  thumb|puch 250 r, built 1935 thumb|motorcycle puch 500 vl with sidecar felber, built 1937 puch is a manufacturing company located in graz, austria. the company was founded in 1889 by the industrialist johann puch and produced automobiles, bicycles, mopeds, and motorcycles. ==pre 1919== johann puch first produced bicycles in 1889 in a small workshop called "fahrradfabrikation strauchergasse 18 a" in graz. ten years later he founded his company, "erste steiermÃ¤rkische fahrradfabrik ag" (en: "first styrian bicycle factory ag"). puch's company became successful through innovation and quality handicraft, rapidly expanding over time. it soon began producing motorcycles and mopeds. the main production plant, later called einser-werk, was constructed in the south of graz, in the district of puntigam. production of engines was started in 1901 and cars followed in 1904. in 1906 the production of the two-cylinder puch voiturette began and in 1909 a puch car broke the world high-speed record with 130,4&nbsp;km/h. in 1910, puch is known to have produced sedans for members of the imperial family. in 1912, the 38 ps (horsepower) type viii "alpenwagen" was developed. in 1912 johann puch went into retirement and became the company's honorary president. in that year the company employed about 1,100 workers and produced 16,000 bicycles and over 300 motorcycles and cars annually. during world war i, puch became an important vehicle supplier to the austro-hungarian army. however with the collapse of the empire following the war, the market for automobiles shrank and production was discontinued. ==between wars== in 1923 an italian engineer giovanni marcellino is said to have been sent by the banks to wind up the puch factory in graz. instead of which, within a few weeks he had settled down to live in the town, designing and then producing a new version of the split-single. taking his inspiration from industrial counter-piston engines, the new engine benefited from the improved breathing of the italian original, to which he added asymmetric port timing.puch's two-stroke double-piston engines asymmetric port opening of 1923 puch marcellino design, inspired by industrial counter-piston engin
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