KrAZ

KrAZ (, Kremenchutskyi Avtomobilnyi Zavod, Kremenchuk Automobile Plant, also , AvtoKrAZ) is a factory in Kremenchuk, Ukraine, that produces trucks and other special-purpose vehicles, particularly heavy-duty off-road models. 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. On November 6, 2022, the government of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy used martial law to nationalise the company.

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 April 17, 1958, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union decided to rebuild a plant for heavy-duty vehicle production.Кременчугский 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 Heavy-duty truck manufacture was transferred from the Yaroslavl Motor Plant (YaAZ). The first two KrAZ-222 dump trucks were assembled from imported units and components on 10 April 1959,Кременчугский автозавод им. 50-летия Советской Украины // журнал «Автомобильная промышленность», № 8, 1984. стр.29-30 and by 1961 the plant exported over 500 vehicles in 26 countries of the world such as Argentina, Afghanistan, Bulgaria, China, India, Vietnam etc.

On December 30, 1968, 100,000th truck was assembled at the KrAZ main assembly plant

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. On January 15, 1976, the plant became "AvtoKrAZ".

On April 30, 1984, 500,000th truck was assembled at the KrAZ main assembly plant.А. И. Горяинов. М. Ф. Лавринович. Родники дружбы и братства: Минск — Кременчуг. Харьков, «Прапор», 1986. стр. 46-47

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.В. И. Пашков, С. Г. Сидоренко. Автомобильная промышленность за 1991 год и девять месяцев 1992 года // «Автомобильная промышленность», № 3, 1993. стр.1-6

Ukrainian era

In March 1993 750,000th truck was assembled at the KrAZ main assembly plant.Памятные даты и события холдинговой компании «АВТОКРАЗ» // «Стальной характер» (корпоративный журнал ХК «АВТОКРАЗ»), № 3, 2009. стр. 7

KrAZ was registered as a Holding company in June 1996. 1996 the company's yearly production output totalled 1919 trucks.«КрАЗ, выпускавший прежде 27 тысяч грузовиков, произвел в прошлом году 1919»Владимир Писковый. «Ещё дышим. Но уже на ладан» // «Зеркало недели» от 8 августа 1997Постанова Кабінету міністрів України № 287 від 1 квiтня 1997 р. «Про виділення коштів холдинговій компанії „АвтоКрАЗ“»

In 1999, the privatization of KrAZ began. 1999 the company's yearly production output totalled 827 trucksТатьяна Донченко. «АВТОКРАЗ» пытается отстоять утраченные рынки // «Зеркало недели» от 17 января 2003

In 2001, a block of stock being purchased by a joint Ukrainian-German enterprise called Mega-Motors.«Мега-Моторс» выиграла конкурс по КрАЗу // «Корреспондент. NET» от 24 июля 2001

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.Є 800-тисячний КрАЗ! // «Кременчуг Today» от 2 февраля 2006 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«АвтоКрАЗ» выпустил в 2007 году рекордное за последние 12 лет количество КрАЗов // официальный сайт ХК "АвтоКРАЗ" от 10 января 2008

After the 2008 financial crisis, 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 trucksАвтоКрАЗ в 2009 г. сократил производство на 91,8 % // «Транспортный бизнес Украины» от 18 января 2010

In 2010, the company's yearly production output totalled 1002 trucksАвтоКрАЗ планирует утроить производство до докризисного уровня // «Корреспондент. NET» от 26 января 2011

On August 23, 2011, the KrAZ-5233 "Spetsnaz" entered into service with the Ukrainian Army.The KrAZ-5233 Spetsnaz enters into service with the Ukrainian army

In 2013, the company's yearly production output totalled 891 trucks.Статистика — 2013 // официальный сайт ассоциации «Укравтопром»

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.

Several Streit Group Spartan APC's were seen at the Kyiv independence day parade indicating that the order was at least partially complete.

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).

On 19 May 2021, KrAZ signed a three-year contract to supply the United States Army Contracting Command with KrAZ 4x4 heavy-duty vehicles and spare parts.US Army orders KrAZ 4x4 heavy duty vehicles, armyrecognition.com (19 May 2021) The US Army ordered Ukrainian KrAZ trucks, LB.ua (19 May 2021)

2022 Nationalisation 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.

Products

Civil vehicles

KrAZ-214 – 6×6 cargo truck, two-stroke diesel engine KrAZ-219 – 6×4, two-stroke diesel engine KrAZ-222 – 6×4 dump truck, two-stroke diesel engine KrAZ-250 – 6×4 KrAZ-255 – 6×6 cargo truck, four-stroke diesel KrAZ-256 – 6×4 dump truck, four-stroke diesel KrAZ-260 – 6×6 KrAZ-5133B2 – 4×2 – KrAZ-5401 – 4×2 – KrAZ-6510 – 4×4 or 6×4 – engine KrAZ-65055 – 6×6 – engine KrAZ-65032 – all-wheel drive 6×6 dump trucks – KrAZ-6130С4 – all-wheel drive 6×6 dump trucks – KrAZ-7133С4 – 4-axle (8×4) dump trucks KrAZ-7140 – 4-axle (8×6) KrAZ-65053 – KrAZ-7634 – all-wheel drive 8×8 – KrAZ V12.2MEH – 6×6 – ?

Chassis

These are designed to be fitted with various body equipment for paved and dirt road use.

KrAZ-257 – 6×4, four-stroke diesel KrAZ-5133H2 – 4×2 – KrAZ-5233H2 – 4×2 – KrAZ-5233HE type 1 and 2 – 4×4 (off-road use) KrAZ-6322 type 1, 2 and 3 – 6×6 – KrAZ-63221 type 2 – 6×6 – (off-road use) KrAZ-63221 type 3 – 6×6 – KrAZ-65053 – 6×4 – KrAZ-65101 – 6×4 – KrAZ-7133H4 – 8×4 – KrAZ-7140H6 – 8×6 – (off-road use) KrAZ H12.2 – 4×2 – KrAZ Н23.2 – 6×4 – KrAZ Н23.2M – 6×4 – KrAZ Н23.2R – 6×4 –

Semi-tractors

KrAZ-221 – 6×4, two-stroke diesel engine KrAZ-250V KrAZ-255V KrAZ-258 – 6×4, four-stroke diesel KrAZ-5444 – 2-axle – KrAZ-6140TE – 3-axle – KrAZ-6443 – 3-axle KrAZ-6444 – 3-axle

KrAZ-64431 – 3-axle

Military vehicles

KrAZ-5233BE 4×4 – KrAZ-6322 6×6 – KrAZ-6135B6 6×6 – KrAZ-6446 6×6 –

Special-purpose vehicles

KrAZ-255L – timber truck KrAZ-256B1-030 - Chernobyl liquidator vehicle KrAZ-6133M6 – timber truck KrAZ-64372 – timber truck KrAZ-6233R4 – concrete mixer truck KrAZ-6333R4 – concrete mixer truck KrAZ-7133R4 – concrete mixer truck KrAZ-65055DM – dump truck/snow plow (municipal)

Armored vehicles

KrAZ Spartan (Спартан) – 4×4, based on Ford F550 KrAZ Cougar (Кугар)«Как сообщил генеральный директор ХК „АвтоКрАЗ“ Роман Черняк в бронеавтомобиле KrAZ Shrek доля украинской составляющей достигает 70 %. В то же время, в Kraz Coguar и Kraz Spartan этот показатель 10-15 %»Почему KrAZ Shrek востребован за рубежом, а в Украине его пока не закупают? // «AUTO-Consulting.UA» (December 15, 2014) – 4×4, based on Toyota Land Cruiser 79 KrAZ-ASV Panther (Пантер) – MRAP based on KrAZ-5233 or KrAZ-6322 KrAZ-MPV Shrek One (Шрек) – MRAP based on KrAZ-5233 KrAZ Fiona (Фіона) – 6×6 MRAP based on KrAZ-6322 KrAZ-6322 Raptor (Раптор) – 6×6 KrAZ Hurricane (Ураган) – 8×8 MRAP based on KrAZ H27.3 (KrAZ-7634) KrAZ Convoy (Конвой) – 4×4/6×6/8×8 armored chassis cab/flatbed

Generations No years of release Features Photo 1 1959—1967 2 1965—1994 3 1979—1993 4 since 1992 5 since 2011

Gallery Trucks

Armored vehicles

MRAPS

See also Kremenchuk Steel Works

References

External links