Krasnogorski Mekhanicheskii Zavod (KMZ) – Mechanical Factory of Krasnogorsk was founded in 1942 in Krasnogorsk, a western suburb of Moscow on the base of evacuated optical-mechanical plant No.69, in order to produce optical equipment for the Soviet army.

In 1946 the KMZ factory began making cameras, starting with the Moskva folding camera. In 1948 they began producing FED cameras to offset slow production from the FED factory, and by 1949 they made some design changes and thus production of the Zorki began. In 1952, KMZ created an SLR based on some modifications of the Zorki, and thus the Zenit was born.

In 1993 KMZ became the S.A.Zverev KRASNOGORSKY ZAVOD JSC stock company.

Source: https://camerapedia.fandom.com/wiki/KMZ