Lysekils Mekaniska Verkstad (Skandiaverken) - Lysekil, Sweden

About Lysekils Mekaniska Verkstad (Skandiaverken)

Lars Laurin from Grundsund in Bohuslän founded "Lysekil's Mechanical Workshop" in 1899 together with Karl Forsström. The business was conducted in Norra Hamnen, Lysekil. At first they designed machines for the canning industry, but as early as 1902 they had produced their first spark plug engine. Laurin had set his sights on motorizing the fishing boats, something that many were skeptical about. People were simply afraid of these new-fangled engines, and what that meant. The goal was small, cheap engines, so that many smaller fishermen could benefit from an engine in their fishing boat, and not just larger companies in the fishing industry. It was a success. "Lysekil's Mekaniska Verkstad" changes its name to Skandiaverken in 1920. Shortly after that, the company experiences financial problems. This causes Laurin to leave Skandiaverken and move to Gothenburg, to continue working with machines for the canning industry. Spark plug engines were manufactured right up until 1966, and in 1987 production ceased completely.