The basis for the future flagship of domestic industry was the equipment of the Kronstadt Iron Foundry, transferred to St. Petersburg at the very beginning of the 10th century at the behest of Emperor Paul Ι.
Kirov (Putilovsky) plant. History of becoming
The first products of the enterprise formed in 1801 were cast iron cores for the needs of the artillery of the army and navy. The main merit of the Scotsman Charles Gascoigne, appointed by the director of the state-owned factory, was the introduction and development of new casting technologies. In the first decade of operation, the production of architectural art products from cast iron was mastered, the production of soldier rifles, weights and weights, lamps, buttons was arranged.
In 1812, a machine-building department was created at the plant, and in the erected stone workshops the production of steam engines, mechanisms, machine tools for their own needs and the developing industry of the Russian Empire was launched. Huge damage to the plant was caused by the flood of 1824: 152 people were killed, equipment and workshops were destroyed, flooded and unusable.
Engineer and entrepreneur
Over the next forty years, a foundry in St. Petersburg was replaced by several owners, and even the large state order of 1844 for the supply of railway rails did not save the company from bankruptcy.
In 1868, the plant was bought by Nikolai Ivanovich Putilov, who managed in 12 years to turn it into an advanced highly profitable diversified enterprise. Just a year later, the Putilov plant produced more than 80 tons of rolled steel per day, with a quality superior to English products, and also mastered the production of Bessemer steel. In 1872, with the formation of the "Society of Putilov Plants" and the launch of a steel rolling workshop, the company's product range was supplemented by bridge structures, wagons and steam locomotives.
After the death of Nikolai Ivanovich in 1880, his followers fulfilled his long-held dream - to connect the Putilov factory by the Sea Canal with Kronstadt, which would allow passage of sea vessels not only to ship the factory products and supply raw materials, but also to meet the needs of all of St. Petersburg. It was under Putilov that the foundations of the professional training of factory personnel were laid, the development of the social infrastructure of the enterprise began.
At sunset empire
By the beginning of the 20th century, the Putilov Plant became the undisputed leader among domestic metallurgical and engineering enterprises and one of the largest in Europe. The staff has exceeded 12.4 thousand people. The first military ships were laid on the slipways created at the plant: first destroyers, and then cruisers and destroyers. Among the unique products of that time were the fastest destroyer Novik, a fast-firing field gun, the world's first anti-aircraft gun of the Lender system, a floating 100-ton crane, which keeps a labor watch even today.
The Putilov Plant brought the namesake of the famous owner - A. I. Putilov, included in the board in 1910 and invested more than 30 million rubles into the enterprise, to a new strategic level in the framework of the Russian Krupp project. (with the cost of all property 19 million rubles.). The monthly production of artillery was increased more than five times. The plant was a monopolist in many production positions, which guaranteed huge profits for the owners. However, the revolutionary movement overwhelming the country made its own adjustments.
Soviet period
The Putilov factory in Petrograd on the eve of the 1917 revolution had about 35 thousand workers. It was the mass performance of his team that served as the beginning of the February coup. By the end of the year, the enterprise was nationalized and subsequently renamed Krasny Putilovets, and in 1934 it was named after S. M. Kirov. For the industry of the young Soviet republic, the plant produced metal rolling, rolling stock, equipment for hydroelectric power plants, tractors, and a series of L-1 cars. In 1939, the world's first heavy tank production line was launched.
During the Great Patriotic War, part of the plant with personnel was evacuated to Chelyabinsk. The workshops remaining in besieged Leningrad almost on the front line continued the production and reconditioning of tanks and armored vehicles.
At the end of the war, the plant redesigned for serial production of military equipment, equipment for the energy and nuclear industries, Kirovets tractors.
Current state
In 1992, Kirovsky Zavod JSC was established. Difficult socio-economic conditions forced the leaders of the company to reorient production once again, simultaneously introducing competitive technologies. Among the main products of the plant are armored cars (Onega, Ladoga, Kombat), road construction and special equipment for the construction, gas and oil industries. Kirovets tractors are in demand not only in the domestic market, but are also actively exported to 14 countries.
Kirov gear turbines and other power equipment are installed on many nuclear submarines, icebreakers, military and merchant ships.
Further perspectives
According to the unanimous opinion of experts and analysts, the Kirov Plant is one of the locomotives for the development of domestic engineering. Among the immediate strategic tasks, the enterprise leaders particularly highlight the gradual departure from the total operation of dilapidated equipment and the technical re-equipment of the main production capacities, the improvement of the organization of labor and vocational training of the personnel fund, the search and development of new business areas. It is the multidisciplinary nature of the company (more than 30 subsidiaries with about 6 thousand employees) that will allow it to stay afloat in difficult economic conditions. The construction projects of a large container terminal on the coastline, the provision of mooring places for third-party vessels, and bunkering services look promising.
It is hoped that a balanced and competent policy of the Board of Directors will return to its former greatness Kirov (Putilovsky) plant.