Kirov factory "Red Toolmaker" was founded in Leningrad. In the war years, the strategic enterprise was evacuated to the city of Kirov, where it continues to work now. The company's products are known at home and abroad.
Born in Leningrad
Kirov factory "Red Toolmaker" was opened in Leningrad in 1926. In the country, there was an acute shortage of measuring instruments, funds were replenished through purchases in foreign countries, and depleted foreign exchange reserves. K.I. Tikhomirov, director of the surgical instrument factory, took on the problem. He gathered the best staff and founded an artel called the Red Toolmaker.
The success and expansion of the enterprise was brought by a large state order, which the cooperative won during the state tender. The proceeds went to expand the production base, the purchase of new equipment of foreign production. Until that time, things were not going very well - the work was carried out manually, the range was limited to several items of the nomenclature.
In 1930, the artel and means of production were nationalized and a state plant was created, which became part of the All-Union Tool Trust. The production base at that time consisted of 135 units of high-quality equipment, the staff consisted of up to 500 employees. In the official history of the enterprise, April 11 is the day the plant was created.
In 1931, the Kirov factory "Red Toolmaker" completely redesigned to produce high-precision measuring tools. The range of products included calipers, micrometers, calipers, depth gauges, and many others. Many types of tools replaced foreign analogues from the domestic market.
Production expansion
According to the results of 1932, the gross income from sales amounted to 9.1 million rubles, in 1933 there was an increase to 13 million rubles. The active development of the company had other pluses - in 1932, 1.4 million German gold marks were saved, and in 1933, savings amounted to 2.2 million foreign exchange reserves.
In the early 30s, the company was transferred to a new place, in more spacious premises. The plant occupied 10 workshops of the former cork factory, where it became possible to create a closed production cycle. In 1939, the team represented a team of professionals, employing more than 200 inventors. In one year, about three thousand rationalization proposals were introduced, which significantly increased production and product quality.
For two years (1938-1939) the range of manufactured devices was increased by 21 units. An important breakthrough was the development and implementation of technology for reinforcing tool surfaces, which increased their life by 2–3 times.
Evacuation
At the beginning of the war, part of the plant’s personnel was called up to the front; the enterprise received a military order requiring the exact fulfillment of deadlines. The German offensive on Leningrad and the shrinking ring of the blockade threatened the strategic enterprise, so it was decided to evacuate it to the city of Kirov. The first batch of machines was shipped in July 1941, and two more trains from the plant were evacuated over the next two months.
In total, 259 employees, 330 machine tools, as well as all the necessary equipment, tools, instruments, technical documentation were sent to Kirov. For the enterprise, the areas of the closed distillery were allocated , the cellars of which were built in imperial times. During the installation of equipment, the engineering building was able to solve many technical problems. Kirov factory "Red Toolmaker" began to produce the first products for the front in September 1941.
Modernity
KRIN (the Kirovsky Zavod Krasny Instrumentalshchik) experienced a period of transition to the new economic conditions rather successfully, and by 2005 all debt obligations had been paid off. During this period, the production of popular high-precision measuring instruments was mastered. The enterprise is located in the center of Kirov, production areas occupy more than 17.2 square meters, and the total territory is 3.8 hectares.
In 2008, KRIN CJSC joined the Tooling Plants Holding Company CJSC, which was liquidated in 2016. Kirovsky Zavod continues its activity and manufactures products for domestic consumers and for export.
In addition to the main activity, the company carries out:
- Electroplating.
- Metal processing (mechanical).
- Steel casting.
- Recycling plastics.
And also produces paintwork.
Products
KRIN Closed Joint-Stock Company (Kirovsky Zavod Krasny Instrumentalshchik) has production facilities closed in a single cycle, which allows us to produce a full range of nomenclature products and work on individual orders. The company exports goods to countries of Eastern and Western Europe, Asia, countries of the former USSR.
Kirov factory "Red Toolmaker" produces the main types of products:
- Indicators and accessories, measuring heads.
- Shtangeninstrument (depth gauges, compasses, pipe meters, etc.).
- Welder patterns (wires, rings, etc.).
- Goniometers (pendulum, with nonius, etc.).
- Nutromeres (indicator, micrometric, high accuracy, etc.).
- Depth gauges (for the oil and gas industry, micrometric, indicator).
- Wall gauges and thickness gauges.
- Two types of staples, probes.
- Tripods and racks of various configurations and purposes.
- Squares, levels.
- Micrometers (nomenclature of 9 items).
- Rulers, measures, meters, plates, roulettes, etc.
- Devices.
- Special purpose tools.
The tool factory in the city of Kirov is located at Karl Marx Street, Building 18. The multi-channel contact telephone number can be found on the official website.