Malaxa Factories Industrial decay in Romania

Malaxa factoriers were founded in 1921 in Bucharest by Nicolae Malaxa, a Romanian engineer and industrialist. Main activities were the repairing of the rolling stock, manufacturing steam locomotives, diesel locomotives, car-engines and passenger coaches, Diesel engines, brake equipment, special alloy steels. By the end of the 1930s, the Malaxa factories were one of the biggest industrial groups in Southeastern Europe, and the main provider of equipment for the Romanian Railways during the period.

After 1945, parts of the company became known as 23 August Works and Republica. During the communism, it extended its range of manufacturing by approaching pilot projects to the most Romanian industries but also to other countries in Europe, Asia and Africa. Here was made: 500.000 t industrial equipment and 5.215 diesel-hydraulic locomotive (whith power engine beetwen 100- 2.600 hp), of which 1.670 locomotives was exportet.

After the 1989 revolution and the fall of communism, Romania slowly started to compensate those whose wealth had been confiscated during the communist period. The company was renamed FAUR and privatized.

Malaxa in Life Magazine 1940

Alex Iacob

Photojournalist

Alex Iacob is known as Reptilianul on various websites and blogs about photography and urban exploration. He is a postgraduate student at the Center of Excellence in Image Study in Bucharest.