Metallurgy has almost always been the main pillar of our country, supplying much-needed raw materials for the production of machinery for the national economy, the army and science. Of course, its development went through many difficult stages, because it all began in rather gloomy times ...
One of the most prominent representatives of the metallurgical industry is the Hammer and Sickle factory.
How it all began
In 1883, the entrepreneurial businessman Guzhon built in Moscow a small enterprise designed for steelmaking. Seven years later, the first open-hearth furnace began to operate, the fuel for which at that time was black oil. In 1913, almost 90 thousand tons of steel were smelted, and by that time seven furnaces were already operating. The plant mainly engaged in the production of not too high-grade steel, rivets, wire and bolts.
After the revolution
In 1918, the company underwent nationalization. The plant, which almost lost all qualified personnel, got a very difficult legacy. Compared with 1913, output fell immediately by 50 times. In 1921, I. R. Burdachev, who in the past himself worked as a metalworker, was appointed to the post of director of the enterprise. Largely thanks to him, production was completely restored and modernized.
In the same year, the Hammer and Sickle Plant appeared. By 1925, the director was P.F. Stepanov, who by 1928 still managed to bring the amount of steel smelted to the level of 1913. By 1931, the plant became one of the leading enterprises of the Spetsstal association, which provided the country with high-quality raw materials for production.
Martial law
Since 1938, the production was headed by G. M. Ilyin. It is with the surname of this talented leader that a sharp increase in the amount of smelted steel is associated . Already in 1939 he was awarded the Order of Lenin, which in those years was awarded a large sum of money and universal recognition.
During the war years, production did not stop even for a minute. Despite the fact that the workers of the enterprise were not subject to conscription to the front, hundreds of talented steelworkers and metallurgists left the factory to fight the invaders. The whole burden of work fell on the shoulders of young workers and women. As follows from the reports of those years, the Hammer and Sickle factory played a significant role in defeating the enemies.
But it was hard for his workers: in the archives of those years there is a lot of information about how metallurgists simply fell into a hungry swoon near the furnaces. One can only marvel at their courage: such hard work exhausts even physically strong men, to say nothing of half-starved teenagers!
Post-war period
Despite the most severe post-war devastation, in the post-war years the enterprise quickly increased production rates, mastered new methods of smelting high-quality steel. So, already in 1949, the plant’s team was awarded the State Prize for the technology of using oxygen in the smelting of metal in an open-hearth furnace. Soon, this process was widely used not only in domestic factories, but also in foreign factories.
In addition, a year later a similar award was awarded to steelworkers, who were able to drastically reduce the time spent on smelting metal. A significant increase in the quality and culture of production was achieved at about the same time that the furnaces were transferred from fuel oil to gas. From 1945 to 1971, the number of rolled products doubled.
New smelting technologies
Since 1963, a program began to convert all production to electricity. So, it was in those years that the technology of electroslag melting (ESL) was created and improved. Already in 1978, domestic computers were introduced into production.
Thanks to all these measures, in only five years, the production of high-quality stainless steel was immediately increased by 21%. Despite the fact that in 1973 there was a massive restructuring of the plant, steelmaking did not stop for a single day. Only in 1976 was the last open-hearth furnace in Europe stopped: further metal smelting was continued using much more advanced technologies.
All the subsequent time, until the collapse of the Soviet Union, the amount of raw materials continuously increased. The needs of agriculture and the army grew, a huge amount of metal was required to quickly build up the power of the Navy, hydroelectric power stations and nuclear power plants were being built throughout the country, for the construction of which metal was also required in large quantities.
Most of the needs of the European part of the country were provided precisely by the Moscow factory Hammer and Sickle.
90s
As for many enterprises of the country, this time was marked by severe changes in the life of the country. The number of government orders fell to zero, the agonizing state was not up to steel production. In 1990, production was virtually completely stopped.
Until the 2000s, the Hammer and Sickle factory was engaged in the periodic production of products that often had nothing to do with the main profile of the enterprise.
New time
When the Third Transport Ring began to be pulled through the territory of an almost abandoned factory in the early 2000s, dozens of proposals on the most promising development projects arose. As usual, dozens of ministries were at enmity with each other, and therefore it was not possible to agree then.
By 2007, a decision was nevertheless made that the huge abandoned territory of the Hammer and Sickle factory would be used to build another business center.
By December, the plans had slightly changed: it was planned to build not only shops, but also commercial and residential real estate. It is not known why, but not a single foundation was laid for 2012. Independent sources suggest that the matter is in those 52% of the plant’s shares that belong to the Government of the region, and therefore it was far from easy
to obtain a building permit .
Development prospects
What will the territory on which the Hammer and Sickle Plant stands today turn into? Moscow believes that new business quarters should appear at this place. In addition, the construction of entertainment centers, a water park and other social infrastructure facilities is not ruled out.
Unfortunately, today there is not a single hint that Hammer and Sickle, a metallurgical plant that provides in the recent past the state’s needs for high-quality steel, can be restarted. However, many political and environmental organizations say that this is justified: a huge amount of hazardous emissions into the atmosphere, and even in the center of a densely populated metropolis, obviously did not add health to the townspeople.
In addition, the feasibility of commissioning a large metallurgical plant, which is an object of strategic importance, near the western borders, is also in doubt. Many experts agree that it would be better to place it in Siberia.
Other enterprises
Where else is the Hammer and Sickle factory? Saratov also has a company of the same name, which also deals with steelmaking. Unlike its Moscow “colleague”, the company is currently engaged in its core business. Its global reconstruction and modernization is being carried out.
The plant of the same name is also located in Kazan. Engaged in the manufacture of products for the engineering industry and instrumentation.