Rosatom will grind uranium fuel on machines from Vitebsk's Vistana
It is difficult to find the Director of the Vitebsk Machine-Tool Plant, Valery Korshak, in his office – such is the production necessity. Therefore, almost our entire conversation took place in the plant's workshops.
— At the same time, look at the machines for grinding uranium fuel, — notes Valery Ivanovich. — Our plant recently won a major contract from Rosatom Corporation for the supply of four such machines. We plan to finish the last one next month.
V. Korshak demonstrates the machine, explains the operating principles, and even shows small metal cylinders that imitate nuclear fuel (uranium).
— It is gratifying that the Russian customer preferred "Vistan" to French machine-tool builders, — continues the plant director. — And the key role was played by the quality of our machines, as they must come into contact with radioactive material, and any breakdown can have consequences, which is why our machines work like Swiss watches. In addition, the price of Vitebsk machines is significantly lower.
There are many workers in the workshop, and it is pleasing that there are quite a few young people.
— Most of the guys are graduates of Vitebsk and Polotsk higher and secondary educational institutions, — explains Valery Ivanovich. — Many stay after distribution, but, of course, there is a shortage of personnel. It is pleasing that the guys are talented. Here, for example, Sergey Kovalev, a fitter for mechanical assembly work, is a real find for the plant. Assembling any unit or machine for a person who knows how to read drawings is not difficult, but to achieve accuracy (each machine must produce parts with a certain accuracy) requires experience. Sergey Kovalev greatly surprised both the masters and me in the first days of work by assembling a unit without any flaws. However, he himself is a quiet, modest person.
By the way, "Vistan" has preserved the mentorship system. Here, the enterprise's glory is treated with care. In 1931, when the country faced the urgent issue of creating its own machine tool industry, it was transferred to the subordination of the People's Commissariat of the Machine Tool Industry of the USSR as one of the most technically equipped and having qualified personnel. The first machine tools were assembled in early 1932.
— Why hide it: the economic conditions are difficult now, — Valery Ivanovich continues in his office, — but "Vistan" is working stably and, most importantly, profitably: the profitability for 8 months of this year was 13.7 percent. We are focusing on exports: we supply machine tools to Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan. The export growth rate compared to last year is 132.6 percent for 8 months. By the way, we recently supplied a screw-cutting lathe to the Ostrovets NPP. There was a very large package of documents, and we had to handle the transportation, unloading, and installation of the equipment ourselves.
Within the framework of the republican modernization program, two innovative development projects are being implemented at the enterprise: they are expanding the range of gear-cutting machines with numerical program control and producing gearboxes for the Bobruisk plant of tractor parts and units. Technical re-equipment is also carried out here in a timely manner.
At "Vistan," work is not only focused on products for industry. In addition to machine tools, the same gearboxes are in demand, and various orders for agricultural enterprises are fulfilled. The well-known Vitebsk enterprise, which traces its history back to 1914, continues its chronicle of labor achievements.
Dmitry Konakhov, Vitbichi