Karsan

Karsan Otomotiv Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş.
Company type	Anonim Şirket
Traded as	BİST:KARSN
Industry	Manufacturing
Founded	1966; 57 years ago
Headquarters	Akçalar,Bursa,Turkey, Turkey
Area served	Worldwide
Key people	İnan Kıraç (Chairman); Muzaffer Arpacıoğlu (Deputy General Manager of Business Affairs); Okan Baş (CEO)
Products	Automobiles,commercial vehicles,Electric bus
Revenue	$480 million USD (2013)
Number of employees	1,083
Parent	Kıraça Group
Website	karsan

Karsan(Turkish:Karsan Otomotiv Sanayii ve Ticaret A.Ş.English: Karsan Automotive Industry and Trade Joint-Stock Company) is a Turkishcommercial vehiclesmanufacturer, based in Akçalar,Nilüfer,Bursa Province."Karsan" is an acronym for "Karoseri Sanayii" (English: Carrosserie/Bodyworks Industry).

History

Karsan was founded in 1966 inBursa,Turkey,to producelight commercial vehicles.Koç Groupassumed management control of the company between 1979-1998. Later on, Kıraça Group took over the company in 1998 by acquiring the majority of the shares under the leadership of İnan Kıraç.^[1]

Karsan, owned by 100% Turkish capital, produces and sellsPeugeotlight commercial vehicles under a licensing agreement with the French manufacturer, as well as theFiat Ducatoand its rebadged version thePeugeot Boxer.^[2]In addition to these, Karsan produces and sells specialised vehicles such as ambulances, taxis, patrol vehicles and 4x4s.

Karsan also has cooperations withHyundaifor light trucks manufacture, withRenault Trucksfor long-distance trailer-trucks and withBredaMenarinibusfor bus manufacture.^[2]

Karsan's V-1 was one of three finalists, alongside theFord Transit ConnectandNissan NV200,forNew York City'sTaxi of Tomorrow.The Nissan NV200 was announced the winning model on 3 May 2011.^[3]^[4]

At the end of 2010, the J9 Premier minibus was replaced with theKarsan J10,available in three body versions-with 14, 17 or 20 seats, and powered by a Euro 4common rail2,3 liter diesel engine ofIvecoorigin.^[5] At the end of 2013, the J10 minibus has been replaced by the Karsan Jest.^[6]

In December 2018 the company acquired the 70% ofIndustria Italiana Autobusthrough a capital increase. The following month, after a meeting withMinistry of Economic Development,the participation in IIA fell to 20%.^[7]