Kupyansk Foundry in the Kharkiv region
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The company was created in accordance with the eighth five-year plan for the development of the USSR national economy as a branch of the Kharkiv "Hammer and Sickle" engine-building plant. Construction of the foundry began in 1963 in the village of Zaborovka (near the outskirts of Kupyansk). The first cast was produced in 1966, and the plant was commissioned in 1967.
For the professional training and advanced training of plant employees, Vocational School No. 27 was opened in Kovsharovka, opening on May 16, 1966 (renamed Higher Vocational School No. 27 in 1990).
In 1971, the Kupyansk Foundry was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labor [clarify].
On June 10, 1986, the Kupyansk Foundry named after the 60th Anniversary of the Great October Socialist Revolution was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labor by the USSR Ministry of Tractor and Agricultural Machinery.
In 1989, the plant's output was 293,000 tons of cast iron per year.
During Soviet times, the plant was the core enterprise for tractor and agricultural machinery manufacturing in the USSR and was one of the city's leading enterprises. Social infrastructure facilities were also on the plant's books.
After 1991
Following Ukraine's declaration of independence, in April 1992, the plant was commissioned to begin producing burners for electric kitchen stoves.
On September 1, 1993, VPU No. 27, which was on the plant's books, was transferred to the city's municipal ownership.
In May 1995, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine decided to privatize the plant during 1995, after which the state-owned enterprise was transformed into an open joint-stock company.
In August 1997, the plant was included in the list of enterprises of strategic importance to the economy and security of Ukraine. However, the plant's production capacity was reduced, and some workers were laid off.
In July 1999, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine secured a controlling stake (50% + 1 share) in the company for state ownership.
In May 2000, the plant was completely shut down. In August 2000, at the direction of Ukrainian President L.D. Kuchma, the Cabinet of Ministers created a working group to study the state of affairs at the plant. Based on the commission's findings, it was decided to apply Article 53 of the Law "On Restoring the Debtor's Insolvency or Declaring It Bankrupt." The Bankruptcy Agency was engaged to develop a rehabilitation plan. From 2001 to 2003, Kharkiv businessman Anatoly Laptev oversaw the plant's reorganization.
In 2002, the plant produced cast iron for tractor engines, which it supplied to the Kharkiv Tractor Engine Plant, but 14% of the parts delivered to Kharkiv Tractor Engine Plant were defective. By 2003, the plant was no longer in production, and some of its employees were employed at other enterprises.
On January 19, 2004, at the suggestion of the State Property Fund of Ukraine, the reorganization period was extended for another year, and Giprostal LLC was tasked with implementing the reorganization from January 19, 2004, to February 19, 2005. In 2004, the plant produced a batch of cast iron posts for garden and park benches. An attempt was also made to develop the production of tillage machines and cylinder block castings for the Don-1500 grain harvester engine.
On September 8, 2004, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine transferred a controlling stake (25% + 1 share) to the authorized capital of the leasing company Ukragromashinvest.
As of March 23, 2005, approximately 70% of the company's shares remained in state ownership, with another 25% transferred to JSC UPEC. In July 2005, a decision was made to sell the remaining state-owned shares of the plant. The economic crisis that began in 2008 complicated the company's situation; on August 12, 2009, the Kharkiv Regional Economic Court issued a ruling on the liquidation of Kupyansk Foundry OJSC, which was completed by 2010 (although the city's public utilities continued to use the plant's boiler house for heating municipal facilities in the autumn-winter period for some time).