Volgograd Ceramic Plant OJSC is a leading manufacturer of ceramic tiles, porcelain tiles and sanitary ware in the Volgograd Region. The company's products are known under the brand LaFavola ("Fairy Tale"). Technological lines are equipped with the latest Italian equipment, including digital printing systems.
The plant to be!
After the war, Stalingrad lay in ruins. Its restoration required a huge amount of building materials, plumbing, sewer systems. The authorities considered it advisable not to import materials from less affected regions, but to establish production on the spot.
Considering the need for facing building materials, on August 8, 1953, the USSR Council of Ministers issued an order to organize the production of ceramic tiles in Stalingrad. At the end of the year, the first builders appeared on a designated area of 47 hectares. However, it became possible to start the production of metlakh tiles ( floor tiles ) only at the end of 1959.
First production
The design capacity of the first line of the Volgograd ceramic plant amounted to 1 million m 2 annually. On December 5, the day of the Soviet Constitution, the first batch of ceramic tiles 100x100 mm in size appeared from the stove of the tile workshop. After 2 years, additional capacities for the production of facing tiles were commissioned (800,000 m 2 per year).
Starting from 1968, the plant will not only work stably, but also constantly increase capacity. Since the 70s, all tile production has undergone continuous reconstruction. The classical technology with firing in tunnel kilns has been replaced by a new one - continuous, conveyor. The technological process from intermittent and long (several days) turns into continuous and is reduced to several hours and even minutes. Ceramic tile production increased 2.5 times in excess of design capacity.
Production of plumbing and consumer goods
Almost parallel was the development of the production of sanitary products. The first samples of plumbing were made in the tiled workshop in artisanal conditions. Slip and glaze were imported. But as early as 1963, the sanitary product workshop was commissioned (design capacity 230,000 units per year).
By the way, the production of consumer goods was organized at the same production facilities of the Volgograd Ceramic Plant . Their share in the total production of the plant reached 10-15%. The range was constantly updated and grew. First of all, these were:
- flower pots;
- Circles
- Kettles
- decorative vases and more.
Pipe production
It was launched at the Volgograd Ceramic Plant in 1966. This is one of the most highly mechanized and organized industries in the industry. It was difficult to master: it lacked qualifications and experience, related enterprises helped. In the end, the pipe conveyor was worked out and became exemplary in the industry.
Along with the development of production capacities, the social sphere has improved. The factory earned a club, a dining room, buffets, a cafe, a laundry, a greenhouse, a camp site. The company began to build its housing. The team is awarded with medals of VDNH and international exhibitions. The Volgograd ceramic factory for the region and for the country meant a lot - this is almost the 5th part of the volume of ceramic tiles and sewer pipes produced in the USSR.
Time for a change
In the 90s, after a slight decline in production caused by a drop in demand for ceramics due to the low solvency of the population, VKZ, as a private enterprise, is gaining a second wind. It was decided to use the best European experience. This was facilitated by long-standing business ties with a number of leading foreign companies.
A business plan for the reconstruction of production was introduced. It consisted of three steps:
- The first stage is equipping the enterprise with high-performance press equipment from Netch.
- The second stage is the acquisition of the main units of the Sakmi conveyor line for the production of facing materials, due to which the quality of Volgograd tiles was raised to a European high level of production.
- The third stage is the acquisition and installation of complete sets of conveyor lines of the Sakmi company for the production of floor tiles and tiles, as well as the third firing line for the production of borders and inserts.
As a result, not only high quality and assortment renewal was ensured, but also a relatively low cost of production. At the same time, production increased sharply.
Currently, the VKZ is developing successfully. Only in the last eight years, dramatic changes have been made in the field of production. The reconstruction affected the most important area of the enterprise - tiled. Started the production of new products - granite.