Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant Explained

Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant
Native Name:Челябинский тракторный завод
Native Name Lang:ru
Type:Company
Hq Location City:Chelyabinsk, CHE
Hq Location Country:Russia
Industry:Engineering, industrial vehicle production, defense industry
Products:Tractors, bulldozers, diesel engines, armored vehicles other
Services:Casting and forging, research and development, physical and chemical testing, diesel engine certification, other
Num Employees:>20,000 (2009)
13,000
Num Employees Year:2011
Parent:Uralvagonzavod
Subsid:Machine building plant 'Vityaz'

Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant (Russian: Челябинский тракторный завод|Chelyabinskiy traktornyy zavod, abbreviated Russian: ЧТЗ, Russian: '''ChTZ''') also known as CTZ-Uraltrak (ЧТЗ-УРАЛТРАК) is a tractor construction plant in the Russian city of Chelyabinsk.

History

The Chelyabinsk Tractor plant was a project of the first five-year plan. The plant was founded in 1933; the first product was a 60 hp tracked tractor C-60 (Сталинец-60, Stalinets-60) fueled by petroleum ether (Benzine). In 1937 the factory produced its first diesel-powered vehicle C-65 (Сталинец-65, Stalinets-65). By 1940 the plant had produced 100,000 tractors.

During World War II seven other industrial entities (including most of Leningrad's Kirov Plant and 15,000 of its workers) were either wholly or partially relocated to Chelyabinsk, the resulting enterprise commonly known as "Танкоград" ('Tankograd', or 'Tank City'). The work force increased to 60,000 workers by 1944, from 25,000 during non-military production; during the conflict the works produced 18,000 tanks, and 48,500 tank diesel engines as well as over 17 million units of ammunition. Production included the KV tank from 1941, T-34 tank from 1942, KV-85 tank and IS tanks from 1943, and T-34/85 tank and SU-85 self-propelled field gun from 1944[1] [2] By 1945 the plant had been awarded the Order of Kutuzov, 1st Class, the Order of Lenin, the Order of the Red Star, and other honours for its efforts in helping to defeat Nazi Germany.

Post World War II conventional tractor production resumed with the С-80 (Сталинец-80, Stalinets-80) entering serial production in 1946. The plant reverted to its original name of Chelyabinsk Tractor factory in 1958. In 1961 a tractor with diesel electric transmission entered production: DET-250 (ДЭТ-250). The millionth tractor from CTZ was produced in 1984.

In 1990 a tractor with a hydromechanical transmission system entered production (T-10).

In 2008 the company acquired 100% of amphibious tracked machine building company "Vityaz" (Витязь); both are now part of the Uralvagonzavod holding group which Uraltrak established in association with other companies.[3]

By 8 May 2022, due to sanctions imposed after the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, United States officials claimed that Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant's tank production had halted, had been made “idle,” due to a lack of imported parts.[4] [5] However the factory claims to have fulfilled an order for an unspecified number of diesel engines in December 2022.[6]

In 2023, the factory itself was sanctioned by the United States and Ukraine due to its supply of engines to Russian troops for military equipment. On 26 November 2023, an explosion occurred at the plant, causing a "severe fire".[7]

Operations and products

The organisation includes foundry and forging facilities, metal engineering facilities (CNC, lathes, heat treatment) as well as construction and assembly workshops.

As of 2011, Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant produces wheeled and tracked tractors and related modified vehicles, and related parts, as well as tractor engines up to ~1000hp and tank engines up to 1500hp like th T-14's 12N360.

Since 2010 the company has manufactured fork lifts under license from Bulgarian company Balkancar Record,

The company also produces road tanker vehicles, semi-trailers and pipe installation road vehicles.

Subsidiaries

Since 2008 Machine engineering company 'Vityaz' (Машиностроительная компания "Витязь") has been a subsidiary of CTZ-Uraltrak.[3] The company produces the Vityaz line of tracked all-terrain vehicles with amphibious capabilities.

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: Dunn, Walter S.. 36–38. Stalin's Keys to Victory: The Rebirth of the Red Army. 9780811734233. 2007. Stackpole Books. Stackpole Military History Series.
  2. Book: 12–13. King Tiger vs IS-2: Operation Solstice 1945. 9781849088633. Higgins. David. 2011. Osprey Publishing Limited .
  3. Web site: ЧТЗ – Уралтрак" приобрел 100% акций ОАО "Машиностроительная компания "Витязь" (Башкирия). Russian. CTZ-Uraltrak has obtained 100% of shares in ОАО "Machine Engineering company 'Vityaz'" (Bashkortostan). 23 January 2008. tractor.ru. 3 December 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20160303193604/http://www.tractor.ru/news/index.php?nid=00001545. 3 March 2016. dead.
  4. Web site: 2022-05-08 . FACT SHEET: United States and G7 Partners Impose Severe Costs for Putin's War Against Ukraine . 2022-06-01 . The White House . en-US.
  5. Web site: Russia 'can't make more' tanks because of this key sanction, Biden official says . 2022-05-10 .
  6. Web site: 2022-12-21 . UVZ has supplied diesel engines for new and repaired Russian tanks . 2023-01-28 . BulgarianMilitary.com . en-US.
  7. News: 2023-11-26 . Fire reported at Russian plant manufacturing engines for military equipment . en . 2023-11-27.