Škoda Works
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Škoda Works (Czech: Škodovy závody) was the largest industrial enterprise in Austria-Hungary and later in Czechoslovakia, one of its successor states. It was also one of the largest industrial conglomerates in Europe at the time.
The company was founded by Emil Škoda in 1899 in Plzeň and soon established itself as the leading arms manufacturer in the Austria-Hungary. It produced among others heavy guns for the navy, mountain guns or mortars as well as locomotives, aircraft, ships, machine tools, steam turbines and equipment for power utilities.
Škoda manufactured world's first triple-barrelled gun turrets for the Tegetthoff class of battleships of the Austro-Hungarian navy. Prior to World War II Škoda also produced LT-35 and LT-38 tanks, which are better known under their German labels Panzer 35(t) and Panzer 38(t). These tanks were originally produced for the Czechoslovak army and their production continued during the occupation by Nazi Germany. They were used extensively by the Wehrmacht in the Polish campaign, the Battle of France and also in German invasion of the Soviet Union.
Mountain guns produced by Škoda:
- Škoda 75 mm Model 15
- Škoda 75 mm Model 1928
- Škoda 75 mm Model 1936
- Škoda 75 mm Model 1939
- Škoda 100 mm Model 1916
- Škoda 100 mm Model 16/19
- Škoda 105 mm Model 1939
- Škoda 150 mm Model 1918
Other weapons produced by Škoda:
- Skoda 37 mm Model 1934
- Skoda 37 mm Model 1937
- Skoda 37 mm A7
- Skoda 149 mm K-series
- Skoda 149 mm K1 / Model 1933
- Skoda 149 mm K4 / Model 1937
- Škoda 305 mm Model 1911
For some time after the communist party took power in Czechoslovakia the factory was renamed to Závody Vladimíra Iljiče Lenina (Factories of Vladimir Lenin). The factory concentrated on markets in Soviet Union and Eastern Bloc. The company had produced wide range of heavy machinery (such as nuclear reactors and locomotives). Lack of updates to its product designs and infrastructure had considerably weakened the company's competitive position and its brand.
After communist party lost the power the company was privatized into hands of management. Mismanagement and assets stripping led to collapse, the company was restructured and some factories closed.
See also
External links
de:Škoda (Maschinenbau) hu:Škoda (művek) pl:Škoda Holding ru:Шкода Холдинг sr:Шкода Воркс