Minsk Automobile Plant

MAZ logo

Minsk Automobile Plant (MAZ, Russian: Открытое Акционерное Общество «Минский автомобильный завод», Open JSC "Minsky Avtomobilny Zavod") is a state-run automotive manufacturer association in Belarus, one of the largest in Eastern and Central Europe.

History

It was built shortly after the Second World War. The first MAZ model (MAZ-200) used General Motors designed 2-stroke engines. Later on their own original engines were developed and implemented in the MAZ-500 series. Not only the plant itself, but the entire living infrastructure were built in a short time. Apartment buildings, shops, medical clinics, cinemas etc were built in close proximity to the MAZ plant, providing plant workers with local (though limited) necessities. On many of the construction sites German prisoners of war were working together with Russian construction workers. The majority of these buildings are still in service today.

It manufactures heavy-duty trucks, buses, trolleybuses, road tractors and semi-trailers for semi-trailer trucks, and cranes. MAZ was, and possibly is, the worlds largest manufacturer of TELs (Transporter-Erector-Launchers) for many of the world's mobile ballistic missiles, from the widely proliferated MAZ-543 used to carry and launch the Scud B through to the recent Topol M's impressive 8-axle TEL.

At the end of Soviet times, MAZ was the largest manufacturer of heavy trucks in the Soviet Union, and the only one for some truck categories. After the Soviet Union dissolved, MAZ production was reduced substantially, as has happened with many enterprises in the ultra-industrialized Belarus, oriented on the needs of a very big country. The previously mentioned production of public transport vehicles was a result of following diversification of the company.

Organisation

The association consists of the MAZ plant proper, located in Minsk, which is the main enterprise of the association, as well as several secondary enterprises:

• РУП «БААЗ» (in Baranavichy)
• РУП «ОЗАА» (in Asipovichy)
• РУА «КЗТШ» (in Zhodino)
• РУП «Литмаш» (in Minsk),
• ПРУП «ДЭМЗ» (in Dzyarzhynsk)
• РУП «СтройМАЗтрест» (in Minsk)

At some points of its history, MAZ was "united" with another heavy automobile company - BELAZ also located in Minsk area.

In 1991 a division specialising in heavy wheeled military vehicles was spun off into a separate business, MZKT.^[1]

Products

Among other recent products, MAZ city buses (see pictures below) can be found all over Belarus as well as in the Ukraine, Russia, Romania, Polish Silesia and Estonia.

MAZ-MAN

In 1997 together with "MAN" ( "MAN" ) a joint Belarusian-German company JSC "MAZ-MAN", Minsk was set up, which by 1998 had established full-scale production of heavy vehicles using the chassis and engine production might of MAN and MAZ combined. One of the priorities of the enterprise is the production of tractors for international trade with 4x2 and 6x4 chassis lay outs, suitable for use in Europe and to meet all European requirements. Based on the MAZ-MAN they have produced concrete mixers, fueling vehicles, flatbed trucks, dump trucks, front-end loaders etc.

Production of the Belarusian-German company demonstrated the advantage of technology created by combining the abilities and experience of auto makers of two countries. Compared to European models in the same class and quality range, MAZ-MAN products are on average 30% cheaper. Currently 98% of MAZ-MAN comply with Euro-3.

In 2004, the joint venture made 272 vehicles, which is 45% higher than 2003. At the same time in 2003, output in comparison with 2002 increased by 50%.

28 November 2005 MAZ-MAN sold 1000 of the first MAZ-MAN tractor to customers.

Models

MAZ-203 and MAZ-206 buses

MAZ-447131

tipper MAZ-MAN

МАZ-200 МАZ-200В МАZ-205 МАZ-501 МАZ-501В МАZ-502 МАZ-502В МАZ-525 (later built by BelAZ) МАZ-529 МАZ-530 (later built by BelAZ) MAZ-535 МАZ-537 MAZ-541 МАZ-543/МАZ-7310 МАZ-7410 МАZ-7910 МАZ-7912 МАZ-7917 MAZ-547/MAZ-7916 MAZ-7904 МАZ-7906 MAZ-7907 МАZ-500 МАZ-503 МАZ-504 МАZ-505 МАZ-509 МАZ-511 МАZ-515 МАZ-516

МАZ-4370 МАZ-4570 МАZ-5336 МАZ-5337 МАZ-5432 МАZ-5433 МАZ-5434 МАZ-5442 МАZ-5516 МАZ-5551 МАZ-6303 МАZ-6317 МАZ-6417 МАZ-6422 МАZ-6425 МАZ-6430 Autobuses: MAZ-103 Omnibus (1996) MAZ-105 Gelenkbus (1997) MAZ-103T Oberleitungsbus (1999) MAZ-152 Stadtbus (1999) MAZ-171 Flughafenbus (2005) MAZ-203 Omnibus (2005) MAZ-206 Omnibus (2006) MAZ-256 Omnibus (2006)

Special models

MAZ-537

MAZ-543

MAZ-7917

• MAZ-535 MAZ-537 - The MAZ-535 and the heavier version MAZ-537 were developed in the early 1960s and built to transport rockets and tanks of various types.

• MAZ-543 - The MAZ-543 was also designed for the transport of medium-and long-range missiles and has the same specifications as the MAZ-537. The MAZ-543 is best known as mobile missile launch pad of Scud missiles. In addition, there are various modifications of the vehicle, such as the MAZ-547 as a mobile launch pad for SS-20 missiles or the MAZ-7917 as a launch pad of Topol intercontinental missile .

• MAZ-7904 - The MAZ-7904 is the largest wheeled vehicle that was ever designed for military purposes in the USSR. The prototype was designed in 1982 as a support vehicle for intercontinental ballistic missiles, but never went into production.

• MAZ-7907 - The MAZ-7907 was designed in 1985 and two prototypes were produced, of which at least one seems to have been used after the collapse of the USSR for transportation of bridge parts and ships. Their fate is unclear.

Bibliography

• Peter J. Davies: Trucks of the World - The encyclopedia of makes and models from 2002. Motor Book, Stuttgart. ISBN 3-613-02257-5 .

Gallery

• 

  MAZ-105 bus.

• 

  MAZ-103 city bus in Constanţa, Romania

• 

  MAZ-103 city bus in Constanţa, Romania

• 

  MAZ-103 city bus in Iaşi, Romania

• 

  MAZ-103t trolleybus in Minsk

• 

  MAZ-107 city bus in Constanţa, Romania

• 

  MAZ-203 and MAZ-206 bus

• 

  9K72 Elbrus launcher (9P117)

• 

  MAZ-543 airport tender, airport in Kyrgyzstan

Sponsorship in football

• 1999-2002: Torpedo-MAZ Minsk

References

1. ^ [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/belarus/mzkt.htm "Minsk Wheeled Tractor Plant (MZKT)"]. 2011-05-15. http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/belarus/mzkt.htm. Retrieved 2011-05-15. 

External links

• Official site
• Maz-Man Official website

Coordinates: 53°51′44″N 27°39′15″E / 53.86222°N 27.65417°E / 53.86222; 27.65417