Bombardier

Bombardier is a Canadian company, founded in Valcourt in the Eastern Townships, Quebec by Joseph-Armand Bombardier[?]. The company is a world leading manufacturer of business jets, regional aircraft, trains, snowmobiles, and small watercraft. It has 80,000 employees, and 16 billion dollars (Canadian) in gross revenues (2001). The aerospace arm (Bombardier Aerospace) accounts for over half of the company's revenue.

The rail portion of the company (Bombardier Transportation) built parts of the Eurostar trains and the Croydon Tramlink trams. They also built the Turbostar class 170 units which are widely used throughout Britain. They are one of the companies which took over British Rail's R&D facilities after privatization (the remainder largely being absorbed into Alstom).

Bombardier Transportion also developed and produces the Acela Express train which runs between Boston, New York City and Washington DC. This is the first high-speed rail line in North America, running at a top speed of 150 mph.

They also make Ski-doo brand snowmobiles, Sea-doo personal watercraft and boats, and Bombardier all-terrain vehicles. They are a major Canadian defense contractor.

In 2001 Bombardier Transportation acquired Adtranz.