LIAZ (LIberecké Automobilové Závody - Liberec Automobil Works) is a defunct Czech and Czechoslovak manufacturer of trucks. The company was formed in 1951 by government as a division of Škoda. In 1953 LIAZ became independent of Škoda, but still used its name until 1984 (Škoda LIAZ). Main plants were in Rýnovice, Mnichovo Hradiště and Liberec, later there have been opened factories in Mělník, Zvolen, Veľký Krtíš, Přerov and Holýšov. In the 1970s, LIAZ was the biggest Czechoslovak truck manufacturer. The production ceased in 2002.
The Engine Plant of LIAZ trucks has been purchased by TEDOM Trucks which has also purchased all the technical data and drawings and is now marketing LIAZ Concept Trucks under the brands of FOX and TEDOM.[1] In late nineties LIAZ in Jablonec nad Nisou was mainly producing diesel engines which were assembled and tested at the industrial estate.
The engine line production actually tested every single engine by running it and collecting various parameters about it. Every n-th engine was sent to disassembly to check for any engine tolerances. The testing rigs were called Brzda (brake) where the engine was connected to fuel, exhaust extraction piping and electronic probes.
The industrial estate of LIAZ has also been used for production of steam which is routinely used to heat housing estates. This highly pressurised steam is piped to smaller transformer stations round the town of Jablonec nad Nisou. In the transformer stations, the pressure is reduced and used for heating blocks of flats.