One of the major Russian automotive component manufacturers Kanash Axle Plant (KAAZ) will celebrate its 70th Anniversary in November 2014. This company that was established as a small engine repairs plant now produces front and rear axles for Russian bus manufacturers and is part of the Autocomponent Division of the major Russian OEM GAZ Group.
The company was founded as an engine repairs plant in Kanash, Chuvashia, in November1944. Its capacity was 300 tractor engine repairs per year. Main shops and auxiliary facilities were built from 1946 till1958. Production of brake parts and units was started in1967. In August1972, the automotive spare parts plant was established.
The plant was developing most intensively during the 70s: the second stage of the main building was launched. The plant will start producing brake units and parts for trucks and passenger cars ZIL, GAZ, UAZ, tractor trailers and semitrailers. The plant got its current name in1976.
In the early80s, the plant started producing pneumatic brakes for tractor trailers, some parts of the front axle for LIAZ-667. The first USSR production of front axles for the new city bus LIAZ-5256 and brakes with shoe wedge release mechanisms was mastered in the experimental section of KAAZ. In 1993, KAAZ launched the production of front axles for the PAZ-3205bus. Six years later, the plant started series production of rear driving axle for LIAZ-5256.
The core products of KAAZ now are brake parts and units, pneumatic brakes, front and rear axles for buses, axles for trailers.
“Kanash Axle Plant is a specialized site manufacturing automotive components with long experience of production operations. Today, the company is involved into the key strategic projects of GAZ Group. The plant produces components for the entire product portfolio of GAZ Group including for the new generation LCV’s GAZelle NEXT andmodern busesPAZ and LIAZ”, – said K. Epstein, GAZ Group Autocomponent Division.
