imported>Tharun S Yadla Added Larsen & Toubro template |
>IndArticles No edit summary |
||
| Line 8: | Line 8: | ||
|death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2003|07|27|1907|07|04}} | |death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2003|07|27|1907|07|04}} | ||
|death_place = [[Mumbai]], India | |death_place = [[Mumbai]], India | ||
|nationality = | |nationality = Indian | ||
|known_for = Founder of [[Larsen & Toubro]] | |known_for = Founder of [[Larsen & Toubro]] | ||
}} | }} | ||
Revision as of 14:04, 20 October 2021
Henning Holck-Larsen | |
|---|---|
 Holck-Larsen on a 2008 stamp of India | |
| Born | 4 July 1907 Frederiksberg, Denmark |
| Died | 27 July 2003 (aged 96) Mumbai, India |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Known for | Founder of Larsen & Toubro |
Henning Holck-Larsen (4 July 1907 – 27 July 2003) was a Danish engineer who Founded the Indian engineering firm Larsen & Toubro (L&T).
Early life and career
Henning Holck-Larsen was educated at the University of Copenhagen (and what is now the Technical University of Denmark). He came to India in 1937 as a chemical engineer working for F. L. Smidth & Co. of Copenhagen. Partnering with his former schoolmate and fellow employee Søren Kristian Toubro, he set up Larsen & Toubro in 1938. The idea of L&T was conceived during a holiday in Matheran, a hill station near Bombay.[1] Holck-Larsen was a risk-taker while Toubro was more conservative.[2] Larsen and Toubro saw opportunities in India at time, when few Europeans had realised the country's potential for industrial growth.
The first office of L&T, located in Bombay, was so small that only one of them could use it a time.[3] Initially, L&T represented Danish dairy equipment manufacturers. However, the Danish imports were restricted during the World War II, forcing L&T to start a small workshop that provided servicing and undertook small jobs. The imports stopped after the German invasion of Denmark, forcing L&T to start manufacturing dairy equipment indigenously, a move that was successful.[3]
Seeing opportunity in ship repair during wartime, Larsen and Toubro formed a new company called Hilda Ltd. Around this time, L&T also started two repair and fabrication shops. The internment of German engineers who were supposed to build a soda ash plant for the Tatas provided L&T another new opportunity.[3]
In 1944, Larsen and Toubro established Engineering Construction & Contracts (ECC). L&T started collaborating with international companies around this time. In 1945, it signed an agreement with the Caterpillar Tractor Company of USA for marketing earthmoving equipment. L&T also started representing British manufacturers of equipment used to manufacture a variety of products including biscuits, glass, hydrogenated oils and soaps.[3] At the end of the World War II, the war-surplus Caterpillar equipment were available in bulk at low prices. However, L&T lacked the money to purchase them. Therefore, Larsen and Toubro decided to raise additional equity capital, and as a result, Larsen & Toubro Private Limited was established on 7 February 1946.[3] After India gained independence in 1947, L&T set up offices in Calcutta, Madras and New Delhi.
Larsen and Toubro gradually transformed L&T into a large business house with diverse interests, and went on to become one of the most successful Indian companies.
After retirement, Holck-Larsen served as the chairman emeritus of the company. He used to call India his "adopted homeland" and divided his time between Denmark and India.[4] He died in 2003 at the Breach Candy hospital, Mumbai.
Awards and recognitions
- Ramon Magsaysay Award for International Understanding (1976)
- Knighthood from Queen Margrethe II of Denmark (1977)
- Sir Jehangir Ghandy Medal for Industrial Peace (1980)
- Chemtech Foundation's Chemical Industry Stalwart Award (2000)
- Bombay Management Association's Lifetime Achievement Award (2001)
- Citation from the Indo-European Union Business Summit for promoting business beyond boundaries (2002)
- Padma Bhushan (2002) for contribution to Indian industry.[5]
- India Post issued a commemorative postage stamp of Rs 5.00 on 12 June 2008
References
- ↑ "The Toubro formula". The Hindu. 6 March 2006. Archived from the original on 17 March 2008. Retrieved 13 May 2009.
- ↑ N. Ramakrishnan (4 July 2007). "The engineer behind the giant". The Hindu. Retrieved 13 May 2009.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 "Evolution of L&T". L&T. Archived from the original on 13 July 2011. Retrieved 13 May 2009.
- ↑ "L&T co-founder Holck-Larsen dead". The Hindu. 28 July 2003. Retrieved 13 May 2009.
- ↑ "Padma Awards" (PDF). Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 November 2014. Retrieved 21 July 2015.