Temax (company)

TEMAX S.A.
IndustryAutomotive
Founded1925 (Tournikiotis-Tangalakis), 1934 (Tangalakis), 1965 (Temax)
Headquarters
Athens
,
Greece
ProductsBuses (until 1963), fire trucks
Websitehttp://www.temax.gr/

TEMAX is a Greek manufacturer of fire and rescue vehicles, trailers, related fire equipment, and snow-clearing equipment. The company is headquartered in Athens, Greece.

History

The company was founded in 1925 when Petros Tangalakis entered into a partnership with G. Tournikiotis, a vehicle manufacturer based in Athens. In 1934, Tangalakis split from Tournikiotis to create his own company, which became a notable Greek bus manufacturer during the mid‑20th century. During the occupation of Greece in World War II, the factory was forced to operate under German control. Vehicle production resumed in 1945.

The following years are sometimes referred to as Tangalakis’s "Golden Era," during which the company focused on all-metal bus construction using chassis from Studebaker, Daimler, Volvo, and other manufacturers. Several models were produced, some of which featured extensive modifications to the purchased chassis to accommodate higher loads or different vehicle dimensions. The company also assembled Wayne models in the late 1940s and early 1950s.

In 1963 Tangalakis was still competing with other bus manufacturing companies in Greece when it shifted to firefighting vehicle manufacturing, mainly using International Harvester chassis (assembled by Tangalakis from SKD kits). In 1965, the Tangalakis family, along with Alexandros Ginis, Fanourios Gyrtatos, and Antonis Kalogeropoulos, established TEMAX, a new company focused on the production of firefighting and other special vehicles. Another branch of the original company continued under the Tangalakis name as importers and distributors of firefighting and rescue equipment and vehicle parts.[1]

  • 1936 Tangalakis-Austin light car
    1936 Tangalakis-Austin light car
  • Inside view of 1936 Tangalakis-Austin light car
    Inside view of 1936 Tangalakis-Austin light car
  • 1935 Tangalakis inter-city bus (International chassis)
    1935 Tangalakis inter-city bus (International chassis)
  • Inside view of a 1936 Tangalakis inter-city bus
    Inside view of a 1936 Tangalakis inter-city bus
  • 1956 Tangalakis bus (Volvo chassis)
    1956 Tangalakis bus (Volvo chassis)
  • 1962 Tangalakis coach
    1962 Tangalakis coach
  • TEMAX fire-fighting truck on self-assembly International truck chassis (1965)
    TEMAX fire-fighting truck on self-assembly International truck chassis (1965)
  • TEMAX old fire-fighting vehicle
    TEMAX old fire-fighting vehicle
  • TEMAX modern fire engine
    TEMAX modern fire engine

References

  1. ^ "About Temax". temax.gr. Retrieved 2025-04-20.
  • L. S. Skartsis, "Greek Vehicle and Machine Manufacturers 1800 to Present: A Pictorial History", Marathon (2012) (eBook)
  • "P. Tangalakis", article in "To Volan" (Greek auto magazine), July 18, 1957
  • A. Chronis, "P. Tangalakis", article in "Pullman&Leoforeio" (Greek commercial vehicle magazine), September 1992
  • L.S. Skartsis and G.A. Avramidis, "Made in Greece", Typorama, Patras, Greece (2003) ISBN 960-7620-30-5 (republished by the Patras Science Park, 2007)
  • E. Roupa and E. Hekimoglou, "I istoria tou aftokinitou stin Ellada (History of automobile in Greece)", Kerkyra - Economia publishing, Athens (2009) ISBN 978-960-8386-95-2
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