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{{For|the scandal involving Bofors AB's Indian contracts|Bofors scandal}}
[[Image:HMS Gustav V.jpg|right|thumb|[[Bofors 283 mm gun]] on Swedish [[HMS Gustav V]]]]
The name '''Bofors''' has been associated with the [[iron industry]] for more than 350 years.

Located in [[Karlskoga]], [[Sweden]], it originates from the [[hammer mill]] "Boofors" founded 1646. The modern corporate structure was created in 1873 with the foundation of [[Aktiebolag]]et (AB) Bofors-Gullspång. A leading Swedish steel producer by the early 1870s, it expanded into weapons manufacture when steel produced via the [[Siemens-Martin process]] started to be used for this purpose. The company's first [[cannon]] workshop was opened in 1884. Bofors' most famous owner was [[Alfred Nobel]] who owned the company from 1894 until his death in December 1896. He had the key role in reshaping the iron manufacturer to a modern cannon manufacturer and [[chemical industry]]. The powder manufacturer AB Bofors Nobelkrut, later an explosives and general organic-chemical producer, was created in 1898 as a wholly owned subsidiary. By 1911 AB Bofors-Gullspång had outcompeted, bought and closed down its Swedish competitor in cannon manufacture in [[Finspång]]. The company's name was shortened to AB Bofors in 1919.

In 1999 [[Saab]] purchased the [[Celsius Group]], then the parent company for Bofors. In September 2000 [[United Defense|United Defense Industries]] (UDI) of the [[United States]] acquired Bofors Weapons Systems (the heavy weapons division), while Saab retained the missile interests.

Thus Bofors is today split in two parts:
*[[BAE Systems Bofors]] ([[BAE Systems]] acquired United Defense and its Bofors subsidiary in 2005)
*[[Saab Bofors Dynamics]]

The name Bofors is strongly associated with a [[Bofors 40 mm gun|40 mm anti-aircraft gun]] based on a Bofors design which was produced and used by both sides during [[World War II]], and often called simply the ''Bofors gun''. The gun saw service on land and sea, and became so widely known that anti-aircraft guns in general were often referred to as Bofors guns. Another well-known gun made by the company was the [[Bofors 37 mm anti-tank gun]], a standard anti-tank weapon used by a variety of armies early in the war. It was built under license in [[Poland]] and the [[United States|USA]] and was also used in a variety of tanks, including the [[7TP]] and [[Stuart tank|M3A3 Stuart]]. 

In recent years Bofors has lost much of its reputation in Sweden due to various suspect affairs,{{Citation needed|date=May 2010}} the most scandalous being the [[Bofors scandal|alleged but never proven]] [[kickbacks]] involved in securing a contract with the [[Indian Army]] in 1986.

==See also==
*[[Akzo Nobel]]
*[[Bofors Scandal]]
*[[List of modern armament manufacturers]]
*[[List of oldest companies]]

==External links==
{{Commons category|Bofors}}
*[http://www.bofors.se/ Bofors]
*[http://www.baesystems.se/bofors/default.asp BAE Systems Bofors]
*[http://www.saabgroup.com/ Saab Bofors Dynamics]

[[Category:Companies established in 1646]]
[[Category:Companies established in 1873]]
[[Category:Defence companies of Sweden]]
[[Category:Defunct companies of Sweden]]
[[Category:Bofors| ]]

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