LIAZ (LIberecké Automobilové Závody – Liberec Automobil Works) is a defunct Czech and Czechoslovak manufacturer of trucks. The company was formed in 1951 by the government as a division of Škoda, incorporating eight other truck manufacturers into a single conglomerate. In 1953 LIAZ became independent of Škoda but still continued to use its name until 1984 (Škoda LIAZ). After the 1989 revolution, there was however a significant loss of production.
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Type | Private |
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Industry | Automotive |
Predecessor | Reichenberger Automobil Fabrik |
Founded | January 1, 1951; 71 years ago (1951-01-01) |
Defunct | September 1, 2003; 19 years ago (2003-09-01) |
Successor | TEDOM Truck |
Headquarters | , Czech Republic |
Products | trucks |
Website | www.liaz.cz |
LIAZ's headquarters in Liberec were where the former Reichenberger Automobil Fabrik (RAF) had been located.[1] RAF operated in Liberec in 1907, in 1912 it was bought by Laurin & Klement, and in 1916 moved its production technology to Mladá Boleslav to leave Liberec's production facilities to textile entrepreneurs.
Škoda LIAZ's main truck plants were in Liberec, Rýnovice, Mnichovo Hradiště and Jablonec nad Nisou. Later on, factories in Mělník, Zvolen, Veľký Krtíš, Přerov and Holýšov were added. LIAZ has gradually grown and increased its staff and production levels - in 1975 it employed 11,000 workers and produced 13,600 utility vehicles annually. In the 1970s LIAZ was the biggest Czechoslovak truck manufacturer, with an annual production of 15,000 trucks with the plant running at full capacity.[1]
However, after the 1989 revolution and subsequent economic problems, LIAZ lost almost all of its sales and was unable to find new, and so the production gradually declined. Not even the introduction of a new, modern Škoda 400 line (Xena and Fox) could help the company to achieve better results. In 2000, the company was bought by Slovakian Sipox Holding, which however did not have enough money to finance production. Production ceased in September 2003.[2]
Tedom Truck, based in Třebíč, bought in 2006 all the rights to produce LIAZ trucks, including the factory, technical documentation, and know-how for engine production. It produced the Fox model line series and modernized older LIAZ vehicles. However, the company entered liquidation on 1 January 2010. So instead of the planned 5,000 vehicles annually, only 19 were made, of which 9 were modernized LIAZ vehicles.[3]
The LIAZ brand was bought by holding Czechoslovak Group and on 22 December 2017, LIAZ Trucks was established.[4]
A few examples of products
R series (1952–1958)
name | type | axles | drive | cab |
---|---|---|---|---|
ŠKODA 706 R | drop side truck | 2 | 4x2 | short |
ŠKODA 706 RS | tipper | 2 | 4x2 | short |
ŠKODA 706 ROK | garbage truck | 2 | 4x2 | middle |
RT series (1957–1990)
name | type | axles | drive | cab |
---|---|---|---|---|
ŠKODA 706 RT | drop side truck | 2 | 4x2 | middle |
ŠKODA 706 RTTN | truck tractor | 2 | 4x2 | middle |
ŠKODA 706 RTS | tipper | 2 | 4x2 | middle |
ŠKODA 706 RTHP | fire truck | 2 | 4x4 | double cab |
MT series (1969–1990)
name | type | axles | drive | cab |
---|---|---|---|---|
ŠKODA LIAZ 706 MTC | drop side truck | 2 | 4x2 | middle |
ŠKODA LIAZ 706 MTTN | truck tractor | 2 | 4x2 | middle |
ŠKODA LIAZ 706 MTSP | tipper | 2 | 4x4 | short |
100 series (1974–2003)
name | type | axles | drive | cab |
---|---|---|---|---|
ŠKODA LIAZ 100.47 | truck tractor | 2 | 4x2 | middle |
ŠKODA LIAZ 100.05] | drop side truck | 2 | 4x2 | middle |
LIAZ 111.054 | drop side truck | 2 | 4x4 | middle |
LIAZ 122.053 | drop side truck | 3 | 6x2 | middle |
LIAZ 151.261 | tipper | 2 | 4x4 | short |
LIAZ 101.860 | fire truck | 2 | 4x4 | special |
200 series (1990–1995)
name | type | axles | drive | cab |
---|---|---|---|---|
LIAZ 230.573 | truck tractor | 2 | 4x2 | high |
LIAZ 230.073 | drop side truck | 2 | 4x2 | high |
LIAZ 250.261 | tipper | 2 | 4x2 | short |
LIAZ 251.154 | army truck | 2 | 4x4 | short |
LIAZ 232.471 | truck tractor | 3 | 6x2 | middle |
300 series (1992–2003)
name | type | axles | drive | cab |
---|---|---|---|---|
ŠKODA LIAZ 18.33 TBV | truck tractor | 2 | 4x2 | high |
ŠKODA LIAZ 18.29 PB | drop side truck | 2 | 4x2 | middle |
ŠKODA LIAZ 18.29 SA | tipper | 2 | 4x4 | short |
ŠKODA LIAZ 18.29 XA | fire truck | 2 | 4x4 | special |
ŠKODA LIAZ 24.33 PZV | drop side truck | 3 | 6x2/2 | high |
ŠKODA LIAZ 24.23 KYV | garbage truck | 3 | 6x2/4 | middle |
ŠKODA LIAZ 29.33 SD | tipper | 3 | 6x4 | short |
ŠKODA LIAZ 29.33 SDA | tipper | 3 | 6x6 | short |
ŠKODA LIAZ 40.33 SC | tipper | 4 | 8x4 | short |
ŠKODA LIAZ 12.18 PB/S | delivery truck | 2 | 4x2 | short Steyr |
400 series (1996–2003)
name | type | axles | drive | cab |
---|---|---|---|---|
ŠKODA Xena | truck tractor | 2 | 4x2 | high |
ŠKODA Fox | tipper | 2 | 4x2 | short |
TEDOM 400 (2006–2009)
name | type | axles | drive | cab |
---|---|---|---|---|
TEDOM Fox | tipper | 2 | 4x4 | short |
TEDOM Fox 6x4 | tipper | 3 | 6x4 | short |
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Notable achievements of LIAZ in motorsport
Paris-Dakar and other rallies(more information and images: )
European truck racing championship (more information and images: )
European truck-trial championship (more information and images: )
Trucks manufactured by LIAZ | |
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cab-over trucks |
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General | |
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National libraries |