LVZ Industrial Park: History, Revival and Industrial Transformation of the Emblem of the Bulgarian Railway Industry

Locomotive and
Wagon Plant

On November 7, 1866, Ruse became the starting point for the first railway line in the country, connecting the Danube city with today’s maritime capital, Varna. When the trains leave on the route, a small workshop was created by the Danube River with the main purpose of servicing the locomotives moving along the line. Thus began the history of the Locomotive and Wagon Plant 1866.

Two years later, in 1888, the Bulgarian State Railways (BDZ) was established, which marked a new stage for LVZ. After the Liberation, the small coastal workshop grew and became a large plant of national importance for the repair of locomotives and wagons, serving the steam traction of BDZ.

During the socialist period, the plant was known as LVZ “Vasil Kolarov”. In 1963, the first diesel locomotives began to be serviced at LVZ. With the accelerated industrialization and electrification of the country, in 1980 the plant reached peak production volumes.

The changes in 1989 and the end of the planned economy marked the beginning of the gradual decline of the Locomotive Plant in Ruse. Decades of destruction followed, which led to the termination of LVZ’s activities. In 2013, LVZ – Ruse finally stopped operating, leaving 50 buildings in a critical condition and 10 km of unusable railway lines.

At the end of 2020, Bulmarket acquired the bankrupt plant. From that moment until today, the company undertakes the ambitious mission of transforming LVZ into a modern industrial park using state-of-the-art technologies. This includes investments in high-tech infrastructure, attracting specialists and developing new industrial sectors. As of 2023, investments in renovation and technology will exceed 50 million BGN.

Initially, rolling stock of the Bulmarket Group and of external customers will be repaired at LVZ, and subsequently the plan is to restore production as well. In partnership with European leaders, the accumulated experience, technical and scientific capacity will give an impact on the new impetus for the Bulgarian railway industry.

The Bulmarket project is not only aimed at reviving the significant historical plant, but also at giving a new perspective to the development of the region. The idea of turning LVZ into a modern industrial park reflects the company’s commitment to innovation, development and sustainability of the transforming Bulgarian industry.

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