Ukrainian Automobile Corporation
Encyclopedia
Ukrainian Automobile Corporation JSC or UkrAVTO is a Ukrainian
automobile
manufacturing and service company, as well as Ukraine's largest automobile distributor
. It was founded in 1969 as the Ukraine Motor Vehicles Maintenance Department - a reorganisation of diverse car manufacturing, parts, sales and maintenance agencies in the then Ukrainian SSR
. It was restructured after Ukraininan independence, then corporatized
and fully privatised in 1995. In 2002, it took over the major Ukrainian automobile manufacturer ZAZ
/AvtoZAZ
, after the bankruptcy of Daewoo Motors
. The resulting merged ZAZ division is the largest subsidiary of UkrAVTO. In 2005, it took over the Polish Daewoo subsidiary Fabryka Samochodów Osobowych (FSO) which had been supplying it with car parts.
UkrAVTO owns the largest network of manufacturing and assembling facilities, service stations and auto dealerships in Ukraine. It currently manufactures cars for General Motors (particularly models originally designed for Daewoo
) and assembles cars for Dacia
. UkrAVTO also builds cars under its own name, particularly the Slavuta
and Tavria Nova
models - lines it inherited from the Soviet era.
It also acts as Ukrainian distributor and authorised service organisation for a number of foreign car, car parts and accessories manufacturers, including DaimlerChrysler
, General Motors, Toyota, Nissan, Dacia
, Dongfeng Motors and Tata Motors
.
Since 1983, UkrAVTO has been chaired by Tariel Shakrovych Vasadze
(Таріел Шакрович Васадзе). Now he is also the controlling shareholder of the corporation, as well as of the whole oligarch-like
"UkrAVTO Group" united around UkrAVTO JSC.
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
automobile
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
manufacturing and service company, as well as Ukraine's largest automobile distributor
Distributor
A distributor is a device in the ignition system of an internal combustion engine that routes high voltage from the ignition coil to the spark plugs in the correct firing order. The first reliable battery operated ignition was developed by Dayton Engineering Laboratories Co. and introduced in the...
. It was founded in 1969 as the Ukraine Motor Vehicles Maintenance Department - a reorganisation of diverse car manufacturing, parts, sales and maintenance agencies in the then Ukrainian SSR
Ukrainian SSR
The Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic or in short, the Ukrainian SSR was a sovereign Soviet Socialist state and one of the fifteen constituent republics of the Soviet Union lasting from its inception in 1922 to the breakup in 1991...
. It was restructured after Ukraininan independence, then corporatized
Corporation
A corporation is created under the laws of a state as a separate legal entity that has privileges and liabilities that are distinct from those of its members. There are many different forms of corporations, most of which are used to conduct business. Early corporations were established by charter...
and fully privatised in 1995. In 2002, it took over the major Ukrainian automobile manufacturer ZAZ
ZAZ
ZAZ or Zaporizhia Automobile Building Plant is the main automobile-manufacturer of Ukraine, based in the south-eastern city of Zaporizhia. It is also known for its former mother company name, AvtoZAZ...
/AvtoZAZ
AvtoZAZ
AvtoZAZ is an automotive manufacturing company in Ukraine. It was founded in 1975 as Industrial Association, а holding that incorporated ZAZ, MeMZ, Illichivsk Automobile Parts Plant and a number of other automobile-production facilities in Lutzk and Kherson...
, after the bankruptcy of Daewoo Motors
GM Daewoo
GM Korea Company is South Korea's second largest automobile manufacturer and is a division of the General Motors Company. GM Korea's roots go back to the former Daewoo which was split from its parent company, Daewoo Group, in 2001...
. The resulting merged ZAZ division is the largest subsidiary of UkrAVTO. In 2005, it took over the Polish Daewoo subsidiary Fabryka Samochodów Osobowych (FSO) which had been supplying it with car parts.
UkrAVTO owns the largest network of manufacturing and assembling facilities, service stations and auto dealerships in Ukraine. It currently manufactures cars for General Motors (particularly models originally designed for Daewoo
GM Daewoo
GM Korea Company is South Korea's second largest automobile manufacturer and is a division of the General Motors Company. GM Korea's roots go back to the former Daewoo which was split from its parent company, Daewoo Group, in 2001...
) and assembles cars for Dacia
Dacia (car)
Automobile Dacia S.A. is a Romanian car manufacturer, named for the historic region that constitutes much of present-day Romania. It is now a subsidiary of the French carmaker Renault. The company is the main exporter from Romania with 10% of total exports....
. UkrAVTO also builds cars under its own name, particularly the Slavuta
ZAZ Tavria
ZAZ Tavria is a range of front wheel drive subcompact cars made by Ukrainian ZAZ. ZAZ-1102 Tavria and subsequent ZAZ-1105 Dana and ZAZ-1103 Slavuta replaced rear wheel drive Zaporozhets in the product lineup.-ZAZ-1102 Tavria:...
and Tavria Nova
ZAZ Tavria
ZAZ Tavria is a range of front wheel drive subcompact cars made by Ukrainian ZAZ. ZAZ-1102 Tavria and subsequent ZAZ-1105 Dana and ZAZ-1103 Slavuta replaced rear wheel drive Zaporozhets in the product lineup.-ZAZ-1102 Tavria:...
models - lines it inherited from the Soviet era.
It also acts as Ukrainian distributor and authorised service organisation for a number of foreign car, car parts and accessories manufacturers, including DaimlerChrysler
DaimlerChrysler
Daimler AG is a German car corporation. By unit sales, it is the thirteenth-largest car manufacturer and second-largest truck manufacturer in the world. In addition to automobiles, Daimler manufactures buses and provides financial services through its Daimler Financial Services arm...
, General Motors, Toyota, Nissan, Dacia
Dacia (car)
Automobile Dacia S.A. is a Romanian car manufacturer, named for the historic region that constitutes much of present-day Romania. It is now a subsidiary of the French carmaker Renault. The company is the main exporter from Romania with 10% of total exports....
, Dongfeng Motors and Tata Motors
Tata Motors
Tata Motors Limited is an Indian multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Mumbai, India. Part of the Tata Group, it was formerly known as TELCO...
.
Since 1983, UkrAVTO has been chaired by Tariel Shakrovych Vasadze
Tariel Vasadze
Tariel Shakrovych Vasadze is a Ukrainian businessman of Georgian descent, chairman and main shareholder of the UkrAVTO JSC and UkrAVTO Group. He was the chief executive of UkrAVTO since 1983, leading this once state-owned company through privatization and restructuring to a role of Ukraine's main...
(Таріел Шакрович Васадзе). Now he is also the controlling shareholder of the corporation, as well as of the whole oligarch-like
Business oligarch
Business oligarch is a near-synonym of the term "business magnate", borrowed by the English speaking and western media from post-Soviet parlance to describe the huge, fast-acquired wealth of some businessmen of the former Soviet republics during the privatization in Russia and other post-Soviet...
"UkrAVTO Group" united around UkrAVTO JSC.