KrAZ-6140TE semi-trailer truck (left) and KrAZ-65032 dump truck (right) at a 2006 show
KrAZ (Ukrainian: Кременчуцький автомобільний завод, Kremenchutskyi Avtomobilnyi Zavod, Kremenchuk Automobile Plant, АвтоКрА́З or AvtoKrAZ) is a factory in Kremenchuk, Ukraine, that produces trucks and other special-purpose vehicles, particularly heavy-duty off-road models.[2] The factory was incorporated as a holding company combining several other factories nationwide and becoming the industrial wing of the finance-industrial group Finance and Credit, which also held the Finance and Credit bank.
History
Soviet era
KrAZ was founded on 31 August 1945 when the People's Commissariat for Transportation Routes issued a warrant to build a mechanical bridge plant in Kremenchuk. The first brick was laid in the plant foundation in 1946 and during the next eight years it produced about 600 bridges with the total length of about 27 km for use on the Dnieper, Moscow, Dniester, Volga and Daugava rivers etc. In 1956 the plant has manufactured combine harvesters and other farming machines. The Kremenchuk Combine Plant has produced 11,000 agricultural machines in the first two years of its existence.
On December 30, 1968, 100,000th truck was assembled at the KrAZ main assembly plant[4]
On January 26, 1971, KrAZ was awarded the Order of Lenin for completion of the five-year plan ahead of schedule and successful developments of new truck models.[3] On January 15, 1976, the plant became "AvtoKrAZ".
On April 30, 1984, 500,000th truck was assembled at the KrAZ main assembly plant.[5]
By 1986 the KrAZ's yearly production output totalled 30655 vehicles.
1990 the KrAZ's yearly production output totalled 27667 trucks. 1991 the KrAZ's yearly production output totalled 25094 trucks.[6]
Ukrainian era
In March 1993 750,000th truck was assembled at the KrAZ main assembly plant.[7]
KrAZ was registered as a Holding company in June 1996. 1996 the company's yearly production output totalled 1919 trucks.[8][9]
In 1999, the privatization of KrAZ began. 1999 the company's yearly production output totalled 827 trucks[10]
In 2001, a block of stock being purchased by a joint Ukrainian-German enterprise called Mega-Motors.[11]
In 2003, KrAZ opened vehicle assembly plants in Russia and Vietnam. In 2004 KrAZ was awarded an order for 2200 KrAZ vehicles to be delivered to Iraq. KrAZ received an ISO 9001:2000 for quality control.
On January 27, 2006, the 800,000th truck was assembled at the KrAZ main assembly plant.[12] In October of the same year KrAZ won first prize among 100 Ukrainian companies with the best rate of development according to the net profit growth pursuant to the results of rating "Top 100 Most dynamic companies"
In 2007, the company's yearly production output totalled 4206 trucks[13]
After the Financial crisis of 2007–08 orders for vehicles declined drastically as Ukraine was severely affected by the event, the factory worked at minimal capacity. 2009 the company's yearly production output totalled 280 trucks[14]
In 2010, the company's yearly production output totalled 1002 trucks[15]
On August 23, 2011, the KrAZ-5233 "Spetsnaz" entered into service with the Ukrainian Army.[16]
In 2013, the company's yearly production output totalled 891 trucks.[17]
The government of Ukraine placed large orders for new military vehicles.
The Border Guards, National Guard, and Army of Ukraine have all been scheduled to receive new KrAZ armored trucks. Moreover, KrAZ partnered with the Canadian defense firm Streit Group to produce the Cougar and Spartan armored vehicles. A total of 21 Spartans were ordered with the Ministry of Defense having an option for an additional 40, 20 Cougars were also ordered.[18]
Several Streit Group Spartan APC's were seen at the Kyiv independence day parade indicating that the order was at least partially complete.[19]
In November 2014, the Ukrainian government placed an order for 1200 vehicles and 200 armored personnel carriers. The contract was worth ₴1 billion ($64,267,360.00).[20]
On November 6, 2022, the government of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy used martial law to nationalise the company. “Such steps, which are necessary for our country in conditions of war, are carried out in accordance with current laws and will help meet the urgent needs of our defense sector.” The government of Ukraine also took control of engine maker Motor Sich, energy companies Ukrnafta and Ukrtatnafta and transformer maker Zaporozhtransformator at the same time.[22]
^ abКременчугский автомобильный завод имени 50-летия Советской Украины // Большая Советская Энциклопедия. / под ред. А. М. Прохорова. 3-е изд. том 13. М., «Советская энциклопедия», 1973. стр.373
^ abКременчугский автозавод им. 50-летия Советской Украины // журнал «Автомобильная промышленность», № 8, 1984. стр.29-30
^А. И. Горяинов. М. Ф. Лавринович. Родники дружбы и братства: Минск — Кременчуг. Харьков, «Прапор», 1986. стр. 46-47
^В. И. Пашков, С. Г. Сидоренко. Автомобильная промышленность за 1991 год и девять месяцев 1992 года // «Автомобильная промышленность», № 3, 1993. стр.1-6
^Памятные даты и события холдинговой компании «АВТОКРАЗ» // «Стальной характер» (корпоративный журнал ХК «АВТОКРАЗ»), № 3, 2009. стр. 7
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