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1946
to 1948: Postwar growth
L'Auto-Neige Bombardier Limitée experiences a boom
period beginning in 1946. Demand for civilian snowmobiles returns and
increases rapidly. The 1940 plant is no longer able to respond to demand, so
in 1947 L'Auto-Neige Bombardier Limitée builds an assembly line plant with a
capacity of 1000 vehicles, inspired by Ford factory assembly lines.
With the lifting of wartime restrictions, the B121 snowmobile, which had been
launched just before the war, now enjoys huge popularity with a range of
customers ensuring the company's success. Between 1942 and 1951, L'Auto-Neige Bombardier Limitée produced 2,817 B121 snowmobiles.
The B121 snowmobile is highly versatile,
appealing to a variety of sectors for different applications: public and
materials transport, ambulance and rescue services, and transport of
missionaries in isolated regions of the Canadian north. It also serves as a
transport vehicle for installing and maintaining electricity and telephone
lines, and on prospecting and mining sites.
Another product adds to the growth of L'Auto-Neige Bombardier Limitée after the war:
the C181 snowmobile, an expanded version of the B121 model, seating 18
adults. It can also seat up to 25 school children, meeting a specific need
for winter student transport. Known as the school snowmobile, it is sold as
such in a number of regions in Quebec and Ontario.
In 1947-48, Joseph-Armand Bombardier's company achieves total sales of $2.3
million, 10 times more than in 1942-43. With profits of $324 000, L'Auto-Neige
Bombardier Limitée is a resounding success.
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B121 trials |
B121 |
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