Third Place for “the Ninetieth”.

Northern CC No. 90 in Kherson is unique for several reasons. First, it was the only correctional colony in the USSR that produced trailers and semi-trailers for transporting large and small livestock. People called them “livestock carriers”, officially they were called “ODAZs” because they were manufactured by order of the Odessa Auto Plant. In the 60s of the last century, the trailers and semi-trailers were made of wood, and then, in the seventies, of an aluminum-magnesium alloy. Solid ones were for dry cargo, and those with openings were for livestock. And these trailers were supplied not only to the entire Soviet Union, but also to 15 foreign countries, including Mongolia and China.
In those years, it was convenient for the colonies to work. First, state orders. Second, a guarantee of payment. And third, most of the country’s large enterprises opened, as it were, branches of their workshops in the colonies: they brought the equipment, components, and raw materials themselves, and the convicts worked on that. And then, by the way, the gross income from production in the colonies occupied fourth place in the state budget, second only to the defense and heavy industries.
Then the union collapsed, connections broke, and the suppliers and customers also “collapsed”. Very many enterprises, before closing down themselves, took their equipment out of the colonies (like, for example, the Combine Plant and the HBK from CC No. 10). And here “the ninetieth” also turned out to be unique—most of the equipment was purchased in prosperous times by the colony itself. And if in the other CCs only empty shells remained, here, stamping, locksmithing, and milling machines were preserved. It’s just that, unfortunately, they had to give up manufacturing trailers for some time—there was no demand. But about nine years ago, they set up the repair, restoration, and modification of vehicles. Customers started turning to the colony again regarding trailers—they are lengthened and modified for transporting passenger cars. Earlier, when production was just being set up, the colony lacked good specialists. After all, this colony is for those who have ended up behind bars not for the first time, and with each year, the qualification of the convicts is getting lower. Now, the colony has its own vocational school, where they train welders, electricians, milling machine operators, and turners.
Now, the colony is again producing ODAZ semi-trailers and trailers for passenger cars, but also utility cabins, decorative paving slabs, foundation blocks, and cold stamping of metal products. The head of production, Lieutenant Colonel of the internal service Anatolii Malyi, says that, among other things, they are also restoring agricultural machinery: reapers, mowers, and even tanker trailers are being made. And in the spring and autumn, there is a queue in the colony for private car repairs.
Over five months, the volume of commodity products grew by 72.2%, and the implementation of the sales plan was 135%. As a result, there are now no salary arrears to the staff, and the debts of previous years are being paid off. And the working convicts have the opportunity to pay off claims and pay alimony.