SOK Group

File:Подвесной конвейер завода 'Рослада'.jpg factory in 2005]]

The SOK Group started in 1994 as an AvtoVAZ dealership, growing to become one of the main automotive companies in Russia.{{cite book|last1=Inc|first1=IBP|title=Russia Automobile Industry Directory - Strategic Information and Contacts|date=2009|isbn=9781438740249|page=141|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vG-uBgAAQBAJ&pg=PA141}} SOK managed to gain control of RosLada, an automotive plant that had been established in 1998 on the grounds of the former Luch Design Bureau in Syzran,{{cite news|title=Променяли машины на плитку|url=http://shark.vedomosti.ru/newspaper/articles/2007/03/15/promenyali-mashiny-na-plitku|accessdate=2 June 2017|publisher=Vedomosti.ru|date=15 March 2007}} and used it to produce old AvtoVAZ models.

In 1999 the ownership of the Izhmash-Avto plant in Izhevsk, which produced old AvtoVAZ models under the Izh brand, was transferred to the group.{{cite news|last1=Chivers|first1=C. J.|title=Workers Feel the Growing Pains of Russia's Auto Industry|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/15/world/europe/workers-feel-the-growing-pains-of-russias-auto-industry.html|accessdate=2 June 2017|work=The New York Times|date=15 November 2004}} SOK also included over 40 other factories, mostly in the automotive component business, and employed over 100,000 workers.

Revenues grew from $19 million in 1999 to close to $200 million in 2002. It was the second largest passenger car producer in Russia after AvtoVAZ, with production totaling 121,172 cars in 2002.{{cite book|title=A Review Of The Russian Automotive Component Sector|date=2004|publisher=International Finance Corporation|page=47|url=http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/291531468144291822/pdf/395550RU0Automotive0Component01PUBLIC1.pdf}} In August 2003 VAZInterService became part of the group.{{cite web|title=История и структура |url=http://www.vazinter.ru/epage.php?CatID=0000000001 |publisher=ВАЗинтерСервис |accessdate=2 June 2017 |date=30 December 2004 |url-status=bot: unknown |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20041230042026/http://www.vazinter.ru/epage.php?CatID=0000000001 |archivedate=30 December 2004 }}

By 2004 the group had $2 billion in revenues and supplied 37%-50% of all AvtoVAZ accessories; AvtoVAZ could not withdraw from such cooperation agreements without paying SOK $492 million in penalties.{{Citation needed|date=November 2020}} In October 2005 SOK reportedly owned over 60% of AvtoVAZ shares, and ousted Vladimir Kadannikov, the company's chairman.{{cite news|last1=Емельянова|first1=Екатерина|last2=Трифонов|first2=Владислав|title=Владимир Каданников выработал ресурс|url=https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/621835|accessdate=2 June 2017|work=Газета "Коммерсантъ"|date=28 October 2005|pages=1}}

SOK group attempted to gain control of AvtoVAZ, which was instead gained by the state-owned Rostec corporation. The Rostec-appointed AvtoVAZ management began to phase out or rescind supply contracts between SOK and AvtoVAZ.{{cite news|title=Как группа "СОК" проиграла битву за АвтоВАЗ: расследование |url=http://www.forbes.ru/investitsii/83344-kak-gruppa-sok-proigrala-bitvu-za-avtovaz |accessdate=2 June 2017 |work=Forbes.ru |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20161126070209/http://www.forbes.ru/investitsii/83344-kak-gruppa-sok-proigrala-bitvu-za-avtovaz |archivedate=26 November 2016 }}

In 2008, SOK began negotiations to sell the IzhAvto plant to AvtoVAZ.{{cite news|title=Investigators Say IzhAvto Owners Stole Assets|url=https://themoscowtimes.com/articles/investigators-say-izhavto-owners-stole-assets-5088|accessdate=2 June 2017|publisher=Moscow Times|language=en}} In 2009 the group was forced to sell its automotive components holdings to AvtoVAZ, after SOK had disrupted the schedule of deliveries to the company.{{cite news|title=AvtoVAZ could buy the business of its largest supplier|url=http://eng.autostat.ru/news/view/10693/|accessdate=2 June 2017|work=Autostat.ru|language=en}} The components business ultimately came under control of Rostec as the United Automotive Technologies group. In 2010 the president of the group, wanted over allegations of fraudulent conveyance during the IzhAvto bankruptcy of 2009, escaped to the United Arab Emirates. The group's last assets were sold in January 2013.{{cite news|title=Группа "СОК" продала последний актив в России|url=http://www.rbc.ru/economics/31/01/2013/570402e59a7947fcbd44531c|accessdate=2 June 2017|work=РБК}}

Car models produced by the group:{{cite web|title=Структура бизнеса Группы "СОК" |url=http://www.sok.ru/about/management/ |accessdate=2 June 2017 |date=12 August 2006 |url-status=bot: unknown |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060812014215/http://www.sok.ru/about/management/ |archivedate=12 August 2006 }}

• VAZ-2106
• VAZ-21043
• VAZ-2107
• Izh 2126
• Izh 2117
• VAZ-21093

• Promek Bank, later sold to Societe Generale
• TV channel Orion
• Volgomost, a bridge construction company

{{reflist|30em}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20100824170630/http://www.sok.ru/ SOK Group] (archived)

{{automotive industry in Russia}}

Category:Defunct motor vehicle manufacturers of Russia

Category:Russian companies established in 1994

Category:Companies based in Samara, Russia