Heavy Industries Taxila

Infobox Company
name=Heavy Industries Taxila
logo=
type=Heavy engineering and arms manufacturing
foundation=September, 1971
location_city=Taxila, Punjab
location_country=PAK
num_employees=4500 civilian
1950 military (2004)

Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT) is the backbone of Pakistan's Engineering Industry for the Pakistan Armed Forces, being a combination of multiple industries that has grown into a large military complex since 1980. It consists of six major production units and their support facilities. Heavy Industries Taxila is one of the largest defense facilities in Pakistan with a manpower of over 6500 highly skilled personnel and engineers trained in the field of defense production. Out of the 6500 employees, about 30% are uniformed personnel.

The Organization provides facilities for the overhaul, rebuild and progressive manufacturing of Main Battle Tanks, Armoured Recovery Vehicles and Armoured Personnel Carriers and has recently developed and gone into production of MBT-2000 Al-Khalid, Tank. In addition it has the capability to rebuild, upgrade and modernize Armoured Vehicles of both Eastern and Western origin.

History

With the growing fleet of T-59 tanks manufactured by China Pakistan's Army realized the need of a facility to maintain and rebuild tanks. As a result the Heavy Rebuild Foundry Project (P-711) was conceived with Chinese assistance and technology. In the late seventies the Heavy Rebuild Factory (HRF) was established in Taxila to undertake rebuild and modernization of tanks.

The capabilities of HRF significantly increased with the growing experience acquired in enhancing firepower, mobility and protection. As a result the facility gradually became a multi-factory environment and in September 1992 was renamed into Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT).

Today the main activities include the cost effective manufacture of armored fighting vehicles, armored personnel carriers and tank guns, including in-house manufacture of a wide range of components required. In addition an infrastructure has been established to enhance interacting with the indigenous industry for the required development of materials and components.

Mechanical Complex

This complex is manufacturing sugar plants, cement plants in addition to other goods like Boilers, Cranes, Road construction machinery, brick making machinery and the goods cater the needs of Pakistan Railways.

Defence Facilities

Heavy Industries Taxila comprises various defence factories and facilities.

*Heavy Rebuild Factory T-SeriesTo rebuild and modernize Tanks/Armored Recovery Vehicles of Chinese and Eastern European origin. With its vast experience and expertise, the factory has contributed immensely in achieving self-reliance with high quality and cost effective products exceeding productivity beyond its designated capacity.

*Heavy Rebuild Factory M-SeriesHeavy Rebuild Factory (M-Series) has the expertise of carrying out quality rebuild of tracked vehicles of US origin. The experience acquired over the last decade is reflected in the standards achieved. The factory specializes in M113 Series vehicles, which are given new life after rebuild strictly in accordance with OEM specifications.

*APC FactoryThe most famous of the M113 Family of vehicles are manufactured in this factory using state-of-the-art CNC machines CAD/CAM system and manufacturing technology unique in the world on MIG and TIG aluminum welding, radiographic inspection, chemical cleaning, coating and painting according to military specifications.

*Gun FactoryThe Gun factory has the capability of machining barrels ranging from 105 mm to 203 mm caliber. It has a longstanding experience in the manufacture of 105mm gun barrels for upgraded T-59 & T-69 tanks from steel of very high quality using Electro Slag Refining. Each barrel is auto-frettaged and subjected to high precision work on state of the art machines.

*Tank FactoryA modern outfit with latest tank manufacturing facilities which includes seven axis CNC machines for heavy duty flexible machining operations and a complete infrastructure for hull and turret manufacture.

*Development, Engineering Support And Components Manufacture (DESCOM)This production facility has been established to provide engineering support to all the factories of HIT. Equipped with CNC machines, it undertakes manufacture of components, assemblies, tools, dies, gauges and arranges development of spare parts through the vendor industry. It also provides repair and maintenance support to machinery and equipment installed in HIT.

*Evaluation, Training And Research Organization (ETRO)This is a supporting organization which undertakes Quality Assurance of finished product of HIT ably assisted with modern quality assurance laboratories which test physical and chemical properties of production materials, Calibration facilities are available to ensure accuracy of tools and gauges used in rebuild and manufacturing processes.

*Research And Development (R&D)HIT has undertaken R&D projects on required basis wherein it has carried out successful R&D in the following areas :

**Tank Designing
**Tank Modernization
**Infantry Fighting Vehicle
**Improved Fire Control System

External links

* [http://www.pakistan.gov.pk/divisions/ContentInfo.jsp?DivID=8&cPath=69_75_271&ContentID=3906 Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT)] , scanned brochure at the Government of Pakistan
* [http://www.pakdef.info/pakmilitary/army/hit.html A Tank Factory for All Seasons] , at the Pakistan Institute for Defence Studies
* [http://www.unewsuk.tv/defence1.asp "HIT has come a long way to a multi factory environment"]

ṇ