About

The company was founded by the entrepreneur William Gerlach, but started producing guns only after the war, when was nationalized by the then-newly independent Polish government. By the end of the 1930s the Fabryka Karabinów was one of the largest arms producers of Poland, with production capabilities far exceeding potential orders from the army, as was receiving frequent export orders from countries such as Yugoslavia and Uruguay. During WW2, all of the factory's equipment was seized by Germans and the building demolished. After the war the factory was renamed and rebuilt as Fabryka Wyrobów Precyzyjnych im. gen. Świerczewskiego (General Świerczewski Precision Machinery Factory). Renamed as VIS after 1989, the company ceased production and sold off its assets.