In the 1970s and ‘80s, Igor Akrapovič was Slovenia’s leading motorcycle racer. During his racing career, he became intimately familiar with motorcycle exhaust systems. But he wasn’t satisfied with most designs available on the market; he believed that they were either too expensive or just not made well enough.
In 1990, Akrapovič decided to enter the business himself. His exhaust systems -- designed and built in a modest workshop -- were tested at several international competitions and soon became prized for their technological brilliance. Some of the most prestigious teams of the international motorcycle racing circuit – including Suzuki, Kawasaki, and Honda -- decided to adopt Akrapovič systems.
After racers began winning major races using Akrapovič products, the company’s sales began to soar. Japanese champion Akira Yanagawa, one of Akrapovič’s first clients, won an international race, which prompted every Japanese team to switch to the company’s products. In 2000, American Colin Edwards became the Superbike World Champion with Akrapovič equipment.
Despite bureaucratic hurdles, Akrapovič managed to open a brand-new factory in 1999. The new facility enabled the company to produce sophisticated exhaust system for MotoGP teams, including Honda and Kawasaki. It also provided jobs for hundreds of locals.
Akrapovič, never willing to rest on his laurels, also began to produce exhaust systems for automobiles. The first race cars were equipped with Akrapovič exhaust systems in 2004, and they soon began to win prestigious international races. The company is now the official partner of Audi, one of the most respected names in car racing.
The company managed to establish large market shares in several countries, and in 2010, Akrapovič took on one of the largest and toughest markets of them all: It opened its first subsidiary, Akrapovič America, in Irvine, California.
Igor Akrapovič was named “Person of the Year” by the Slovenian newspaper Delo in 2006 and, at a time when Slovenia is struggling to recover from its biggest economic crisis since independence, remains an outstanding example of a successful entrepreneur and job creator.
