ðə kˈʌmpəni wʌz fˈaʊndᵻd ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪtiːn æz ɐ stˈeɪtˈoʊnd fˈæktɚɹi nˈoʊn æz ðə stˈeɪt ˈɑːɹməmənt ænd ˌɛndʒɪnˈɪɹɪŋ wˈɜːks.
The company was founded in 1918 as a state-owned factory known as the State Armament and Engineering Works.