Milestones
Hero’s success saga contains
the element of courage, great, determination, enterprises and
perseverance coupled with vision and meticulous planning :
1956
Hero Cycles Ltd. is established.
1961
Rockman Cycle Industries Ltd. established, which is today
the largest manufacturer of bicycle chains & hubs in the
world.
1963
Bicycles exports take off from India – a faray into the international
market.
1971
Highway Cycles was set up. It is today the largest manufacturer
of single speed & multi-speed freewheels in the country.
1975
Hero Cycles Limited became the largest manufacturer of bicycles
in India.
1978
Majestic Auto Limited was formed and Hero Majestic Moped was
introduced.
1981
Munjal Casting established.
1984
Hero Honda Motors Limited established in joint venture with
Honda Motors, Japan to manufacture Motorcycles. It is now
the world’s largest producer of two-wheelers.
1985
Munjal Showa Ltd. established to manufacture shock absorbers
and sturts and is today one of the topmost shock absorber
manufacturer companies in this country.
1985
100 cc Hero Honda Motorcycle was launched, which, later on
in 1988, became No.1 among all motorcycles in India.
1986
Hero Cycles Limited entered the Guinness Books of World Records
as the largest bicycle manufacturer in the world.
1987
Hero Motors, a division of Majestic Auto Limited set up in
collaboration with Steyr Diamler Puch of Austria.
1987
Gujarat Cycles Limited, now known as Munjal Auto Centre Ltd.
was established to manufacture and export state-of-the-art
bicycles and light products in its full automated plant at
Wagodia.
1987
Sunbeam Auto Limited, earlier a unit of Highway Cycle Ind.Ltd.,
established as an ancillary to Hero Honda. It has the largest
die casting plant in India.
1988
Hero Puch was introduced by Hero Motors Ltd. which was a revolutionary
machine to set new records of petrol efficiency in 50 to 65
cc engines.
1989
Ranger bicycles (a generic name for Mountain Bikes today)
was introduced by Hero Cycles Limited.
1990
Hero Cold Rolling Division established, which is one of the
most modern steel cold rolling plants in India.
1991
Hero Honda received National Productivity Council Award and
also the Economic Times – Harvard Business School Association
Award against 200 contenders.
1991
Hero Cycles introduced Kidd – the first branded bike in children’s
segment.
1992
Hero Cycles introduces Impact, the first citibike in India.
1992
Munjal Showa Ltd. received national safety award.
1993
Hero Exports was established as International Trading Division
for group & non-group products.
1995
Hero Corporate Services Ltd. was established.
1995
The first exerbike from Hero Group was introduced with the
name – Allegro.
1996
Hero Winner, a large wheeled scooter with a choice of 50 cc
& 75 cc engines was launched by Hero Motors Ltd.
1996
Munjal Showa Ltd. received British Council’s National Safety
Award.
1998
Hero Briggs & Stratton Auto (P) Ltd. was set up to produce
4-stroke two wheeler engines in various cubic capacities.
1998
Munjal Auto Components established to manufacture gear shaft
& gear blanks for motorcycles.
2000
The first fully automated bicycles by the name ‘POWERBIKE’
was introduced by Hero Cycles Limited.
Hero Corporate diversified into I.T. and I.T. Enabled Services
through its services segment Hero Corporate Services Limited.
2001
Hero Honda emerges as the market leader in motorcycles with
the sales of over a million motorcycles and a market share
of 47%.
2001
Hero Global Design established to offer engineering services
in CAD/CAM/CAE related to new product development design,
engineering, manufacturing.
2002
Hero Cycles Limited ties up with National Bicycle Industries,
a part of Matsushita Group, Japan, to manufacture high end
bicycles.
2002
Fastener World established.
2002
Easy Bills Limited established to offer utility bill collection
and retail services.
2003
Super Starter Series launched by Hero Cycles Limited.
2003
Tie-up with Live Bridge Inc., U.S.A., Aprilia Scooters, Haly
& Bombardier Rotax GmbH of Germany.
2003
Hero Honda continues to be the world’s largest manufacturer
of two-wheelers with the market of more than 48%.
2004
Hero Retail Insurance Business established.
2004
Super Smart Series introduced by Hero Cycles Limited.
