Simpson & Co was founded in 1840 by Mr A.M. Simpson & Mr Hide to engage in a business in “coach-building, harness and boot making” and emerged as the leading coach manufacturing outfit in India. It had the honour of being appointed as the Coach Manufacturer to the Prince of Wales in 1876.
In the first decade of the 20th century, Simpson entered the “motor car business”, by building bodies on car chassis for manufacturers such as Rolls Royce, Hotchkiss and Napier. This led to body building for passenger and public utility vehicles such as buses and ambulances. This business grew to such an extent that the main business of Simpson & Co at one point was the building of bus bodies, tractors, and bowsers and articulated tank trailers.
Ushering in the diesel era in India in the year 1951, through an agreement with Perkins Ltd., Peterborough, UK, Simpsons became dealers for sales and distribution of Perkins diesel engines. In 1955, Simpsons was the first Indian company to indigenously manufacture diesel engines for surface transport vehicles.
Today leading OE manufacturers in India and abroad are integrating Simpsons'engine with their equipment to stay ahead of competition.