JSC Kurganmashzavod (RTS:KMZAP) is a manufacturing company based in Kurgan, Russia. It is known for its BMP series of infantry fighting vehicles.
Contents |
The company's main products are the well-known BMP-2 and BMP-3 infantry fighting vehicles,[1] which are in service in 29 countries.[2] The company also produces a wide range of civil products, such as small-sized tractors, municipal construction machines and automobile trailers, among others.[3]
Kurganmashzavod JSC is the largest enterprise in the Kurgan Oblast.[4] It is a large engineering complex, comprising 3 factories, 6 special plants and auxiliary workshops ensuring the complete production cycle.[4] It is involved in developing technology, testing equipment and experimental development, pilot production and full-scale production of armoured vehicles.[1] The company's stock is traded at the Russian trading system. The current director general of Kurganmashzavod is Valery D. Dorodny.[5]
In 2007 the company's revenue was $231 million. Export share was 20%.[6]
The company was founded as a producer of heavy-duty cranes. In 1954 the manufacture of military equipment was started with the ATS and ATS-59 artillery tractors, which were used for field work and reclaiming of oilfield in Tyumen region, in addition to many produced for export. The ATS-59 artillery tractor license production was established in Poland. In October 1966, the production plan of the infantry fighting vehicle BMP-1 was prescribed by the government bylaw. In 1967, the mass production of vehicles began.[4]
In the seventies, the plant was re-tooled for larger-scale military vehicle production. New power supplies were brought in, and the working area was increased by a factor of five. From 1983, the plant produced the BMP-2 model, and in 1987 began the manufacture of the BMP-3.[4]
In 2008, the company said that it was pursuing a production processes optimization programme to make the operations more efficient. In the future the company aims to produce "hundreds of vehicles a year, rather than dozens of vehicles per annum", both for the Russian Army and for export.[1]
Kurganmashzavod has received a large state contract worth $250 million for building and repairing an unspecified number of BMP-3 vehicles in the 2007 – 2010 timeframe. The company plans on investing about $40 million to re-equip its facilities.[7]