VEF
Encyclopedia
VEF, Latvian acronym for Valsts Elektrotehniskā Fabrika (State Electrotechnical Factory), is a manufacturer of electrical and electronic products in Riga
, Latvia
. VEF was the biggest Latvian factory in Soviet era and the leading communication technology producer in the Soviet Union
. VEF produced telephone exchange
s, phones, radios, and other electronics.
the buildings formerly belonged to a 1887-established factory UNION.
The company's roots began in April 1919 when Postal and Telegraph Department created several basement workshops. In 1922 phone manufacturing started there. In 1924 it started producing crystal-detector radios. That year the factory was moved for the first time, and in 1928 moved again to its VEF's current location. It was named PTVGD .
PTVGD began producing automatic telephone exchange
s. They bought the license from Mix & Genest
to produce small volume (for 100, 200, 300 numbers) and large volume (1000, 2000 numbers) switchboards. Phone centrals in Riga and Latvia's populated places were upgraded uning PTVGD's manufactured exchanges until 1940. The factory produced any demanded electronics, communication devices, phones, light bulbs, cameras, irons, radios, flashlights, photo paper, work-tables, and even sport airplanes. They also repaired cars. During the 1930s the monthly production of PTVGD included 500 phones and 400 exchanges.
The company was renamed to VEF in 1932. VEF entered the world market in 1936 with the development of the Minox
miniature camera, designed by Walter Zapp
. It was the world's smallest camera at the time and VEF's biggest achievement with which it became famous in the world.
Before World War II
, VEF manufactured a wide range of products, including aircraft (such as the VEF I-16
fighter) and Minox miniature cameras.
Between 1928 and 1933 VEF also produced a small, inexpensive car.
During the World War II
the factory was robbed and destroyed, several buildings were blown up. The factory was repaired after the war and it quickly re-developed. During 1960s VEF produced seven radios receivers and five phones every minute. During that time two out of three phones in Soviet Union were produced in VEF. Popularity gained transistor-based radios Spīdola
and in 1970s — "VEF".
During the Soviet period, VEF specialized in electronics and was a part of Latvia's electronic industry which supplied the former Soviet Union
with telecommunications equipment and electronics for the military. The five largest state companies were VEF, Radiotehnika, Alfa, Komutators and Elar (which produced components for the other four). In its peak in 1991, VEF employed 20,000 people. Its best known products were telephones, telephone exchanges and radios.
The Latvian electronics industry had trouble competing with Western companies when the markets were opened in the early 1990s. Cited problems included poor service and product quality. Attempts to restructure these firms were not successful and their combined production fell more than 90% between 1993 and 1997. VEF was divided into six smaller companies, most of which no longer exist. Three remaining ones, VEF KTR, VEF Telekom and VEF Radiotehnika-RRR employ between 100 and 200 people each.
In 1999 the factory was privatized and reorganized.
Riga
Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,...
, Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
. VEF was the biggest Latvian factory in Soviet era and the leading communication technology producer in the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. VEF produced telephone exchange
Telephone exchange
In the field of telecommunications, a telephone exchange or telephone switch is a system of electronic components that connects telephone calls...
s, phones, radios, and other electronics.
History
The factory buildings were built during end of 19th and beginning of 20th century and span a city block. Before the World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
the buildings formerly belonged to a 1887-established factory UNION.
The company's roots began in April 1919 when Postal and Telegraph Department created several basement workshops. In 1922 phone manufacturing started there. In 1924 it started producing crystal-detector radios. That year the factory was moved for the first time, and in 1928 moved again to its VEF's current location. It was named PTVGD .
PTVGD began producing automatic telephone exchange
Telephone exchange
In the field of telecommunications, a telephone exchange or telephone switch is a system of electronic components that connects telephone calls...
s. They bought the license from Mix & Genest
Mix & Genest
Mix & Genest was a 1879 branch of the ITT Corporation.Mix & Genest was founded on the 1st of October 1879 by the businessman Wilhelm Mix and the engineer Werner Genest in Berlin-Schöneberg. The company was very successful and became one of the pioneers in low voltage devices. Among the products...
to produce small volume (for 100, 200, 300 numbers) and large volume (1000, 2000 numbers) switchboards. Phone centrals in Riga and Latvia's populated places were upgraded uning PTVGD's manufactured exchanges until 1940. The factory produced any demanded electronics, communication devices, phones, light bulbs, cameras, irons, radios, flashlights, photo paper, work-tables, and even sport airplanes. They also repaired cars. During the 1930s the monthly production of PTVGD included 500 phones and 400 exchanges.
The company was renamed to VEF in 1932. VEF entered the world market in 1936 with the development of the Minox
Minox
The Minox is a subminiature camera conceived in 1922 and invented in 1936 by German-Latvian Walter Zapp, which Latvian factory VEF manufactured from 1937 to 1943. After World War II, the camera was redesigned and production resumed in Germany in 1948. Originally envisioned as a luxury item, it...
miniature camera, designed by Walter Zapp
Walter Zapp
Walter Zapp was a Latvian inventor. His greatest creation was the subminiature camera .Zapp was born in Riga, Governorate of Livonia. In 1934, living in Estonia, he began developing the then subminiature camera by first creating wooden models, which led to the first prototype in 1936. It was...
. It was the world's smallest camera at the time and VEF's biggest achievement with which it became famous in the world.
Before World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, VEF manufactured a wide range of products, including aircraft (such as the VEF I-16
VEF I-16
The VEF I-16 was a prototype Latvian fighter aircraft designed by Kārlis Irbītis and produced by VEF in 1939. Development was halted by the Soviet occupation of Latvia and subsequent purges of VEF personnel...
fighter) and Minox miniature cameras.
Between 1928 and 1933 VEF also produced a small, inexpensive car.
During the World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
the factory was robbed and destroyed, several buildings were blown up. The factory was repaired after the war and it quickly re-developed. During 1960s VEF produced seven radios receivers and five phones every minute. During that time two out of three phones in Soviet Union were produced in VEF. Popularity gained transistor-based radios Spīdola
VEF Spidola
VEF Spidola was the first mass-produced transistor radio with short wave band in the Soviet Union. It was manufactured by the VEF factory in Riga, Latvia since 1962. Small series under the name "Spidola" were manufactured since 1960...
and in 1970s — "VEF".
During the Soviet period, VEF specialized in electronics and was a part of Latvia's electronic industry which supplied the former Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
with telecommunications equipment and electronics for the military. The five largest state companies were VEF, Radiotehnika, Alfa, Komutators and Elar (which produced components for the other four). In its peak in 1991, VEF employed 20,000 people. Its best known products were telephones, telephone exchanges and radios.
The Latvian electronics industry had trouble competing with Western companies when the markets were opened in the early 1990s. Cited problems included poor service and product quality. Attempts to restructure these firms were not successful and their combined production fell more than 90% between 1993 and 1997. VEF was divided into six smaller companies, most of which no longer exist. Three remaining ones, VEF KTR, VEF Telekom and VEF Radiotehnika-RRR employ between 100 and 200 people each.
In 1999 the factory was privatized and reorganized.