History of the factory

Zawolzhsky Motorny Zawod has got the name after the name of "Zawolzhje" city located on the right bank of Volga river in 450 km from Moscow and in 60 km from the largest industrial centre of Russia - Nizhny Novgorod.

OAO “ ZMZ” is connected by railway with all regions of Russia, CIS and foreign countries.

Date of ZMZ establishmentis the 17-th of April 1958. At the beginning in 1956 as the branch of GAS, the future giant of engine building produced auto spare parts and aluminum castings for Gorky and Moscow automobile factories. However in two years it was reorganized by the Commission № 442 of USSR Council of Ministers into a factory for manufacture of engines for assembly of the vehicles produced by Gorky, Ulyanovsk and partially by Moscow automobile factories and was named as "Zawolzhsky Motorny Zawod".

From the very beginning of the activity ZMZ invariably paid significant attention to development of progressive technologies. The history of the factory was accompanied by development of essentially new designs, introduction of advanced techniques and own innovations.

The first melting process of aluminum casting was comleted at ZMZ in November 1958.

In 1966 the factory for the first time in global practice had mastered mass production of large-sized cylinder blocks from aluminum alloys employing die-casting that allowed it to join in one line with well known world companies

In November 1959 the first 4-cylinder engine for "Volga" GAS – 21 vehicle was assembled at ZMZ.

In 1960 with the purpose of new engine models development the design - engineering department which included R&D department with research laboratories equipped with test beds, and with control and other equipment.

In 1961 batch production of 4-cylinder engines was launched.

In 1963 batch production of 8-cylinder engines for trucks of Gorky automobile plant was also launched at ZMZ.

The enterprise extended and increased capacities both due to construction of new shops, (such as foundry, engine production site, press shop, bearings and strip production site, steel and iron parts manufacturing site, heat treatment shop, engine assembly and test shop), and due to upgrade of current manufacture.

1967. Supplies of 8-cylinder engine had been started also for assembly in "PAZ" buses made by Pavlovo bus factory.

In December 1968 1000000-th 4-cylinder engine has been manufactured.

In 1971 general reconstruction of the production had been started. By 1978 engine production capacity was increased up to 450 thousand units per year.

In December 1972 the factory was awarded with the name “Zawolzhsky Motorny Zawod" after the 50-anniversary of the USSR” by Decree of Supreme Soviet Presidium of RSFSR.

In April 1975 the 1000000-th 8-cylinder engine was made.

In February 1976 ZMZ was awarded with “Labor Red Banner” award as per the Decree of Supreme Soviet Presidium of RSFSR.

The 1980th were the period of growth of production capacities, reorganization of the enterprise.

In 1992 the shop of small series production was put into operation in which trial manufacture of new engine family - ZMZ-406, 4-cylinder, 16-valve, fuel controlled injection was organized.

In 1990th ZMZ designers developed a design of ZMZ-514.10 high-speed diesel engine (2,24 l), "Euro - 2" for cross-country vehicles and minibuses for the first time in Russian history.

In 2000 ZMZ became the first in Russia engine building enterprise, which certificated quality management system of the total manufacture meeting ISO 9001, the international standards requirements.

The new stage of Zawolzhsky Motorny Zawod development is related to a name of the new proprietor of the enterprise

In 2001 OAO "ZMZ" has become a part of JSC "Severstal - auto" holding.

In 2002 the manufacture of first trial production lots of ZMZ-514 diesel engine was launched at ZMZ jobbing plant for field trials in the secondary market.

In 2002 the unique automated system of planning and expense accounting was introduced. The system has no analogues at the mass production enterprises of Russian mechanical engineering.

In September 2003 ZMZ has certificated quality management system of the total production on conformity to requirements of international standards ISO 9001, versions 2000.

In November 2003 the design and pre-production models of the first series of ZMZ-215.10, 4-cylinder petrol engine (2,5 l), "Euro - 3" were developed and made at ZMZ.

In 2003 the introduction of the industrial system based on Toyota Production System components have been initiated at ZMZ.

On the 28-th of April, 2004 the 13000000-th engine has left ZMZ main assembly line.

In November, 2005 new assembly line was applied in production and industrial production of ZMZ-5143 diesel engine, economy class (2,24 l), meeting "Euro - 2" for UAZ-HANTER vehicles was launched at ZMZ jobbing plant.

On the 8-th of November, 2005 1000000-th engine of ZMZ-406 family was assembled.

The reorganization was completed at ZMZ in 2005.

Six subsidiary production units were established on the basis of tool, press, foundry production sites, plane bearings production site, equipment repair and maintenance service, transportation department: "Spetzinstrument" Ltd., " Factory " Metalloform » Ltd., " Foundry " RosAlit » Ltd., «ZMZ-Plane Bearings» Ltd., " ZMZ-Transservice" Ltd.

The main target of the enterprise, engine manufacture is focused at OAO "ZMZ».

On the 8-th of August 2006 the 1000-th ZMZ-5143 diesel engine (2,2 l), "Euro - 2" for " UAZ-HUNTER " vehicle of Ulyanovsk automobile factory was made at ZMZ.

On the 29-th of November, 2006 the state commission at final session at OAO "ZMZ" having examined total cycle of acceptance tests for pre-production models of ZMZ-5148 diesel engine equipped with “Common Rail”, "Euro - 3" confirmed availability of the engine design developed at ZMZ, for industrial production.

On the 21-st of December, 2006 the memorandum of intentions to create joint venture for manufacture of diesel engines, F1A series in Russia was signed between JSC "Severstal - auto" and Fiat Powertrain Technologies at ZMZ at the presence of the governor of Nizhniy Novgorod region V.Shantzev. The project will be realized at industrial site of Zawolzhsky Motorny Zawod.

In May 2007. OAO " ZMZ ", on results of an ecological rating of 137 Russian leading companies carried out by the International social and economic union (ISEU) and Independent ecological rating agency (ANO "NERA"), was in first 10 leaders by four of six variants of ranging on ecological business efficiency

 

In September, 2007 in ZMZ within the framework of joint venture " Severstal - auto " with Fiat Powertrain Technologies scale works on preplanning for engines F1A had been carried out in production site of the plant.

In order to locate new production the actual factory building №6 had been emptied with total area of 30 thousand sq.m. In short time without a stop of the main assembly conveyor and keeping rates of product manufacturing 678 units of equipment had been moved from the sixth building and remounted in other shops of the plant. Then civil works had begun at once.

 

In OAO "ZMZ" with the purpose to expand applicability of output production the mock-up of "Euro - 3» petrol engine ZMZ-4054.10 (2,5 l) for light duty vehicle " Ducato " was made.

 

On 29th November, within the framework of the ecological requirements "Euro - 3» introduction into action in territory of Russia since 1st January 2008 the first trial lot of "Euro - 3» 4-cylinder petrol engines for vehicles of GAZ and UAZ had been assembled on ZMZ main assembly conveyor.

 

In December 2007, the project on enterprise future development was realized. Within 1 year the development and improvement of a new product design that was "Euro - 3" petrol engine families- had been done in parallel with preplanning in ZMZ.

 

Since January 2008 in ZMZ within the framework of the "Euro - 3" requirements introduction into action in territory of Russia, the large-scale output of "Euro - 3"4-cylinder petrol engines for vehicles of GAZ and UAZ automobile plants was started.

 

In February 2008, ZMZ was acquired Conformance Certificate ensuring that ecological management system of enterprise corresponds to requirements of international standard ISO 14 001-2007.

 

In March 2008, OAO «ZMZ» got approval from Fiat for installation of engine ZMZ-405 (2,5 l) in vehicle Fiat-Ducato, as correspondent one on technical performance to European requirements.

 

In March 2008, in 3 rd shop of OAO «ZMZ» a new conveyor of ZMZ-5143 diesel engine industrial assembly that had been moved from shop №6 was put in full capacity.

 

16^th April 2008 14ooooooth engine was produced in main conveyor of ZMZ. The “14 million»-anniversary engine was “Euro-3” petrol engine 406 of family ZMZ-409.04 (2,7 l).

 

13^th August 2008 the trademark “Double life” was officially registered.

 

In September 2008, 3 prototypes of “Euro-4” diesel engine ZMZ-51432 equipped with fuel system Common Rail made by «BOSCH» in compound of vehicle UAZ-Hunter were prepared.

 

Since 1^st October 2008 Organization Management System (OMS) was introduced in ZMZ, corresponding to requirements of international automotive standard ISO/TS 16 949 version 2002.

 

18^th February февраля 2009 OAO «ZMZ» signed a contract with ZАО «Ford Motor Company» (FMC) on supply of parts – 4 types of brackets – for vehicles «Ford-Focus», that are assembled in enterprise Ford in Vsevolzhsk.

For Zawolzhsky Motorny Zawod the contract with FMC is the first project in the history of enterprise in such direction of activity as production of automotive components under orders of foreign automotive companies working in the territory of Russia.

 

In may 2009 in experimental shop of ZMZ new V-form 8-cylinder engine with increased displacement to 5,05 l has past the evaluation tests and successfully confirmed stated technical performances on power and torque

ZMZ designers under order of Pavlovskiy autobus plant have developed V-8 Version (5,05 l) with increased power characteristics. Singularity of new «eight» is in a potential of work with compressed natural gas.