| Type | Public |
|---|---|
| Industry | Manufacturing |
| Founded | 1923 |
| Headquarters | Belgrade, Serbia |
| Key people | Srećko Nijemčević — Director |
| Products | Buses |
| Production output | 1,000 Buses per year |
| Revenue | US$410 million 2010 |
| Employees | 720 |
| Website | www.ikarbus.rs |
Ikarbus (Serbian Cyrillic: Икарбус) is a Serbian bus manufacturer based in the Belgrade urban municipality of Zemun. The company was originally established as an aircraft manufacturer in 1923, under the name “Ikarus – the first Serbian airplane, car and engine industry Kovacevic and Co” in Novi Sad by Dimitrije Konjovic, brothers Dusan and Milivoj Kovacevic, Djoka Radulovic and Josif Mikl.
The company changed its name to Ikarbus in 1992 due to name usage conflicts with the Hungarian bus manufacturer with the same name.
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Since its founding in 1923, the firm manufactured a number of foreign designs under licence, such as the French Potez 25 and Czechoslovakian Avia BH-33 as well as the locally-designed Ikarus IK-2. All the company's production facilities were destroyed during World War II, but rebuilt in 1946 and nationalised soon thereafter. Significant post-war aircraft included the Ikarus 451M, Yugoslavia's first domestically-designed and built jet plane (1952), the Ikarus S-451MM that set a world airspeed record in 1957, and the Ikarus S-451M that set one in 1960. After that, aircraft production was relocated to a new aircraft factory Soko at Mostar, SR Bosnia and Herzegovina.
From 1954 onwards, Ikarus commenced bus production, originally of Sauer and MAN designs under licence, but eventually the company's own designs. In 1992, the company was privatised, and the following year changed its name to Ikarbus.
13 October 1923 - the founding meeting of the limited parntership “Ikarus – the first Serbian airplane, car and engine industry Kovacevic and Co”.
20 November 1923 - “Ikarus” starts official business – Dimitrije Konjovic, brothers Dusan and Milivoj Kovacevic, Djoka Radulovic and Josif Mikl registered the company in the Novi Sad District Court. The date is today observed as the founding date.
3 March 1924 - the first school type airplane “Brandenburg” was manufactured
1927 - The Air Command decided that “Ikarus” should start the production of military planes; the factory for the production of military planes was built in Zemun
20 June 1927 - “Ikarus” and the Military and Navy Ministry concluded an agreement to build a new factory of airplane engines in Rakovica
1928 - Sports Club “Ikarus” was established, the first company to build gliders in the country
December 1932 – the company from Novi Sad totally relocated to Zemun
April 1935 - the first model of war airplane of domestic design was completed – a single-seat glider IK-1, designed by engineers Ljubomir Ilic and Kosta Sivcev
January 1936 – Air Command and Ikarus signed an agreement for the manufacturing of British “Hawker Fury” fighter plane, all- metal construction.
Spring of 1938 – Air Command and the company concluded an agreement on the supply of twin-engine bombers “Blenheim”, under the British license
1938 – Administration building of “Ikarus” in Zemun was built
17 April 1941 – German occupation authorities confiscated the company
17 and 25 April 1944 - the factory was heavily damaged in the Allied air-strikes
Early November 1944 - the factory re-started operations
12 August 1945 - the first emergency Assembly of share-holders in the socialist Yugoslavia was held.
27 March 1946 – “Ikarus” was sequestered by the decision of the District Court of Zemun
23 August 1946 – the District Court for the city of Belgrade adjudicated that Konjovic, Lukac and Curcin were guilty of “business collaboration with the occupier”; their shares were confiscated.
22 October 1946 – the first plane “Aero-2B” flew for the first time, the first prototype made by the air industry in new Yugoslavia
23 November 1946 – the District Court for the city of Zemun adjudicated that the entire assets of “Ikarus” be confiscated
23 January 1948 - the Government of the FPRY made a decision to establish the State Enterprise “Ikarus”
1948 – Sports Club “Nasa krila” was established
1949 – the prototype of a light multi-purpose bomber “214” was completed, designed by Professor Milutinovic
1950 – single-seat fighter plane “S-49” was built by engineers Ilic, Sivcev, Zrnic and Popovic
1950 – “Ikarus” manufactured the first gliders in the socialist Yugoslavia; single-seat glider “Hawk 1” was awarded the third prize at the International Championship in Sweden
End of October 1952 – the first Yugoslav jet plane “451 M” took off
1954 – “Kosava” twin-seat glider received the first prize at the International Championship in England
1954 - “Ikarus” manufactured its first bus, under the Austrian license “Sauer”
1957 Airplane S-451MM Matica set the world speed record flying at 750.34 km/hour
1960 – S-451M Zolja, ultra light jet plane set the world speed record, flying at 500.2 km/hour
14 November 1961 – by the official act of the Administration for military industry affairs, “Ikarus” ceased to be a military company
Every vehicle made by Ikarbus has a name starting with 'IK', followed by a hyphen and then the vehicle's code: IK-1xxs are solo city buses, IK-2xxs are articulated city buses and IK-3xxs and IK-4xxs are coaches. Earlier IK 160(P)/161/166 models are also articulated buses.
Historical models under Ikarus brand
Contemporary models under Ikarbus brand