Minsk Automobile Plant [MAZ]
Minsk Wheeled Tractor Plant (MZKT)

The precise structure of the automotive industrial base in Belatur is a bit difficult to comprehend. With the turn of the 21st Century, there have been a series of top-level corporate reorganiztions that may have been fascinating to accountants, though none of which seem to have altered the fact that the entire enterprise is completely owned by the government of Belarus. The parent Minsk Automobile Plant [MAZ] makes agricultural tractors, as well as other commercial trucks and buses. The Minsk Wheeled Tractor Plant (MZKT) is a separate entity that is specialized in very heavy trucks, of particualr interest to the Russian military.

Minsk Wheeled Tractor Plant (MZKT - Minskiy Zavod Kolesnie Traktor) is the only company all over the world specialized in manufacturing of unique multi-axle heavy-duty trucks, truck trailer combination and wheeled chassis with high cross-country characteristics. During its 40-years history more than 150 types of motor and trailer vehicles were designed and produced in full scale, which became the basis for about 40 armament systems. MZKT motor vehicles are used in more than 30 countries in Africa, Europe, Asia and America.

The Minsk Wheel Tractor Plant, the leading enterprise of the Belarusian defense sector in the development and manufacture of special wheeled chassis that Russia buys for its military-industrial complex. In Russia there is practically no such production. In Bryansk there is an enterprise that is trying to produce analogues of Belarusian technology, but so far unsuccessfully, since such production is rather complicated. So the main wheeled vehicles for Russian large strategic missiles, as well as for air defense missiles, are produced mainly by MZKT.

Minsk Wheeled Tractor Plant is an open joint-stock company, 100% of which belongs to the Republic of Belarus. On February 7, 1991 Minsk Wheeled Tractor Plant was established and withdrawn from the MAZ. The director of the plant is Volkov V.?. A new generation of automotive equipment manufactured by the plant received the trademark "Volat". Open Joint Stock Company Minsk Wheeled Tractor Plant (OJSC MZKT) is a state enterprise and is subordinate to the State Military-Industrial Committee of the Republic of Belarus. Minsk Wheeled Tractor Plant was established in 1991 from a special-purpose wheeled tractor division of the Minsk Automobile Plant [MAZ] which was involved in the production of transport platforms for mobile missile systems of the former USSR and all-wheel drive chassis.

Minsk Automobile Plant [MAZ - Minski Autamabilny Zavod] produces bad cars, but they are expensive, and it turns out that it does not get into what the consumer wants. The main buyer of MAZ output is Russia. But the Russian market is growing the share of KAMAZ, as the Russian authorities pursue a policy of state support of domestic business.

MAZ in terms of production is one of the smallest car factories in the world. And in this sphere in the last 20-30 years there was a concentration of capital, companies united which are much larger (even separately) than MAZ were united. Russia and Belarus tried to agree on the creation of a holding uniting MAZ and KAMAZ, but nothing came of it. According to the analyst, when in 2012 there was a talk about such a merger, the time had already passed. Almost 300 enterprises in the country to some extent work for the Minsk Automobile Plant.

Since 1995, the Minsk Automobile Plant produces passenger vehicles. City, intercity, tourist and special buses successfully operate on various routes around the world. For their design, functionality, quality and reliability, they have repeatedly been awarded high awards at international motor shows and specialized exhibitions. Today, MAZ passenger vehicles are represented by 15 models in more than one hundred models. MAZ is one of the largest companies in Eastern Europe producing trucks, passenger, trailers and special vehicles.

In September 1975 the production association “BelavtoMAZ” was created on the basis of “AvtoMAZ” union enterprises and Belarusian and Mogilev automobile plants. Belavtomaz OOO was founded in 1999. The Company's line of business includes the wholesale distribution of new and used passenger automobiles, trucks, trailers, and other motor vehicles.

In 2009 Minsk Automobile Plant was reincorporated into the public joint-stock company OAO MAZ. The process of setting up a holding company at the Minsk Automobile Plant (MAZ trademark) will be completed by early 2012, the deputy director for finance and economy of MAZ Oleg Yushko told reporters on 17 November 2011. “De facto the company does exist already. It is just that we need to formalize the documents. I think we will do it by early 2012,” Oleg Yushko said. The holding company would comprise BelavtoMAZ companies.

First Deputy General Director of MAZ Anatoly Dedkov noted that the BelavtoMAZ Production Association is a holding company by itself. “We cooperate very closely in planning common production programs, and in other matters. However, we need to finalize this issue, because when we create such form we need new institutional structures in part of possible new models, schemes, relationships with both internal and external environment,” he said. “We are carefully studying the experience of the Avtokomponenety holding company and we see a lot of positive moments,” Anatoly Dedkov said.

In 2012 OAO MAZ became the management company of the holding company BelavtoMAZ. The company makes truck tractors, high-sided trucks, medium-capacity automobiles, dump trucks, log trucks, short log trucks, cross-country vehicles, automobiles fit for special equipment as well as buses and trolleybuses. MAZ offers over 500 models and modifications of freight vehicles and about 20 models of passenger vehicles.

There were plans to spend $50 million on implementing the complex program for developing the holding company BelavtoMAZ in 2013-2015, according to OAO Minsk Automobile Plant (MAZ trademark), the management company of the holding. The company started the largest innovation project – the reconstruction of the press and body factory. There are plans to buy and install cutting-edge welding, painting, and pressing equipment. There are plans to automate and mechanize all the operations involved in making cab frames. Cataphoresis prime coating will be introduced to considerably improve the protective qualities of the painting.