehicle body manufacturer based in Athens, founded in 1922. The new joint company saw significant growth becoming the largest in its field, producing a variety of vehicles on imported chassis. In 1934 Tangalakis split off creating his own company, which remained the leading Greek vehicle producer for nearly three decades. During the Axis occupation of Greece in WWII the factory was put under German control, but vehicle production was resumed in 1945. The following years were Tangalakis's "Golden Era"; the company mainly focused on bus construction on chassis by Daimler, Volvo and other manufacturers, producing several designs remembered to this date. In 1963, facing strong competition from other bus manufacturing companies in Greece, it ventured into fire-fighting vehicle manufacture mainly on International Harvester chassis. In 1965 it created TEMAX, a new company entirely focused on fire-fighting and other specialty vehicle production, which operates successfully to date. Another branch of the same family, though, has continued business under the Tangalakis name, as importers and distributors of fire-fighting and rescue equipment, vehicle parts etc.
[edit] References
- A. Chronis, "P. Tangalakis", article in "Pullman&Leoforeio", September 1992
- L.S. Skartsis and G.A. Avramidis, "Made in Greece", Typorama, Patras, Greece (2003)
