Kirovograd Red Star Agricultural Machinery Plant

a major USSR farm machine building enterprise in Kirovograd, Ukrainian SSR. Founded in 1874 by British capitalists, the Elworthys, as a shop for repairing farm equipment, by the end of the 19th century it had become a factory producing horse-drawn seeders, threshers, oil presses, and other machines. In 1922 the plant was renamed the Red Star Agricultural Machinery Plant. Under the prewar five-year plans (1929–40), the plant was modernized and enlarged, and in 1940 it produced more than 20 types of farm machinery. During the occupation of Kirovograd by the fascist German troops the plant was almost totally destroyed. Reconstruction began in 1944 and was soon completed; subsequently many improvements were made and several new sections added. In 1970 the plant included a section producing gray and malleable cast iron, a forge and press, sections producing general metal goods and wood products, and five assembly shops. Production processes are mechanized. The principal product is tractor seeders, of which 1.8 million were manufactured between 1946 and 1970. The plant has been awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labor (1965).