April 17, 1958 may be called a date if truck-making industry establishment in Ukraine. On this day CPSU CC and the Council of Ministers of USSR issued ordinance in accordance with which Kremenchug harvesting-machinery plant switched to production of 10-14 tonne three-axle heavy-duty vehicles after production transfer from Yaroslavl Automobile Plant that switched to engine production and was renamed Yaroslavl Engine Plant. The reasons of the nation leadership’s decision were obvious because YaAZ also produced diesel engines with low production rate held vehicle production down. Moreover, vehicles, particularly heavy-duty vehicles for national economy development, were in increasingly short supply. The gap between demand and supply of trucks for national economy and army wouldn’t be filled without specialization in different products for these plants.
Switch to manufacture of new products resulted in many difficulties for Kremenchug Automobile Plant related to production mastering, personnel, equipment, etc. New agricultural machinery was developed in parallel with preproduction of vehicles. The Party set a task to tool up for production of 4000 vehicles in 1959, 5 500 units in 1960 and raise annual output to 15000 units by 1965. It was impossible task given amount of work to do for successful rearrangement.
Much was to be done: to build over 20000 square metres of facilities, get and install over 1100 metalworking machines, about 100 presses, 20 casting machines, up to 50 woodworking machines, 167 welding machines, and 50 heat-treatment machines.
Except process design, development of equipment and rigging, a series of assembly lines, several paint booths had to be developed, manufactured and installed in parallel with doing some engineering jobs.…
60 years are advancing ages but not for the company. Today “KrAZ” is a leader of Ukrainian automobile industry, the only complete cycle manufacturer of trucks. Thorny way from construction of bridges and harvesters to production of vehicles, its development, rapid rise, almost bankruptcy, recovery and regular crisis, hardened the company and the personnel and encouraged more productive labor. Kremenchug Automobile Plant was, is and will be. We are strong thanks to our traditions, personnel and products known in over 70 countries. We are strong thanks to partners who support us by placing orders and assuring that “KrAZ” makes products the country needs. Today’s congratulations on occasion of big day in the history of the company and Ukraine expressed by the Government, people’s deputies, “Ukrgazdobycha”, Krivoy Rog Mining and Concentrating Companies, “Metinvest” KrAZ group companies, various authorities, fans of KrAZ brand contain only warm words to “KrAZ” and wishes of development and prosperity in the interests of Ukraine. We thank everybody for support, long-term partnership and confidence in KrAZ!
