| Opel is one of Europe’s largest automakers. It was founded by Adam Opel in 1862 and celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2012. The company started by making household goods and became a major producer of sewing machines. The founder died in 1895, with his company being the leader in European sewing machine sales and producing over 2,000 bicycles yearly. In 1898, the five Opel brothers began converting the bicycle and sewing machine factory into an automobile complex that before World War II produced more cars than any other European facility. In 1929, Opel was acquired by General Motors Corporation and continues as a subsidiary. |
