Pavlodar Tractor Plant: a sad story of a manufacturing giant

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

More than 25 years ago, a mighty world power, the USSR, collapsed, and many plants and factories still continue to operate on the territory of the post-Soviet space. Unfortunately, not all organizations of the former Union of Socialist Republics were destined to "stay afloat". An unenviable fate befell the Pavlodar Tractor Plant, which was once one of the largest machine-building centers.

PTZ was founded in 1966 as an enterprise focused on the production of special tools and technological equipment, and two years later it became an independent plant specializing in the production of the most massive diesel tractors. What happened to him?

The start of the journey

In the mid-60s of the last century, the virgin lands of the Kazakh steppes were actively developed. The government understood that it was possible to achieve serious success in this direction only by using modern (at that time) technology. Therefore, onA plant was established on the territory of Pavlodar city. The main task that the Pavlodar Tractor Plant had to cope with was the production of tracked vehicles DT-75.

At that time, the production of DT-75 was the exclusive privilege of the Volgograd Tractor Plant. The decision to create a new base was dictated by the need to provide virgin lands with a large number of powerful and cheap equipment. Therefore, starting from 1967, transmission parts for DT-75 tractors were produced in the workshops of the plant, and by 1968, their own production was launched on the territory of the enterprise. Moreover, the cars produced here were called DT-75M "Kazakhstan".

Rise and fall

As soon as the Pavlodar Tractor Plant fully mastered the production of new agricultural machines, the production of all DT-75 tractors completely “fell on the shoulders” of the enterprise. This model, without much change, lasted until the 80s of the XX century. The tractor was recognizable due to its characteristic coloration - a blue body and a white roof. On the side of the hood one could read the inscription "Kazakhstan". But unfortunately, now you can only find scale models of this tractor.

The flourishing of the enterprise reached its peak in 1984, when more than 55 thousand pieces of equipment were produced. Subsequently, the plant's engineers created several modifications of the tractor - DT-75ML, DT-90P (for work in the industrial sector) and DT-75T (for agricultural needs). After that, the Pavlodar Tractor Plant began to lose ground.

By 1997, the output amounted to less than 2,000 pieces of equipment per year. The main reason for the decline in production was the collapse of the Soviet Union and the formation of a market economy. As a result, in 1998, unable to withstand the tougher conditions of competition, the plant admitted its bankruptcy.

Further destiny

The new management of the enterprise - Porshen JSC from Almaty - at first wanted to resume the production of DT-75 tractors. The Pavlodar Tractor Plant was supposed to become the center for the development of agricultural machinery in Kazakhstan, to interact with the Minsk Automobile Plant and launch the production of modern agricultural machinery.

But all grandiose plans suddenly collapsed when the leadership changed again. This was partly due to the unprofitability of production shops. At present, the facilities of the enterprise have been transferred to private companies. The most successful of them were Casting LLP (steel products) and KSP Steel LLP (production of pipe products). This is how the tractors of the Pavlodar Tractor Plant (some are still in operation) survived the workshops where they themselves were created.