Engineering in Russia is one of the most developed industries and a very important component of the country's economy. Most of the largest enterprises in this industry were built during the Soviet period. According to available official data, at the moment there are about two thousand medium and large machine-building enterprises in Russia, including metal-working enterprises.
Engineering centers in Russia
One of the most significant segments of the country's engineering industry is the military-industrial complex, whose annual revenue exceeds sixteen billion dollars.
However, the importance of this sector of the economy is associated not only with the volume of annual revenue, but also with the number of political and scientific ties that are created through military-technical cooperation. Today, Russia has agreements on cooperation with more than eighty countries. The largest partners are China, India, Argentina, Venezuela, Indonesia and Vietnam.
The largest engineering centers in Russia that are involved in the production of military equipment are Nizhny Tagil, where Uralvagonzavod is located; Izhevsk Machine-Building Plant, which produces famous Kalashnikov assault rifles; Nizhny Novgorod Engineering Plant, which produces various types of ammunition.
Heavy engineering of Russia
The heavy engineering industry also includes the shipbuilding industry, which is considered one of the most technologically advanced and knowledge-intensive. At more than a thousand enterprises involved in the manufacture of ships, a full production cycle is provided from the development of prototypes to the implementation of the most modern electronics and radio reconnaissance systems.
If we expand the circle of enterprises involved to one degree or another in the manufacture of products for shipbuilding, their number will grow to four thousand. This increase in number is due to the inclusion of design bureaus developing high-tech components and complex dual-use electronics.
The largest centers of heavy engineering in Russia are such maritime cities as St. Petersburg, Severodvinsk and Kaliningrad. In addition, enterprises important to the industry are located in the Nizhny Novgorod region.
Automotive industry
But mechanical engineering in the country has not only a military purpose, but also the civilian automotive industry, which is represented by the three largest enterprises in the industry: AvtoVAZ, KAMAZ, and the large engineering concern GAZ, which includes twelve enterprises, with one of the widest geographies of mechanical engineering in Russia.
However, most of the enterprises belonging to these corporations are experiencing a prolonged crisis over the past ten years, caused by a drop in demand for their products. In turn, the drop in demand for domestic automotive products is caused by increased competition in this market.
In the period from 2000 to 2010, numerous factories were built in the country that produce products under such brands as Nissan, Opel, Kia, Volvo Truc and Ford.
However, foreign manufacturers come to the Russian market not only through the construction of their own factories, but also through investments in existing enterprises and the purchase of shares. For example, Daimler is a major shareholder of KAMAZ.
Russian aviation industry
The engineering industries in Russia are also represented by the aviation industry, which, like shipbuilding, requires serious scientific, human resources and a strong manufacturing tradition.
All capacities of the country's aircraft industry are divided between two state corporations: the United Aircraft Corporation and Oboronprom.
The first focuses on the resources and enterprises involved in the production of aircraft, including all the necessary components, as well as avionics. This joint-stock company includes twenty enterprises producing both military and civilian products, as well as dual-use products, and its largest enterprise is Sukhoi Company.
The structure of Oboronprom includes enterprises in which helicopters and components are developed and manufactured. The main office is located in Moscow, but given the fact that it owns the Russian Helicopters Corporation, we can safely talk about the all-Russian significance of the company.
Rocket science and space industry
In today's world, it is difficult to imagine any economy that can do without such means of communication as high-speed Internet and stable cellular communications. Many processes in the global economy are based on the rapid exchange of data between business entities located at a great distance from each other.
Missile engineering in Russia provides it with a leading position in the international space market and annually brings dozens of satellites into orbit for international customers.
The largest enterprises in the industry are RSC Energia and GKNPTs im. MV Khrunicheva, who are involved in the development and production of launch vehicles, with the help of which uninterrupted supply of the ISS and the delivery of astronauts to it are ensured.
Agricultural Engineering
Heavy engineering in Russia is also represented by the production of agricultural machinery, without which it is impossible to imagine the efficient use of the country's vast land and climate resources.
One of the leaders of not only Russian, but also the world agricultural engineering is considered the company "Rostselmash", located in Rostov-on-Don.
In addition, Russian agricultural engineering enterprises are located in Chelyabinsk and Cheboksary. Another important enterprise engaged in the production of equipment for storing, cleaning and sorting grain is located in Voronezh and is called "Voronezhselmash".