Balashikha Foundry and Mechanical Plant OJSC is a unique Russian production of magnesium, titanium and aluminum shaped castings, including those with the possibility of high-precision machining. The enterprise has mastered thousands of parts with deliveries to domestic and foreign companies from Israel, Italy, and Scandinavian countries.
Becoming
The Balashikha Foundry and Mechanical Plant was created during the turbulent period of industrialization. The year is 1931. The first construction decision was signed. A site was selected north-east of the village of Reutovo, in the vicinity of the village of Gorenki, Reutovsky district (now the 19th km of the Gorky Highway, highway M7).
The year is 1932. The design of the facility began: a location map was developed, the location of working buildings, residential quarters, and infrastructure. In parallel with this, the first 60 people of the future multi-thousandth team began clearing the forest, backfilling ponds. On February 22, a decree of the Council of People's Commissars No. 199/40 was issued on classifying construction as a shock construction site. The solution involved a special supply of materials, clothing, and food.
Plant construction
04/25/1932 the very first stone was laid in the foundation of the mechanical case of the future JSC "BLMZ". Next began the construction of a working village. In the area of modern streets of Victory, Sovetskaya, Peace, Lenin Avenue, residential barracks were built. In one of the barracks, a training factory was organized, where turners, milling machines, modelers, molders, pivots, draftsmen, and designers were trained at short-term courses.
The year is 1933. The construction of the main foundry building has begun. The first 5-story brick house was built (Entuziastov highway, 5/1), 33 barracks, a boiler room was put into operation, an evening school for working youth was opened.
Production start
In 1933, the Balashikha Foundry and Mechanical Plant began production of pilot products — spoke spoke wheels and control valves. Over the year, 1,455 aircraft wheels were produced. At the same time, infrastructure was improving: the construction of a bathhouse, a hotel, a club, five-story brick houses began. The first issue of the factory newspaper came out.
The expansion of the enterprise was progressive:
- The year is 1934. Three spans of the mechanical casing were built. The country's first independent design bureau of take-off and landing devices is being created.
- The year is 1935. A temporary foundry is organized in the boiler room. The first aluminum castings were produced.
- The year is 1937. In April, the first phase of the main foundry building was launched.
- The year is 1938. Serial production of aluminum and magnesium castings for engines and aircraft has begun.
- The year is 1939. The plant is characterized as one of the largest color casting plants that are not yet in Europe and America.
- The year is 1940. The chill case has been commissioned. The village of Pervomaisky was completely built, a kindergarten-nursery, a ten-year school were opened.
It was truly a shock building at a well-chosen construction site. The location map was extremely successful: the Moscow-Balashikha highway connected factory workers with research institutes, design bureaus, and administrative structures of the capital. The railway allowed the delivery of bulky goods. Workers came from nearby areas. Each year, along with the construction of an industrial facility, an accompanying residential infrastructure was developed.
WWII
In the first months of the war, the Balashikha Foundry and Mechanical Plant had to be urgently evacuated. Already in early July, the trains carried unique equipment, people to Nizhny Tagil, Kamensk-Uralsky (mechanical production), Kazan, Ufa, Kuibyshev (foundry). In October, the evacuation of the plant ended.
The plant began to be restored immediately after the battle for Moscow, in December. Equipment, machines were assembled at the nearby Reutovo, Obiralovka (Railway) stations. Women and adolescents came to the workshops and did all the hard work. Already in February, the plant produced its first defense products.
For 4 years of the Second World War, aviation components manufactured at the plant were delivered to 137,000 combat aircraft. Wheel repairs were also carried out for aircraft, alteration of wheels of downed junkers and messerschmitts for installation on Soviet cars. Only in the first days of the war 40 factory workers joined the Balashikha fighter battalion, 1300 went to the front.
Post-war development
The experience of the war demanded an unprecedented pace to develop defense industries, including aircraft manufacturing. The design bureau of take-off and landing devices stands out from BLMZ into an independent enterprise, which is now known as Rubin Airlines.
After the war, the Balashikha Foundry and Mechanical Plant became the serial main manufacturer of wheels, brakes, brake control units. It is mastering more and more new designs for the rapidly developing aircraft industry, supplying spare parts to military and civilian consumers.
Achievements
Balashikha Foundry and Mechanical Plant OJSC remains the leading domestic center for non-ferrous casting. On its basis, an entire scientific school of shaped magnesium casting was formed. The work of specialists was awarded the State Prize and a diploma of the first degree of VDNH.
The plant built the country's first powder metallurgy workshop for the production of friction products. The production of aluminum casting was put into line production, including as part of the program for the development of domestic automotive industry.
On the account of the enterprise - two highest state awards:
- 1976 - Order of the Red Banner of Labor for great production successes and dedicated work of the collective;
- 1982 - Order of the October Revolution for the development of new aviation equipment, the supply of castings and assemblies for IL-85 aircraft.
Today
Aviation enterprise JSC "BLMZ" successfully develops the production of sophisticated castings for car engines. The plant is the scientific and technical base of a completely new direction - the production of shaped castings from titanium alloys. And this is a scientific laboratory, and the latest equipment. Under these tasks, a new workshop has been built, successfully operating in the Russian and foreign markets.
The factory has a vocational school, technical school and evening institute. The administration is modernizing the existing production facilities, constantly introducing new areas, attracting design institutes and purchasing the latest, including foreign, equipment.
Specialization
The company is engaged in serial production of aircraft wheels, brakes, units for civil and military aircraft, including aircraft of the IL brand (models 86, 76, 62 and others), Yak, An, Tu, helicopters Kamov and Mil. Today, the plant is re-equipping production with a new generation of equipment. In recent years, high-tech machining of metals of all types (non-ferrous, ferrous, alloys) has been introduced, casting with machining is being improved.
Modernization is bearing fruit. For example, the BLMZ OJSC was chosen as the supplier of brake wheels and assemblies for the production of the new Russian IL-76MD-90 transporter at the Aviastar-SP Ulyanovsk plant. Also mutually beneficial is cooperation with OJSC "AMNTK Soyuz" - joint development of take-off and landing devices is underway.
Export
A large volume of Russian-made aviation equipment is operated abroad. Last year, the volume of Russian arms exported amounted to $ 15.7 billion. It is gratifying that the Balashikhinsky plant, which makes profit from exports, also contributes to this area. The supply of military equipment with products manufactured by BLMZ occurs through Rosoboronexport and enterprises that have the relevant documents. The provision of civilian equipment is provided by Aviazapchast OJSC.
BLMZ: address, phone numbers
105118, Moscow region, city of Balashikha, sh. Enthusiasts-4.
Director General: Okroyan Nikogos Simonovich, tel .: (495) 52-17-883, (495) 52-42-121.
Sales Department: (495) 63-99-494.
Tender department: (495) 63-99-494, additional 357.
Human Resources: (495) 52-17-819, (495) 52-17-666.