Industry Heavy trucks | Website www.mzkt.by Founded 1991 | |
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MZKT (МЗКТ or МЗКЦ, Belarusian: Мінскі завод колавых цягачоў, Minsk Wheel Tractor Plant (MWTP)) is a manufacturer of heavy off-road vehicles, especially military trucks, based in Minsk, in Belarus; it was formerly a division of MAZ. MZKT civilian trucks are branded VOLAT (Belarusian: волат, literally means Giant). MZKT specializes in the production of road and off-road heavy-duty vehicles and trailers to them, as well as special wheeled chassis for installation of various equipment for enterprises and transport organizations of the construction, oil and gas and engineering complex .
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Organisation
In 1954, MZKT, the Minsk Wheeled Tractor Plant, was founded to develop artillery tractors; it then developed a series of heavy weapons transporters for the military of the USSR, including heavy offroad trucks such as the MAZ-537 and MAZ-7310. It was a division of Minsk Automobile Plant (known as MAZ). The name in Russian is "Минский завод колёсных тягачей"; this is abbreviated MZKT in English. In 1991, MZKT was spun off into a separate company; its former parent, MAZ, continues to make a broader range of heavy vehicles.
In 1992, military orders slowed, and MZKT attempted to adapt its products to civilian uses, such as mining trucks and crane carriers.
Products
Many post-independence MZKT trucks continued to use a MAZ cab which resembled the Iveco Turbostar cab; starting in 2010 these were replaced with Belkarplastik cabs, which are also used by Yarovit trucks.
MZKT-6922
MZKT-6922, used with Tor and other surface-to-air missile systems.
MZKT-79221
MZKT-7930
The MZKT-7930 „Astrolog" is carrying the Iskander ballistic missiles, and the Pantsir-S1 air defense system, and radars for the S-300 missile system.
MZKT-74135/74295
MZKT-74135 8x8 tank transporter
WS2400
Some trucks made by Wanshan Special Vehicle, in China, are based on MZKT designs; the WS2400 is based on the MAZ-543.