JSC "Technolit-Polotsk" will launch a new steel casting line

OAO "Tekhnolit-Polotsk" is opening a new chapter in its history. As part of an investment project to modernize production, an induction metal melting unit has been created here with an output of 2,400 tons of finished castings per year. Tomorrow, the equipment will undergo a test run.

– Full capacity operation of the production line is planned from December. We will increase production output, expand the product range, diversify sales markets, and increase exports, – stated the prospects clearly, Director of OAO "Tekhnolit-Polotsk" Ilya Pletenev.

Two years ago, the "Prommashremont" plant was merged with OAO "Tekhnolit-Polotsk" as a branch. It was decided to gradually relocate the foundry production from the city center to its vacant premises by 2020. Moreover, a foundry shop previously existed at the plant. Reconstruction was carried out here, and a complete set of modern equipment was installed.

The heart of the new line is two induction melting furnaces. Unlike cupolas, they use a fundamentally different heating method: due to the thermal effect of eddy currents.

– Currently, this is one of the most efficient methods of metal melting worldwide, – explained Ilya Pletenev, demonstrating the high-tech units.

No coke means no emission of harmful combustion products. The environmental safety of production is evident. But there are other advantages as well. All processes on the line are maximally automated and controlled by electronics. Working conditions for people have significantly improved. Smart machines will ensure high quality of manufactured products and help foundry workers perform the most difficult tasks. However, pouring liquid cast iron into molds will still be done manually. This is a global practice that allows one to sense the mood of the capricious metal.

The production process will begin immediately after the launch of the new section, gradually moving to a two-shift operation and mastering new types of products.

– Thanks to the transition to paired induction furnaces, – said Ilya Pletenev, – we can simultaneously process both steel and cast iron scrap. Therefore, we plan to develop steel casting. The equipment is the same, but the technology is completely different. We allocate two months for its refinement and retraining of personnel. From the third month, we want to start producing new products. The marketing department has worked out the prospects. There is demand for agricultural spare parts, steel sockets, and flanges for pipelines. We have already carried out the relevant production preparation, mastered the technology of cold-setting mixtures, and even concluded some contracts.

But that's not all. The creation of the induction metal melting section, as the head clarified, is only the first stage of the production modernization project. Its implementation was actively supported by the Ministry of Industry, which allocated about 14 billion rubles from the investment fund. Another 4.5 billion rubles were invested from the enterprise's own funds.

The second stage involves the construction of a new workshop with a capacity of 9 thousand tons of finished castings per year. This work has not yet begun, and the issue of financing remains open.

And what are the prospects for the "Prommashremont" branch? Its workshops will continue to produce agricultural machinery, which is in demand on the market. The main thing, noted Ilya Pletenev, is that the team, which now employs about 300 people, has overcome adaptation difficulties and is ready for further integration of services and joint activities for the benefit of the common cause.

Larisa Malashenya, "Vitebskiye Vesti". Photo by the author.