Russian firearms manufacturer Molot seems to be in a bit of a spot. They filed for bankruptcy five years ago, but since that point their sales haven’t improved and no one has come along to rescue them with an injection of cash. Finally out of money to continue operations the entire company is going under the auctioneer’s hammer in one big lot expected to bring at least 1.5 billion rubles.
From the Russian publication Kommersant:
The sale by auction of one of the largest plants of the Kirov region – JSC “Vyatsko-Polyansky Machine-Building Plant” Molot “” (part of the state corporation “Rostec”) bankruptcy proceedings in respect of which was opened Kirov arbitration in October of 2013, officially announced the bankruptcy trustee Vitaly Shemigon now. According to published information, all property of “Hammer” is for sale in one lot. In this exhibition entered the whole production complex of “Hammer”: 91 buildings and structures, one plot of land owned and 11 leased sites (the area is not called), as well as objects of movable property – 12.89 thousand units of fixed assets (machinery and. equipment) and 30.75 thousand. units of inventory. In addition, in the same exhibition has become a 100% interest in the charter capital of LLC “Hammer-weapon” – a subsidiary factory, in which all the companies production has been allocated in the course of bankruptcy. Also included in the bankruptcy estate of intellectual property – patent rights in the 13 inventions, 11 utility models, 12 industrial designs and exclusive rights for 16 trademarks. In addition, as part of the lot – the right of claim to the LLC “Hammer-weapon” for supply contracts worth over 312 million rubles. The initial selling price of whole lot is 1.5 billion rubles, auction step -. 5% deposit – 20%.
Molot was the producer of a relatively popular line of rifles marketed under the “Vepr” name, imported by K-VAR and sold through a number of distributors. We reviewed the Molot Vepr-12 some time ago and fund it to be well made, if somewhat more expensive and regulatorily annoying.
There is currently no word if the company will continue operations following the sale, and if future firearms will be available for import into the US.