Established on 15^th October 1954, Factory Z157 (the Factory), under the Department of Vehicles and Machinery, the General Department of Engineering, is tasked with repairing and maintaining technical equipment for various types of passenger cars, command vehicles, and specialised vehicles. The Factory also trains technical staff for the maintenance and repair of new-generation vehicle-machinery equipment for military units nationwide and provides technical support for vehicles and machinery for major national and military events. Over the course of its 70-year history, with multiple renaming and restructuring efforts, generations of the Factory’s staff have consistently upheld the spirit of solidarity, proactivity, and creativity, overcoming numerous difficulties and hardships to excellently complete their assigned tasks. Their efforts have significantly contributed to the proud achievements of the Military Technical sector, affirming the “Z157” brand as the Military's premier vehicle-machinery technical support centre. The Factory has been awarded 13 various Victory Medals, one Third-class Fatherland Protection Medal, and many other prestigious honours in recognition of its remarkable achievements.

General Technical Department inspects the Factory’s vehicle maintenance and repair

In recent years, the Factory’s missions have evolved, with an increasing number of diverse vehicles requiring maintenance, repair, and synchronisation. The diverse range of these vehicles includes not only older models but also the latest generation of vehicles and machinery, which involves highly complex and precise procedures. Meanwhile, this shift comes amidst the Factory's limited resources, out-dated facilities, and shortage of skilled personnel. In response , following Directive 26/CT-TCKT dated 31 August 2010 of Chief of the General Department of Engineering on developing a project aiming to enhance technical assurance capabilities for new-generation command vehicles and to repair new-generation automobiles at the Factory, its Party Committee and Board of Directors have strengthened leadership and direction on vehicle - machinery technical assurance tasks. This includes organisational restructuring, building human resources, innovating management mechanisms, and modernising infrastructure for the sake of improved quality and effectiveness of maintenance and repair, meeting both immediate and long-term tasks.

The Factory's Party Committee has also adopted a specialised resolution on enhancing repair and maintenance capabilities, emphasising the development of high-quality human resources. As part of this strategic direction, the Factory has restructured its organisation to become “elite, compact, effective”, aligned with its current operational practices. Additionally, attention has been paid to comprehensively reviewing its staff members' performance to serve workforce planning and training efforts. Special attention is given to enhancing young engineers and technicians' expertise. Training programs have been revamped to emphasise practical, hands-on repair skills, focusing on real-world scenarios and on-the-job opportunities. To achieve high effectiveness, the Factory has also established strong partnerships with automobile giants like TOYOTA, KIA, HONDA, and HYUNDAI, facilitating specialised training workshops on the latest repair and maintenance technologies for new-generation vehicles and machinery. The Factory has also developed specialised mechanisms to encourage its employees to engage in self-directed learning and skills enhancement. One of the notable successes is its emphasis on empowering younger staff to take on challenging roles and important tasks, fostering their skills and readiness for management positions. This has helped to create a supportive and equitable working environment with ample opportunities for professional growth. The Factory has also offered employees and their families benefit packages, ensuring a stable and motivated workforce. As a result of these initiatives, currently, 100% of the Factory’s cadres and engineers hold university degrees, with over 25% possessing master’s degrees; more than 76.2% of technical staff have  intermediate qualifications or higher. This is a crucial factor in enhancing its quality of vehicle-machinery technical assurance.

To address its heavy workload amidst limited human resources and infrastructure, the Factory took the initiative to propose that the Department of Vehicles - Machinery recommend the General Department of Engineering to task the Factory with hosting technical training courses. These courses aim to train and build up skills among technicians regarding the repair and maintenance of new-generation vehicle - machinery equipment for units across the armed forces, thereby enhancing their on-site capabilities. To effectively carry out this task, the Factory has carefully selected skilled engineers and technicians with pedagogical abilities to form specialised training teams and prepare comprehensive lesson plans and training facilities. The training approach focuses on a seamless blend of theory and practice, with a strong emphasis on hands-on training. The use of technology and simulation in teaching has been actively promoted, along with the study and incorporation of real-life situations into the curriculum, enhancing learners’ analytical and problem-solving skills. Furthermore, the courses include field trips to workshops, allowing learners to gain valuable practical experience. Since 2019, the Factory has successfully trained hundreds of technicians and repairmen for military units across the country, ensuring high-quality training that has received positive feedback from these units.

Large-scale vehicle repair at the Factory

In tandem with developing a high-quality workforce, the Factory has actively mobilised resources to invest in technological innovation and to modernise maintenance and repair equipment. Adhering to a proactive approach towards adopting advanced technologies, the Factory has focused on investing in modern equipment and facilities, with a particular emphasis on acquiring state-of-the-art, multi-purpose equipment for new-generation vehicles and machines. Key investments include the procurement of high-tech specialised equipment, such as the G-scan II and G-scan III multifunctional diagnostic tools, steering system calibration devices, the EA6000 gasoline engine parameter analyser, CNC lathes, and the latest generation of metalworking and welding machines. Alongside these technological upgrades, the Factory has also undertaken comprehensive improvements to its workshop infrastructure, ensuring that its facilities meet the increasing demands of modern maintenance tasks. To date, these investments have made a significant impact on the quality of the Factory’s repair and maintenance work, particularly for new-generation equipment. This has led to reduced labour intensity and shortened maintenance and repair duration, thereby improving overall repair quality.

To elevate the quality of vehicle - machinery repair and maintenance, especially for specialised military vehicles and new-generation ones, the Factory has intensified technical improvements, and the application of new scientific and technological advancements in repair and maintenance activities. In recent years, the number of vehicles and machinery sent to the Factory for service has steadily increased, including many with severe issues, while the availability of compatible materials and spare parts has been critically low. To address this, the Factory has directed its sections to thoroughly examine the state of various vehicle-machine types. For older generation vehicles, the focus is on researching and manufacturing scarce components and materials. For new generation vehicles, efforts are concentrated on improving maintenance processes and researching initiatives that apply modern technology to repairs. To ensure the effectiveness and practicality of these efforts, the Factory has introduced regulations on recognising innovations and research proposals, providing a unified framework for implementation. Annually, the Factory’s Science and Technology Council selects highly applicable projects and innovations for funding and support. Special policies have also been introduced to opportunely commend and reward collectives and individuals for their outstanding achievements in scientific research and technical innovations. Since 2019, the Factory has conducted over 200 projects and innovations, with many at the General Department level and some winning high awards in the “Military Creative Youth Competition” competition.

In addition to its regular duties, the Factory has been recently entrusted with providing technical support for significant national political events. The Factory’s Party Committee and Board of Directors consider this as a great honour and a critically important political task that must be executed flawlessly. Therefore, for each assigned task, the Factory has closely cooperated with relevant units in developing meticulous and scientific implementation plans. The best personnel, both in terms of political qualities and technical expertise, are selected to form mobile repair teams, who are given priority regarding necessary equipment. Throughout the process, leaders at all levels have closely monitored and supported those teams, promptly addressing any problems that may arise. As a result, the Factory has always accomplished its assigned tasks. In 2024, the Factory successfully provided technical support for various events, such as the grand welcome ceremonies for the President of the Federal Republic of Germany, the President of Indonesia, the 70^th Anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu Victory, the Review Conference of military exercises directed by the Ministry of National Defence in 2023, the 2024 Army-wide Operations Staff Training Workshop, and notably, the funeral of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.

With pride in its tradition achievements, the Factory continues to foster unity and uphold the spirit of “proactivity, creativity, self-reliance, and self-resilience”. It will strive to overcome all challenges and to excellently fulfil its responsibilities, solidifying its status as a leading technical support facility for military vehicle - machinery equipment, meeting the requirements of building the Army in the new situations.

Sr. Col. NGUYEN THANH HAI, Factory Z157's Director