Malkotsis

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Malkotsis EM-4 tractor (1962)
Malkotsis EM-4 tractor (1962)

Malkotsis is the trade name for 'Technika S.Malkotsis A.E.', which has historically been the most important Greek engine manufacturer. Located in Piraeus, before World War II it produced various types of industrial machinery and diesel engines. In that respect, it was one of several engine (mostly diesel and semi-diesel) manufacturers that flourished in Greece in the 1920s and (mostly) 1930s, like Dimadis-Kanakis in Volos, Peteinaris in Kalamata, Siderides, BIO, Koutroufis and many others in Athens, etc.

After World War II Malkotsis almost entirely concentrated on diesel engines (always of its own development), soon becoming the largest company in its field. Malkotsis engines found use in a variety of industrial applications, while its boat-powering engine models became legendary for their reliability. Its EM-4 series was specifically designed for powering of vehicles and was employed in Malkotsis's own 45 hp farm tractor model (Malkotsis EM-4) introduced in 1962 and produced for years. A series of electric motors was produced as well. The company faced financial problems later, due to competition from cheaper imports, and was acquired in 1991 by Drakos-Polemis A.E., a pump manufacturing company which used all Malkotsis infrastructure for its production purposes.

[edit] References

L.S. Skartsis and G.A. Avramidis, Made in Greece, Typorama, Patras, Greece (2003)