Votkinsk Machine Building Plant

The idea of constructing ironworks was initially proposed in the mid-18th century as a result of the diminishing forests surrounding the existing mining operations in the Urals during that period. The transportation of firewood from distant locations significantly raised the production expenses. The most feasible solution was to relocate the production facilities to areas abundant in forests. Hence, the Izhevsk ironworks was established between 1760 and 1763 for this specific purpose.

The selection of the plant's location was primarily based on its close proximity to the major waterway, the Kama River, situated approximately 15-20 km away from the present-day city of Votkinsk. Additionally, the consideration of nearby forests, which served as the main energy source for the iron and steel industry at that time, as well as the proximity to mining companies, were also taken into account.

A total of 42 private plants were constructed between 1754 and 1763, which were owned by esteemed individuals of the Russian Empire, such as Count P.I. Shuvalov and Count M.E. Vorontsov. Following the passing of Shuvalov in 1763, the factories situated in Votkinsk and Izhevsk were handed over to the state as a means to settle his debts, consequently transforming them into state-owned enterprises.

The plants went on to manufacture anchors, railway equipment, ships, drilling machines, gold mine tractors, and various military equipment. Notably, starting in 1773, under the directive of Catherine the Great, the factory commenced the production of steel anchors for national military shipbuilding. Furthermore, during the initial half of the 19th century, the plant accounted for no less than 62% of the total anchor output in Russia.

The plant, which was considered highly advanced for its time, started producing steel and cast iron in 1811. This remarkable achievement was made possible by engineer Badaev, a self-taught metallurgist who developed a groundbreaking new method. The exceptional quality of the steel produced was utilized in the manufacturing of a wide range of tools, such as metal cutting, medical, and stamping instruments.

It is worth noting the skilled craftsmanship exhibited by the craftsmen in Votkinsk, as they were granted the opportunity in 1858 to undertake the construction and assembly of the framework for the tower of the Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral in St. Petersburg. In 1871, the plant embarked on the construction of Russia's second open-hearth furnace and the first in the Urals. Additionally, it diligently supplied armored steel for the nation's military shipbuilding purposes.

In the 1840s, under the supervision of Ilya Petrovich Tchaikovsky, the enterprise was reorganized from pure metallurgy to machine building. In 1847, the plant began producing boats, and in 1868 it also began producing steam locomotives. In fact, the plant was located on the banks of a shallow and small river and was not connected to the country's railway network. Therefore, steam ships and other vessels had to be produced before the annual spring floods. For this purpose, weirs were built on the territory of the enterprise for creating reservoirs. In spring, large amounts of melt water filled the ponds and flooded the entire shipyard area. This allowed new ships to surface. When the sluice gates opened, new steam ships began to flow down the Votka and Siva Rivers, and from there into the Kama River. In total, about 400 ships of various types were built. Similarly, steam locomotives were shipped from the plant during the annual spring flood season. They were transported by special barges down the river to the nearest railroad station. This continued until 1916, when the plant was connected to the national railroad network. A total of 631 steam locomotives of different series were manufactured at the plant.

At the end of the 19th century, with the construction of the Trans-Siberian Railway, the plant began to produce steel components for bridges. In 1915, Ironworks ranked first in terms of its contribution to the total length of bridges built in the Russian Empire. Gradually, the production of steam locomotives came to the forefront of the company's activities, accounting for about 40% of its production capacity.

During the Russian Civil War, the factory was heavily looted by all warring parties, and as a result it basically ceased operations and was closed in 1922. On September 9, 1925 the factory reopened as a manufacturer of agricultural machinery.

Between 1930 and 1937, the plant was controlled by the All Heavy Industry Union. It produced high-performance steam and gold drilling machines.

On January 1, 1938, the plant was transferred to the USSR People's Commissariat of Defence Industry of the USSR and switched to the production of ammunition and weapons. On March 11, 1938, it was renamed Plant number 235.

At the out break of the Great Patriotic War in 1941, the factory began production of 45 mm antitank cannon M1937 53-K, and starting from 1943 – 76 mm divisional gun M1942 (ZiS-3).

From the early post-war period until 1957, the factory produced 100 mm air defense gun KS-19 and 57 mm anti-tank gun M1943 (ZiS-2). It also produced civilian products, such as agricultural traction engines, narrow-gauge locomotives and tower cranes.

In 1957, by the resolution of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the USSR and the Council of Ministers of the USSR, the enterprise was converted into the country's primary producer of ballistic missiles for the Soviet Armed Forces.

In 1958, the plant delivered the first short-range attack missiles 8A61 developed by the Design Bureau-1 with a liquid-fueled engine and with a range of 150 km, adopted in July 1955.

Also, the plant produced a nuclear modification of 8A61 called 8К11, and starting from 1960, its successor was released - the tactical ballistic missiles 8K14 developed by the Design Bureau-385 with a range of up to 300 km. This rocket was mass-produced for over 25 years and used by the Armed Forces of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics for more than 30 years.

In 1962, by resolution of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the USSR and the Council of Ministers of the USSR, the Votkinsk Machine Building Plant started to master the production of more powerful tactical missiles 9M76, being a part of the mobile theatre ballistic missile TR-1 Temp. The first serial missile systems rolled out of the plant in 1966.

"TR-1 Temp" became a first missile system with a solid-fuelled piloted ballistic rocket adopted by the Armed Forces of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Subsequently, however, those missiles were terminated in accordance to the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty between the USA and the USSR from 8 December 1987.

In 1974, the plant began to produce intercontinental missiles 15ZH42 for the mobile intercontinental ballistic missile complex SS-16 Sinner, in 1975 - the intermediate-range ballistic missiles 15ZH45 for the complex SS-20 Saber, in 1976 - the short-range attack missiles 9M714 for the complex OTR-23 Oka, and in 1989 - the tactical missiles 9M79-1 fot the complex OTR-21 Tochka.

In 1998, the plant launched the production of one of the most recent intercontinental ballistic missiles 'RT-2PM2 Topol-M'.

In 2006, the plant started mass production of the missiles '9K720 Iskander' (its NATO reporting name is SS-26 Stone).

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin meeting employees of the Votkinsk Plant

• R-17 Elbrus
• RT-21M Pioneer
• RT-21 Temp 2S
• RT-2PM Topol
• RT-2UTTH Topol M
• RS-24
• RSM-56 Bulava