11. The ball bearing manufacturer which became a major automobile company
Svenska Kullagerfabriken, which is Swedish for Swedish Ball Bearing Factory, was founded in 1907 in Gothenburg. During the industrial revolution ball bearings were a critical component in machinery of all types, and the company, which operated under the name SKF, became one of the largest manufacturers of ball bearings, as well as seals and lubrication components. In 1911, SKF trademarked the name Volvo, intending to use it on their ball bearings. The decision was appropriate. Volvo is a conjugation of the Latin verb volvere, and translates to English as “I roll”. The decision to use it for bearings was later overturned. SKF continued to identify their bearings and other products with their initials rather than the new name, though they retained its trademark. Then in 1924, an SKF sales executive named Assar Gabrielsson decided to develop an automobile.
Cars from less rigorous climates encountered difficulties operating in the harsh Swedish winter. With the support of his employer, Gabrielsson built and tested several prototypes. In 1927 the first production car designated an OV 4 and bearing the name Volvo appeared. OV stood for Oppen Vagn, meaning open carriage, and the 4 indicated it was equipped with a 4 cylinder engine. An open car may not seem wise given the temperatures of a Swedish winter, but the car was soon supported with a closed version, the PV 4. Gabrielsson and his partners selected the already trademarked name because SKF already owned it, and “I roll” supported their shared belief the car could operate successfully regardless of weather and road conditions. Volvo is by no means the only automobile company to use Latin for its name. Audi is derived from audire, Latin for “to listen”.