Reputation and Fame for Benzs Quality Brand the Car - Case Study Example

Karl Benz Name Professor Institution Course Date Table of Contents Table of Contents 2 Karl Benz 3 1.0 Background 3 2.0 Major stages of Benz career 4 2.1 Benz Patent Motorwagen model built in 1885 4 2.2 Benz's Gasmotoren-Fabrik Mannheim (1882-1883) 5 2.3 Benz & Cie. and the Motorwagen 6 2.4 Benz & Cie. Expansion 7 3.0 The most profound contributions 8 4.0 What attributes Karl Benz’ creativity 9 4.1 Innovative and persistence 9 5.0 Lessons to apply in life 10 6.0 Conclusion 11 7.0 References 11 Karl Benz 1.0 Background Karl Friedrich Benz (1844 –1929) was a car engineer and engine designer of German origin, commonly referred to as the architect of the petrol-powered car, and jointly with Bertha Benz pioneer and inventor of the brand Mercedes-Benz (Nexon, 1936). Other people who partnered with Karl Benz are Wilhelm Maybach and Gottlieb Daimler, also worked on the same kind of inventions. However, Benz initially copyrighted his inventions, and then patented the internal combustion engine processes that made them viable for application in automobiles. He was allowed to access his first engine copyright in 1879 while Benz was given a patent for his initial automobile in1886. The mid last century Benz spent as an apprentice which was a time of extensive interest with the "new technology". Karl Benz went to Karlsruhe grammar school and later to Karlsruhe Polytechnic. He worked for several different companies as a designer, draughtsman and works manager between 1864 and 1870, before starting his own company in 1871 with August Ritter in Mannheim. Nevertheless the company made little profits from building materials making it difficult to run its operations. The young company also faced an economic crisis due to economic convulsions that happened in 1870's. Benz then turned into a two-stroke engine, in order to reestablish himself after economic frustrations. After operating for two years, his first engine at last was completed on New Year's Eve in 1879. He later patented various parts of his engine. Benz found it significant to have contacts with new business, with whose help he established a gas engine plant in Mannheim. Not after a long time, Benz withdrew from the company citing lack of enough time to involve himself in technical experiments. In 1883, Benz initiated two new partners with whom he started "Benz & Co., Rheinische Gasmotorenfabrik" in Mannheim. The company was formed in the context of a general partnership. Their business turned out a success and soon the manufacture of industrial engines started increasing. 2.0 Major stages of Benz career Benz had initially concentrated his studies on locksmithing, but finally changed to follow his father's career in the field of locomotive engineering. In 1860, after attaining the age of 15 years, at the University of Karlsruhe he sat and passed the entrance exam in the field of mechanical engineering (Abuelsamid, 2010). Benz graduated in 1864 at the age of nineteen. Over these years, whilst riding a bicycle, he began to envisage ideas for automobiles that would finally turn into the horseless carriage. After formal education, Benz went through several professional training in a period of seven years with several different firms; however he all these did not accommodate him. The training program began in Karlsruhe taking two years of various jobs in the field of mechanical engineering in an engineering firm. He then went back to work as a designer and draftsman in a scales industrial unit in Mannheim. In 1868 he was employed in Pforzheim in a bridge building firm. Lastly, he moved to Vienna to work at an iron construction company for a short stint. Benz career stage can formally be summarized as follows: 2.1 Benz Patent Motorwagen model built in 1885 Upon attaining the age of 27 years, Karl Benz together with August Ritter launched a mechanical forum in Mannheim in 1871. This forum was committed to delivering construction materials. This was to be done through a company known as Iron Foundry and Mechanical Workshop. The first year of operation, the company suffered several setbacks including Ritter turning out to be a reliable person (Seidel, 2005). Due to these reasons local authorities impounded the business. The situation forced Benz to beat out Ritter's share in the firm by means of using the dowry given to him by the fiancée’s father, Bertha Ringer. Although with such business adversities, Karl Benz took a lead in the designing of new engines. In order to realize more profits, he began started to venture on a new patent in 1878. First, he focused all his attempts on developing a dependable two-stroke engine using gas, founded on Nikolaus Otto's four-stroke engine blueprint. This follows after a patent of Otto’s blue print had been ruled void. Benz completed his work on two-stroke engine later in December of 1878. He was granted a patent for the same engine in the following year, i.e. 1879. Benz demonstrated his real intelligence, though, through his succeeding inventions recorded while developing what turn out to be the invention yard stick for the two-stroke engine. Benz shortly patented the system the regulated speed, the spark plug, the carburetor, the ignition utilizing sparks combined with a battery, the clutch, the water radiator, and the gear shift. 2.2 Benz's Gasmotoren-Fabrik Mannheim (1882-1883) Challenges emerge once more when banks where Benz was a customer demanded that his gas plant be incorporated because of its high production costs (Nexon, 1936). This compelled Benz to enter into an association with Emil Bühler and his brother, a photographer and a cheese merchant respectively, so as obtain further support form the bank. In 1882, the company was transformed to joint-stock company bearing the name Gasmotoren Fabrik Mannheim. Following all the needed concurrences, Benz was frustrated since he was only left with 5% of the company shares and a reserved director‘s position. To make it worse, his concepts were not taken into consideration when developing new products; therefore he withdrew his services from that company after one year, in 1883. 2.3 Benz & Cie. and the Motorwagen Benz passion for a long time made him go to a bicycle shop owned by Friedrich Wilhelm Eßlinger and Max Rose situated in Mannheim. He developed friendship from this visit and in 1883 they established a new firm manufacturing industrial engines known as Benz & Company Rheinische Gasmotoren-Fabrik normally called Benz & Cie. After rapidly growing the company began producing gas engines while employing 25 workers. The firm gave Benz a chance of modifying its old hobby of developing horseless wagon. In relation to his understanding and liking for bicycles, he applied the same technology at the time he was designing an auto having a four-stroke engine with a unique design between the rear wheels (Setright, 2004). Rear axle received power through two roller chains. Benz completed his design and named it Benz Patent Motorwagen in 1885. The automobile stood out as the first of its kind to be developed in that period, not just a motorized carriage but made Karl Benz to be referred to as the inventor of automobile by several people. This Motorwagen was granted by a patent with its code DRP-37435 in 1886 and was fueled by gas. The initial successful tests were performed in public roads by early 1886. However, it only took a year when Benz developed Motorwagen model 2 with several modifications of the first one. In 1887 Benz introduced the definitive model 3 having wooden wheels. To sell its vehicles Benz began by advertising it under the Benz Patent Motorwagen rating it as the first available car in history. The first client to serve came in 1888. It is believed that he was later committed to insane refuge. Benz (2001) reports that, the second customer, Emile Roger, a Parisian bought the Benz in 1888, though he had an insightful effect about the success of the automobile. Notably, Roger had been designing Benz automobile engines under Karl Benz license for many years, and decided to include his autos in the line. Certainly roger developed and sold several automobiles of Benz origin in France because Parisians tended to buy autos during that period. Early clients experienced respective challenges. The 1888 version of Motorwagen was to be pushed to climb the steep hill. The challenge was only corrected after Karl Benz’s wife took a famous trip using one the automobiles and recommended for Karl for an extra gear. Model 3 of Benz automobile made its extensive-scale unveiling to the customers in the World's Fair in Paris in 1889. 2.4 Benz & Cie. Expansion The strong need for immobile internal combustion engines made Benz to expand the company in Mannheim by adding a new building in 1886. Within a short term, Benz & Cie. had increased the number of workers from 50 in 1890 to 435 in 1899. In the late 19th century Benz & Company emerged as the biggest car manufacturing company in the world with a production of up to 574 units in 1899. Seidel, (2005) claims that due to its market share and company size Benz & Cie. Joined hand to become a joint stock firm with its fierce competitors Friedrich Von Fischer and Julius Ganß with Karl Benz serving as board members while Ganß working in the commercial department. The appointed directors resolved that the company should develop cheap automobile which are appropriate mass assembly. In 1893, a two passenger vehicle was developed by Karl Benz, named Victoria, which had a maximum speed of 11kph with a pivotal axel controlled by chained tiller roller for navigation. The model became a success 45 units having been sold in 1893. Benz enhanced the model in the newly created Velo model in 1894. This car was manufactured in large scale, 1200 units between a period of 1804 to 1901. This made the first largest produced automobile in that era. In 1895, Karl Benz developed the first truck. It had some of its parts being modified by the bus company called Netphener; actually this modified truck turned out to be the first bus in history. The following year witness Benz being granted a patent following his creation of the flat engine first of its kind. Flat engines having four cylinders called boxer motor are still used today for high performances in racing engines. In 1902 Benz & Cie. found a challenger in the name Daimler Motors (DMG), a German company based in Stuttgart who started making automobiles almost similar models as Benz. Benz responded by producing Parsifil automobile in 1903. This automobile had 2 vertical cylinders with a maximum speed of 37 mph. Trying to frustrate Benz, the company hired French designers without consulting him (Seidel, 2005). Noticing this, Benz held tough discussion with other directors before announcing retirement form design administration in 1903. However, he remained in the company discharging the duties of as a director on the board until 1929 when died. Benz's sons Richard and Eugen left the company in 1903 but Richard later returned in the following year as a designer. His return was marked by high sales of up to 3, 580 cars while the company kept its record of being the leading automobile manufacturer. 3.0 The most profound contributions Carl Benz was responsible for several contributions to the development of current automobiles. He designed a gasoline driven internal combustion engine the version referred to as “horseless wagon” in 1885 was at first a three-wheeled automobile (Benz, 2001). Other contributions include a carburetor having a rack-and- pinion steering, electrical ignition and radiator. For his invention of motorized tricycle of 1885, Karl Benz was recognized for designing the first car by some people. In spite of his title, Benz left a mark on the automobile sector by ground breaking one of the viable vehicles and establishing the auto company came to be referred to as Mercedes Benz. With financial help from people, Benz established a company, the Mannheim Gas Engine company, which he used its part to create horseless carriage. Benz left by his engineer father who died when he was only two years, he was called upon to fit into his father's shoes when he grew up. He changed his course to emulate his father and also to follow his childhood dream of becoming an engineer and contributing in the transport sector. Growing up without his father he had to support his family members (Setright, 2004). As a young man, he was captivated by technology, and with is talent he was able to make extra cash for up keep and supporting the family. His first jobs included repairing clocks and watches. Benz later created a dark room where he developed pictures for attracting tourists who came to visit the Black Forest in his neighborhood. He also contributed in the field of teaching as a physics teacher due to his Prowers in technical matters. 4.0 What attributes Karl Benz’ creativity 4.1 Innovative and persistence People normally argue that for various projects goes hand in hand with financial status. That is right but forgetting that the drive will make the project succeed even with little finance. It is this drive that made the vehicles we see today. Very few people shared Benz enthusiasm. Numerous business partners abandoned him over the years after a short stint. But that did not deter him and his persistence made him find new backers after loosing the old ones. His determination and creativity made him win the confidence of everyone. According to Martin, (1999), Benz would share his blueprints and drawings together with his dreams since all were hooked. Whilst very innovative, Benz always borrowed ideas from others. His major competitor Gottlieb Daimler, whose associate, Nikolaus Otto, made a better-quality four-stroke gas engine in which Daimler redesigned into a bicycle to produce the motorcycle. It is this design that Benz liked and used the blueprint to create a pedal tricycle. He found his drive from the passion for technology and aspirations fro his experience while working in companies. He got better of himself from what he observed. From this, his creativity turned to be groundbreaking up to today. 5.0 Lessons to apply in life From Karl Benz lifestyle, we can learn that talent is discovered from an early age then natured in order to better our lives and lives of the society as a whole. From the changing focus of what he was studying in school simply shows that it is never to late change our mind to pursue what we love most. Benz went through a long career path full of frustration from both partners and even other business like banks. Without the determination to reach where he wanted he would have abandoned his career because of others. From the Benz act of patenting his products, we can understand that piracy did not start recently. Therefore, the best solution from complaining about copyright is to patent our work. In other words, patenting your work makes it authentic and unique from others. 6.0 Conclusion Benz legacy still remains both through continuous reputation and fame for his quality brand he invented and through car itself. His contribution has also revolutionized human life by automobile. This is because trade and business between regions and states has become easier. Regardless of the problems related to pollution and consumption of non-renewable energy, people’s lives have, in general, been enhanced by the introduction of the motor vehicle. Benz became a success as a company, selling several engines and captivating the investors’ confidence. 7.0 References Abuelsamid, S. (2010). Mercedes-Benz introduces new Vito E-Cell van – Autoblog Green. Green.autoblog.com. Benz, C. (2001). Lebensfahrt eines deutschen Erfinders : meine Erinnerungen / Karl Benz. München: Koehler und Amelang. Martin, N. (1999). Going, Going, Graz. London: Automotive Industries. Nexon, J. (1936). The Invention of the Automobile. Country Life. Seidel, Winfried A. (2005). Carl Benz : eine badische Geschichte ; die Vision vom pferdelosen Wagen verändert die Welt. Weinheim: Ed. Diesbach. Setright, L. (2004). Drive On!: A Social History of the Motor Car. Granta Books. Wolfgang, S. (1992). For love of the automobile: looking back into the history of our Desires., Berkeley: University of California Press. Read More