Raba Automotive Holding Plc.
120
ÉV
1896-2016
History
Raba Automotive Holding Plc.
A factory is born
The first product of the Carriage Factory:
petroleum transport tank vehicle, 1897
The impact of the industrial revolution of the
mid-19th century originating in Western Europe,
England, primarily, reached Hungary, as well. This
affected Győr, the centre of the trading region of
Northern Trans-Danubia in the 1880s and ‘90s,
when several factories and industrial plants were
established in the town.
Among these facilities was the Spirit Factory, founded
in 1884 by 7 of the so-called “virilists”, the wealthiest taxpayers of Győr, among them Ágoston Léderer,
principal shareholder. In addition to the daily production of 150 hectolitres of alcohol, the Spirit Factory also
kept 1800 cattle on its 10-hectare premises.
By the end of the 1890’s the importance of animal
husbandry declined, there seemed to be considerable
demand for transport and machinery production,
though. This was when the idea of wagon production
first emerged, supported by the leaders of the town,
who also provided sizeable land for the unused plot of
the Spirit Factory.
At the founding general assembly meeting held 28th
December in 1896, 9 shareholders, including Emil Léderer
and his partners, established the Hungarian Railway Carriage
and Machine Works Plc.
Production began in the vacant stables of the spirit facility, with energy
initially supplied by its steam boilers. At the beginning, the factory had
200 workers. Production began in the summer of 1897. In terms of
the level of mechanisation, the facility represented the leading edge
of Hungarian industrial production.
Excerpts from the minutes of the
founding general meeting
of Hungarian Railway Carriage
and Machine Works Plc., 1896
The first product of the Wagon Factory was the 15-ton dual axis
petroleum tanker vehicle manufactured upon the order of GalíciaiKárpát Petróleum Rt. The first order was for 30 items.
The plant developed rapidly during the years following its foundation. In 1898, the one thousandth railway wagon rolled out of
the factory, capable at the time, of manufacturing 8-10 wagons
daily, with 1200 employees.
The products of the company were successful on the international market as well. The company delivered urban tram cars
to Amsterdam and Antwerp and passenger railway carriages to
Egypt, East-India and South Africa. The trainsets of the London
underground were also manufactured in Győr at the time. The
technical and engineering achievements of the factory earned
significant international recognition and an invitation to the
World Exposition in Paris in 1900.
Motor wagon for the London
Underground Railway, 1905
History
Raba Automotive Holding Plc.
With the development of road transportation and motorisation, the turn of the century brought profound changes in the automotive industry. In the early years of the 20th century, experiments aimed at manufacturing motor
vehicles for road transportation began in the
Waggongyár as well. In 1904 the first
automobile manufactured in Győr
was powered by steam engine
Mechanical four-wheel-drive
but the construction of a special
road towing vehicle, 1904
combustion engine vehicle was
commenced during the same year.
Csonka-type postal vehicle
In March of 1905, the Győr factory presented a unique structure at the 5th
International Autoshow in Vienna. The world’s first mechanical all wheel-drive
and –steer highway vehicle was manufactured based on the design of colonel
Tlaskal and under the leadership of engineer Koroknay. The special vehicle was
suitable to tow as many as five trailers, with an individual load of 2 tons per
trailer. Owing to its all-wheel steering structure, the trailer originally designed
for military purposes could equally be used for
forestry and agricultural applications and
lent itself to transportation on even the most
rugged terrain, including sinuous mountain
roads as well.
Postal vehicle chassis,
between 1905-1911
It was the competitive tender invitation of the postal service that gave
new impetus to the initial attempts at the production of motor vehicles
in Hungary. The Wagon Factory in Győr applied to the second tender
invitation with parcel transport vehicles manufactured on the basis of
János Csonka’s designs. The first experimental postal car was completed
in May 1905 and was launched on a 2000-kilometre test run, accomplished in
ten days with flawless operation. By 1911 the postal service ordered almost one hundred
of these vehicles. The manufacturing of the automotive chasses was overseen by János Csonka personally in Győr.
World’s first mechanical four-wheel-drive and –
steering road vehicle
History
Raba Automotive Holding Plc.
On 1st June, 1913. the Győr Chamber of Trade and Industry registered the Rába
trademark. The name was given by the river Rába dissecting the town and linking
the surrounding regions. Although the logo was renewed on several occasions during
the history of the company, the message of the trademark remains the same as that
of nearly one hundred years ago: it reflects quality guarantee, an international flair,
reliable traditions and modernity at the same time.
The first Rába logo
In 1913 the production of
the “V” type trucks and
later of the passenger cars
“Grand” and “Alpha” began
in Győr, based on the
“Praga” licence following
Frantisek Kec’s concept. In
1916, the Automotive Division celebrated the completion of the 500 th engine
already.
Rába-Grand car, winner of the 1914 Kárpáti Tour
Alpha-type
two-seater sports car, 1913
The production of the “V” type Rába trucks began in 1913. By 1918 the army purchased some 300 of the 3-5
ton load capacity, 35 horsepower vehicles. The product was adjusted to meet civilian needs at the beginning of
the 1920s, and was sold with increased loading capacity and in countless customized versions. Tilting trucks,
tankers, watering trucks, as well as fire fighting vehicles and repair trucks were built on the “V” chassis using
special car bodies. Noteworthy is a multidirectional vehicle developed by 1922, of which an armoured version
was also completed.
The 500th engine of the Car Department, 1916
Rába-Grand
passenger vehicle of
King Charles 4th, 1918
In 1914 the first series of 10 of the 5-15 horsepower “Alpha”
cars was completed. The two- and four-seater cars were designed for civilian use, at the outbreak of the war, however, the
six-seater “Grand” type, better suited to the needs of the
army gained special attention. During the years of
WWI the vehicles were equipped with troop
commander and casualty transport
car bodies. The civilian versions
of the “Grand” type were also
successful, winning prizes at the
1913 Alpine Tour and the 1914
Carpathian Tour as well. In 1917
a special luxury edition of the
Rába “Grand” passenger car was
manufactured in Győr for King
Charles the Fourth.
Rába „V”-type truck with trailer
History
Raba Automotive Holding Plc.
War period
During the years of the war, the Railway Carriage Factory continued to
manufacture its usual products. Since the facility was suitable for the
production of equipment and supplies for the army, developments and
modernizations were implemented to step up production, primarily in the
automotive section. During this period the factory turned out transport
equipment of key military importance, including coal transport wagons
used to keep the military industry running, as well as military trucks and
command vehicles.
The K II. type power plows manufactured
from 1915 onwards, were powered by
the Grand engine with reduced rpm. The
same engine could be used to power
other agricultural machinery, including
shredders and grinders, it even lent itself
to applications to tow trailers both in the
fields and on the highway.
Following the outbreak of WWI, the factory began to manufacture agricultural machinery. KI and KII type, 40 HP motorized ploughs, earning international success, among others on the Rumanian, Bulgarian, Spanish and
Moroccan markets, were manufactured around this time.
The end of WWI saw the end of an era in
the technological history of the plant as
well. By 1918 a large-scale operating
plant with state-of-the-art equipment
emerged. By then the factory occupied
some 300 thousand sqm of land, with
its own iron and steel foundry, material
testing unit and a state-of-the-art
forging facility. Separate construction
units and workshops served each
product division (railway cars, bridge
and iron structures, automotive, military
vehicles, power plows and lifting equipment, railway structures). The energy
needs of the plant were supplied by a
2800 horsepower power plant and a
separate steam facility.
The K II. type power plow, 1915
In 1924 the management of the factory
thought it was time to review the production programme of the automotive
department and set new directions for
the period ahead. By 1925 the production of the Rába V. and Rába P. types,
as well as of the K II. power plows and
the Rába Grand vehicles, and thus of
passenger cars came thus practically to
an end.
View of Hungarian Railway Carriage
and Machine Works Plc.
History
Raba Automotive Holding Plc.
1925 saw the beginning of the
construction of 3-ton quick trucks
and 24-30 passenger buses
based on the new “L” type chassis
developed in collaboration with the
specialists of the Praga factory.
In 1927 the foundation of the Metropolitan Bus Plant (Fővárosi Autóbusz
Üzem) and the changing demands
of the market gave new impetus
to technical development. In 1928
the Győr company introduced new
truck and bus types. The sales of the
vehicles based on state-of-the-art
structural principles, was hindered by
the world economic crisis. The mid1930s saw major restructuring measures at the company.
Rába-Krupp truck with trailer
Rába A.F. truck
L-type postal bus
built under the ’Praha’ licence
Rába-Krupp fuel transport
tanker vehicle
Rába AFi truck
The sale of the modern Rába-Krupp quick trucks for the transportation of goods and materials began in 1929. The
vehicles featuring four or six cylinders were manufactured to carry 3-10 tons of useful load, including the trailer.
A special off-road vehicle was developed for military applications already in 1931 in addition to the fuel transport tanker vehicles, watering and three-way tilting vehicles manufactured for communal use. Urban and long-distance buses
with a capacity of 30, 35 and 50 passengers respectively were also running, featuring bus bodies. The production
of the Rába-Krupp vehicles was discontinued in 1939, to be replaced by the more modern Super and Special types.
In 1928, the Győr Waggongyár concluded a
licence agreement with the Austrian Automobile Co. (previously Austro-Fiat) and in 1929
introduced the Rába A. F. 1.5-ton light utility
vehicles on the market. These vehicles were
manufactured in 6 type variations until 1934.
The same Rába AF chassis accommodated
among others postal parcel vehicles, plateau
trucks, vans, ambulance vehicles, as well as
20-22 passenger urban and long-distance
buses. By 1935, the improved version of the
quick truck, marked AFi for military applications
was completed.
History
The production of the Rába-developed 2.5-ton Rába Super
quick trucks and the 24-passenger buses began in 1936.
A year later a new version, with increased
capacity (3.5 tons) was also manufactured,
under the name Rába Special. An important structural novelty of the Rába
Super and Rába Special buses was the
welded steel structure introduced with
these types for the first time, to replace the
earlier wooden frame. Some 2500 vehicles
were manufactured until 1951 of this most
successful vehicle family of the period.
In the 1930s, Hungarian specialists also became
increasingly interested in the idea of manufacturing
diesel engines. The management of the Győr plant
decided to introduce crude oil engines in 1937 and
to this end concluded a licence agreement with the
company MAN. The four-cylinder, 65 and 80 HP diesel engines were used in the Rába Super D and Rába
Speciál D types. The six-cylinder, 100 HP engines
were used in the 50-passenger “tram
buses” in Budapest after 1940.
Raba Automotive Holding Plc.
Rába Super quick truck
Rába Special
type urban bus
The first power plows were replaced by the Rába small
tractor, the new product developed in Győr by the late 1920s,
to meet the demands of medium-size and small agricultural
operations. The two-cylinder engine of the tractor could run
on both petrol and petroleum. The biggest advantage of
the structure was its light weight and small turning radius,
together with its reliability and easy handling.
Based on the experience gained through the
Rába small truck and on the emerging demand,
engineers of the Győr plant began to develop a
multi-purpose agricultural equipment equipped
with gear-shift. From 1939 this type, the Rába
Mindenes, was the only type in production.
The tractor Mindenes became the favoured
utility vehicle of medium-size businesses and it
was also used in large agricultural enterprises
for the preparation of the soil, as well as for
threshing and grinding.
Rába Mindenes
(all-purpose) tractor, 1939
First Rába DST tram bus
Rába small tractor
Rába Super
quick truck
History
Raba Automotive Holding Plc.
Vehicle manufacturing saw a revival in the second half of the 1930s,
with preparation for the war in the focus. In his “Győr speech” in March
1938, Darányi announced a military development programme of 1
billion pengő, the Hungarian currency at the time.
In 1938, based on the drawings of Dezső Winkler,
the Botond military off-road vehicle, one of Rába’s
legendary products was born. The prototype vehicle
was tested by the specialists of the Institute for
Defense Technology for thousands of kilometers under
the most challenging conditions. The vehicle passed
the test with flying colours and in 1939 the Ministry of
Defense ordered more than 1400 pieces of this type.
Troop exercise in 1938 with
Rába Botond military offroad
vehicle, in Hajmáskér
The 1.5-ton, extremely reliable vehicles, excellently
adaptable to terrain conditions gained immediate
popularity – according to some military experts, the
best off-road vehicle of the war was constructed in
Győr. The production was organized as a cooperation
of six Hungarian factories supervised from Győr. A new
order came in the early 1940s and 1400 new vehicles
were manufactured in the Botond II programme.
In 1942 the Ministry of Defense ordered 3-ton, 65 HP
trucks. The factory manufactured 350 pieces of the vehicle
named Maros. Similarly, upon orders received from the
Ministry of Defense, the engineers in Győr developed
a four-wheel artillery tractor reliable under off-road
circumstances as well. The prototype was completed by
1943, serial production, however, never materialized.
Four-wheel-drive artillery
towing vehicle
Rába Maros truck
History
Raba Automotive Holding Plc.
In 1944 the plant suffered multiple bomb attacks, the
first and most dramatic one occurring on 13 April. The
air strike had claimed a death toll of some 300 people,
and nearly two thirds of the buildings and 70% of the
production equipment were damaged.
In March 1945 the factory was subjected to Soviet
military command and was nationalized in 1946, with
the name of the company changed to Magyar Vagon
és Gépgyár (MVG – Hungarian Wagon and Machinery
Factory). In 1949 a decision was adopted to reorganize
vehicle manufacturing in Hungary, which put an end to
independent motor vehicle production in Győr.
Rába was also involved in the
production of the mid-size
armoured vehicle Turán based
on Skoda licence. The military
vehicles featured a 250 HP
gasoline engine and were capable of a speed of 2.5 km/h
off-road and of between 40
and 50 km/h on the highway
and could be used on inclines
of up to 45°. The manufacturing works and material requirements of the armoured vehicle
equaled those of nearly seven
trucks. The first vehicles were
delivered to the troops in 1942.
Turán medium-size tank
During WWII, the Győr factory was active in aircraft manufacturing as well. In the aircraft workshop established
in 1936, initially aircraft engines, later aircraft bodies were repaired to be followed by the independent production of aircrafts as well. By the end of the decade, as a result of the ongoing development, an aircraft factory,
with its own airfield was in place with nearly 1000 workers. Besides the Sólyom (falcon) reconnaissance planes
developed in-house, italic FIAT, german Focke-Wulf practice bombers and later Messerschmitt fighter planes and
fighter bombers were also manufactured in the Győr hangars.
„FIAT-Cr 32”
single person
fighter plane
Destructions
of the war
History
Raba Automotive Holding Plc.
The years of
the rebuilding
In the early 1960s, the company reverted
to vehicle production. The first prototype of
the floating reconnaissance motor vehicle
(FUG) was completed and as a result of the
ongoing development work, the PSZH was
born. The armoured vehicle characterized
by excellent maneuverability both on land
and in water, produced in various type
variants, represented significant firing
power and offered armoured protection to
its operators.
Following WWII, In 1951 car manufacturing was discontinued
in the Győr factory. The bridge and iron structures plant, as
well as the wagon manufacturing unit of the factory gained
a prominent role in the restoration of transport in Hungary,
as well as in the compensation works. The company was
involved in the reconstruction of a number of destroyed
bridges in the country.
The post-war years saw the addition of new products to
the company’s portfolio. The company offered to produce
industrial, bridge, as well as portal cranes, electric forklifts
and special iron structures.
The floating reconnaissance
motor vehicle (FUG)
Assembly of port travelling crane
Through the involvement in the
highway vehicle programme in
the 1960s, the highway vehicle
manufacturing division came to
the forefront of attention again.
The division focused on the
production of modern main units,
axles developed in-house, capable
of the transmission of increased
engine performance, as well as on
diesel engines based on the MAN
licence.
Rába-MAN
Diesel engine
FUG (Amphibious
armoured vehicle)
navigating
a trench
Danube bridge at Révfalu
The Győr Gas Works ordered gas
containers and a revolving bridge for
the delta of the Nile was also built in
Győr. In 1949 a new steel foundry was
put into operation, featuring state-ofthe-art machinery and a conveyor belt
system.
The new steel foundry
History
Raba Automotive Holding Plc.
Large-scale capital expenditure programmes were launched in
order to develop the necessary production base. By 1967, the
28,000 sqm production hall equipped with modern machinery
was completed, together with the tooling and maintenance
workshops, ready to launch large-series axle production. The
new engine factory was inaugurated in 1969 and in 1973 the
one hundred thousandth axle was completed, to be followed
by the fifty thousandth RÁBA-MAN engine two years later.
Rába 831
type truck
The new Rába trucks were introduced at the 1969 Budapest International Fair. The vehicles featured the newly
developed Rába axles and 215 HP diesel engines. Serial
production began in 1970, with the delivery of 100 pieces of
38-ton Hungarocamion trucks. Truck manufacturing came
to its peak in the eighties, with the majority of the over one
thousand units produced annually sold on the export market. Rába trucks were sold in 16 countries in the world and
by 2002 nearly 18 thousand trucks rolled out of Győr.
Rába 836 type truck
Axle assembly in the Rába factory
Diesel engine manufacturing in Rába
Fifty thousandth
RÁBA-MAN engine
One of the first
Rába axles
History
Raba Automotive Holding Plc.
By 1974 the Rába-Steiger prime mover
adapted to the needs of large-scale
agricultural production in Hungary was
completed and in the following year
already more than 400 units were
manufactured. These high-performance
tractors were coupled by state-of-the-art
utility machinery.
In 1977 the company Steiger ordered axles for
power machinery protected by Rába patent. Thus,
the axles manufactured in Győr emerged on the
market of the United States. During the years,
Rába developed market contacts with the leading
companies of the automotive industry and in a
mere two decades Rába exports to the US already
exceeded USD 700 million.
Rába-Steiger prime movers
Rába-Steiger
prime mover
Rába-Steiger prime mover axles
Owing to the fast and ongoing expansion of production
capacities, by 1980 Rába became one of the leading
industrial companies in Hungary, ranking third among
Hungarian companies in production value and second
in headcount. Axles represented 40% of the production,
engine manufacturing represented over 30% and trucks
and power machinery, together with agricultural machinery
made up 7.5% each. Rába, with its nearly 20 thousand
employees had component manufacturing plants and
assembly bases in 7 provincial towns in addition to the
Győr headquarters.
Historical life cycle calculations
Rába 831 type truck
History
Raba Automotive Holding Plc.
The years
of the transition
3D axle drawing
During the Kádár-regime, the business partners of the
Győr plant included the Soviet Union in the first place
and the COMECON countries, as well as Yugoslavia
and the Arab countries.
1989 brought significant changes in the life of the
company as well. In the early 1990s the state owned
company lost a substantial portion of its market
contacts and had to thus face serious challenges: its
product mix and market contacts, as well as its network
of suppliers and resources had to be restructured.
Robot-X at Rába Axle Ltd.
The activities of Rába Automotive
Holding Co. Ltd. are today based
on three interrelated but legally
independent pillars.
Since the company was most acknowledged by the
markets of the more developed countries primarily
because of its axles and axle parts, the management
of the company set the strategic goal to maintain and
possibly improve the competitiveness of this business
division even at the expense of other units. Since the
1980’s, Rába has been regarded as an acclaimed global
producer of front and rear axles. The division continues
to generate the best results within the company.
Axle assembly
In 1992 Rába was once again turned into a joint stock
company. As a result of the privatization strategy developed
and implemented together with the administration, Rába
Rt.’s shares were listed on the Budapest Stock
Exchange on 17 December, 1997.
Gears
In 1999 the company outsourced a substantial
portion of its activities and continued its
operation as a holding. In 2001 the engine
division no longer profitable was sold and
the bus manufacturing activities were also
discontinued. Since 2005 the company has
been operating as a publicly listed company.
As the largest member of the group,
the axle business is involved in the
development and manufacturing of
complete axles, axle units and
parts of axles. The business unit
is producing mainly for export, its
strategic markets include the United
States, Europe and the CIS countries.
The products of this division are
installed primarily in medium and
heavy freight vehicles and special
vehicles, as well as in tractors and
utility vehicles, buses and trolley
buses.
History
Raba Automotive Holding Plc.
In 2010 the company launched
a comprehensive innovation
and technological development
programme, implemented within the framework of the Rába
Development Institute. The new
technological centre allows the
development of a new generation of axles, suspension and
transmission systems at higher
intensity and at an advanced
level for modern buses, trucks
and agricultural power machinery.
Rába Technological Demonstration Centre
Rába components
Cover production
The Mór plant is primarily involved in the production
of seats and seat components, whereas the Sárvár
operation manufactures machined and
pressed metal components. This business
unit is linked to the regional automotive
industry as a tier one and tier two supplier
to vehicle manufacturers active in the
European Union and in Hungary.
Wire bending machine
In the early years of the 21st
century Rába established its
uniform component business
with an eye towards the
integration into the international
supply chains of the automotive
industry.
Component manufacturing and
customer service are currently
taking place at the Mór, Sárvár
and Esztergom sites.
Rába’s Sárvár plant
Rába seat frame
History
Raba Automotive Holding Plc.
Since 2003 the vehicle business manufacturing complete vehicles, automotive
structures and chassis, together with
its international partners, has been the
exclusive off-road vehicle supplier to the
Hungarian Ministry of Defense. Relying on
its expertise developed over the years, it
also produces chassis for state-of-the-art
construction vehicles, utility vehicles and
buses for the European market.
In addition to the military transport vehicles
and civilian structures, the strategic
product portfolio of the business division
is complemented by road vehicles suitable
for urban and suburban community
transport. Products intended for civilian
use represent a steadily increasing portion
within the orders of the company.
The Rába H type family of vehicles for special military and
civilian applications – including peace-keeping missions, as
well as disaster prevention – is the result of development efforts
spanning over more than a decade. The vehicles, fully compliant
with modern warfare and special engineering requirements, can
be transported by rail, air or sea and can be armoured, as an
option. These vehicles are upgraded on an ongoing
basis, in line with special defense needs.
Chassis
First fire-fighting chassis
Protected Rear Compartment (PRC)
Military vehicles
Rába S91 midibus
History
Raba Automotive Holding Plc.
International presence
Rába with its products is present in numerous countries
worldwide and has long-term business relations with its key
partners. Rába’s cooperations and strategic partnerships
are based on mutual trust, as well as on the company’s
demonstrated automotive expertise. We can meet the
diverse needs of customers from various continents and
diverse cultural backgrounds at a high standard.
Rába on
global market
Rába places the following solid values
at the foundations of its progress:
•The ability to innovate and the
operation of a knowledge base
both individually and with partners
•Engineering experience, creativity,
and a customer-focused team of
professionals
•Complex solutions from conceptual design
to complete product development and
testing to mass production
•Quality approach, we aim to provide
the highest standard of supply and
level of product quality in cooperation
with our partners.
Front axle robot cell
3D axle drawing
Continuing the technological modernisation and
business development efforts of the past years,
Rába plans to implement capital expenditure
projects, with possible acquisitions aimed at further
modernisation of strategic significance, as well as
to strengthen its international presence.
Raba Automotive Holding Plc.
9027 Győr, Martin u. 1.
[email protected] • www.raba.hu/english
Published: 2016.