| | The URAL saga
 | |
It’s been more than fifty years that the Russians have been manufacturing this sidecar inspired from World War 2 BMW R-71. In 1950, with the 30 000th sidecar coming out from the production line, the first exports towards developping countries begin. Internal demand and national deals concluded with USSR’s affiliate countries boost the production, which reaches up to 140 000 machines in 1988 and 1989 (vs. 2400 in 2004).
The manufacture then has 9000 employees (vs. 1000 today). Perestroïka and Glasnost put an end to this prosperous era. The nationalized manufacture is first transformed into a mixt company (22% for the government, 40% for the management and the employees, and 38% for private investors) before being bought by a private investor in 1998.
Since then, Ural has kept opening out on western world, hence a complete reorganization of the company and modernization of the production, with technological renewal and development of distribution network.
| |
