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==History== VEF was established in April 1919 as The Main Workshops of the Latvian Post and Telegraph Department ({{langx|lv|Pasta un telegrāfa virsvaldes galvenā darbnīca}} (PTVGD)), where, initially, the five mechanics were the only employees.<ref>{{Cite web |title=AS VEF - Akciju Sabiedrība "VEF" |url=https://asvef.lv/ |access-date=21 Jul 2022}}</ref> In 1924 the factory was moved for the first time, and in 1928 moved again to VEF's current location. The factory buildings were built in late 19th and early 20th century and span a city block. Before [[World War I]] the buildings were owned by 1887-established Russian-Baltic factory ''UNION'', established by Heinrich Dettmann.<ref name="bedre"/><ref>{{Cite web |title=VEF – Latvijas lielākais uzņēmums — |url=http://www.russkije.lv/lv/lib/read/vef-the-largest-enterprise-in-latvia.html |access-date=2022-12-11 |website=www.russkije.lv}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=elektrisko iekārtu ražošana Latvijā |url=https://enciklopedija.lv/skirklis/26242 |access-date=2022-12-11 |website=enciklopedija.lv |language=en}}</ref> The company was renamed to VEF in 1932.<ref name="SP"/> [[File:Factory 'Union' in Riga, 1908.jpg|thumb|Factory 'Union' in 1908]] In 1922 PTVGD started to manufacture phones. In 1924 it started producing [[Crystal detector|crystal-detector]] radios.<ref name="bedre" /> In 1928 it began producing automatic [[telephone exchange]]s. They bought the license from [[Mix & Genest]] to produce small volume (for 100, 200, 300 numbers) and large volume (1000, 2000 numbers) switchboards. Telephone exchange in Riga and Latvia's populated places were upgraded with equipment manufactured by PTVGD until 1940.<ref name="SP">{{Cite web |url=http://www.sakaru-pasaule.lv/main.php3?sub=view&RID=883 |first=Jāzeps |last=Ločmelis |language=lv |title=Pirms 75 gadiem |trans-title=75 years ago |access-date=June 23, 2010}}</ref> During the 1930s the monthly production of PTVGD included 500 phones and 400 exchanges.<ref name="bedre" /> By the 1930s the factory produced all electronics that had any market demand - communication devices, phones, light bulbs, cameras, irons, radios, flashlights, as well as photo paper, work-tables, and even airplanes.<ref name="bedre" /><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.gudrinieks.lv/referati/referats/latvija-20-gs-puslapis2.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090328130632/http://www.gudrinieks.lv/referati/referats/latvija-20-gs-puslapis2.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 28, 2009 |access-date=June 24, 2010 |language=lv |title=Latvija 20.gs. |trans-title=Latvia in 20th century }}</ref> They also repaired cars. VEF entered the world market in 1936 with the development of the [[Minox]] [[subminiature camera]], designed by [[Walter Zapp]] ({{langx|lv|Valters Caps}}). It was the world's smallest camera at the time.<ref name="bedre"/> Between 1928 and 1933 VEF also produced a small, inexpensive car.<ref>{{Cite web |title=VEF (Latvia) |url=https://www.allcarindex.com/production/production/latvia/vef/ |access-date=2024-01-08 |website=ACI |language=en}}</ref> During [[World War II]] the factory was looted and several buildings were destroyed by explosions. The factory was repaired after the war and it quickly recovered. During the 1960s VEF produced seven radio receivers and five phones every minute and two out of three phones in Soviet Union were produced by VEF. It also manufactured highly demanded [[transistor]]-based radios "[[VEF Spidola|Spīdola]]" and in the 1970s — "VEF".<ref name="bedre"/> During the Soviet period, VEF specialized in electronics and was a part of Latvia's electronic industry, which supplied the former [[Soviet Union]] with telecommunications equipment and electronics for the military. The five largest state companies were VEF, [[Radiotehnika]], Elfa, [[Komutators]] and Elar (which produced components for the other four). In its peak in 1991, VEF employed 20,000 people. Its best known products were telephones, telephone exchanges and radios. [[File:VEF Zevs.jpg|thumb|[[Zeus]] statue on the front façade of the main building. Sculptor [[August Volz]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Restaurētā VEF fasāde atgūst sākotnējo spozmi – RESTAURĀCIJA {{!}} AS "Būvuzņēmums Restaurators" |date=8 May 2016 |url=http://www.restaurators.lv/lv/2016/05/08/restaureta-vef-fasade-atgust-savu-sakotnejo-spozmi/ |access-date=2022-12-11 |language=en-GB}}</ref>]] The Latvian electronics industry had trouble competing with Western companies when the markets were opened in the early 1990s. Cited problems included poor service and product quality. Attempts to restructure these companies were not successful and their combined production fell more than 90% between 1993 and 1997. VEF was divided into six smaller companies, most of which no longer exist. Three remaining ones, [[VEF un Ko]], [[VEF TELEKOM]] and [[VEF Radiotehnika RRR]], employ between 100 and 200 people each. [[File:Valsts Elektrotehniska Fabrika.JPG|thumb|Main building in 2008 before renovation]] In 1999 the factory was privatized and reorganized.<ref name="bedre"/> VEF un Ko, which still is active, has recently focused its attention on designing and building [[Unmanned aerial vehicle|UAVs]] for agricultural use.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Products - VEF UN KO |url=https://www.vef.lv/en/Products |access-date=2024-08-01 |website=www.vef.lv}}</ref>
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