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ZAZ or Zaporizhzhia Automobile Building Plant is the main automobile manufacturer of Ukraine, based in the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia. Founded in 1923, it is one of the oldest automobile manufacturers in Ukraine.

The company’s history began with the construction of the first automobile plant in the Soviet Union, which was established in 1923 in Kharkiv. The plant’s primary goal was to produce Soviet-made automobiles for the domestic market. The first car produced by the plant was the Zaporozhets, a compact car that was widely popular in the Soviet Union in the 1960s and 1970s.

In the 1990s, following the collapse of the Soviet Union, ZAZ faced significant challenges due to the disruption of the economy and the restructuring of the automobile industry. The company shifted its focus to producing buses and commercial vehicles, which helped it survive through the difficult times.

In the early 2000s, the company began to collaborate with foreign automakers to develop new models and modernize its production facilities. ZAZ worked with Daewoo to produce the Lanos and Sens, which were based on the Daewoo models. The Lanos and Sens were a great success in Ukraine, and ZAZ became the leading automobile manufacturer in the country.

However, the company’s fortunes declined in the 2010s, and it faced financial difficulties due to competition from cheaper Chinese-made cars and the declining Ukrainian economy. In 2017, the company was acquired by the UkrAVTO corporation, which pledged to invest in modernizing the plant and developing new models.

Today, ZAZ continues to produce a range of commercial vehicles, including buses, trucks, and vans. The company is committed to producing high-quality, reliable vehicles that meet the needs of its customers in Ukraine and beyond.

In summary, ZAZ is an important part of Ukraine’s automotive industry and has a long history of producing reliable vehicles. While the company has faced challenges over the years, it remains committed to innovation and modernization, and it is poised to continue to play an important role in Ukraine’s economy and industrial landscape in the years to come.