Machine Building

In the branch structure of industry, machine building takes a dominating position. This sector is represented by three main productions - machinery and equipment; electrical equipment, optical and electronic devices; vehicles. It is characterized by the production of complex, high-precision instruments, including antifriction bearings, wood processing machines, automatic lines, technological instruments for agribusiness. Machine building is represented by 750 enterprises of various organizational and legal forms, 19% of work force being engaged at these enterprises.

With an active backing of the local government enterprises of machine-building industry participate in exhibitions and fairs. Relations with other Russian regions have been dynamically expanding in recent times under the inter-regional treaties. Vologda's enterprises increasingly manufacture goods in partnership with foreign companies and set up joint ventures. All this helps to build present and future ties and extend the output of machinery.

Production of ZAO Vologda Bearing Factory, OAO Vologda Optical and Mechanical Plant, OAO Vologda Machine-Building Plant, OOO Severstal-enamel and OAO Rotor meets all the prescribed requirements of ISO 9001:2000 standard.Machine building enterprises are mostly concentrated in Vologda, among them are:

Vologda Bearing Factory (VBF)

VBF is one of Russia's largest producers of bearings for machine-building, electrical engineering, metallurgy and car-manufacturing. The proportion of its products make up 18,4% in the total volume of Russia's industrial production. In addition to production of bearings, the Vologda Bearing Factory generates thermal energy, manufactures technological equipment, measuring devices, and tools, repairs machines.

Bearings are manufactured under special orders. Currently, the joint-stock company produces over 500 kinds of bearings with an internal diameter ranging from 10 to 500 mm.

Imported cutting and lubricating liquids and abrasives are used to ensure a stable technological process.

The instrument-making shops are equipped with modern facilities, which allow for high precision while the modern vibration diagnostics system gives accurate evaluations of the reliability and performance of the machine tools.

Over the past few years the factory developed over 250 kinds of new bearings. Basic parameters are used to produce bearings of the following precision classes: P2,5,6 and M4: with preset vibration level; with specified radial gap; with protective steel and reinforced rubber seals; packaged according to clients' orders.

More than half of the products are exported to more than 50 countries including the United States, Finland, France, Italy, Finland, Germany and the CIS states - Ukraine, Kirgiz Republic, Uzbekistan, Moldova and Belarus. The factory has been working in close cooperation with Russian companies - OAO AvtoVaz (Tolyatti), OAO GAZ (Nizhny Novgorod), OAO YAZ (Ulyanovsk), ZAO MZATE (Moscow), OAO KAMAZ (Naberezhnye Chelny), and foreign ones - Polaris, ÒÀÒÀ MOTORS, Opel, Fiat and others. The Vologda Bearing Factory has a wide network of offices both in Russia and abroad.