For a steelworker carrying the legacy of four generations, the choice of career path becomes less of a concern.
Check out the Union of Steelworkers in Urals! Visits to industrial sites in the Sverdlovsk region are all the hype these days. Every year, multitudes of guests - from business delegations to students and local residents - flock to Ural factories.
One of the key attractions is The First Ural Pipe Plant, a heavyweight in the region and a major producer of energy pipes. Over 7,500 employees, some of whom hail from metallurgical dynasties, work here. Let's take a tour!
City of Metal Magicians
Founded in 1732, the plant's original name was the iron-making Vasilyevo-Shaitansky plant, in honor of industrialist Vasily Demidov, grandson of Nikita Demidov, a legendary figure in metallurgy.
In the 1930s, construction began on a new plant, and during WWII, PNTZ played a significant part in the war effort. Each second mortar bomb on the front was made from Permouralsk pipes, with the Katyusha rocket casings also rolled here. Since 1934, PNTZ has produced over 16 million kilometers of pipes - enough to reach the moon more than 40 times!
The Museum and Exhibition Center, opened in the '70s, preserves the plant's rich history. Today, it serves as both a corporate and local history museum, open to both workers and residents of Permouralsk alike.
Discover exhibits showcasing the plant's developmental stages, as well as tales of everyday life, including reconstructed huts from Shaitanka and photographs of concerts and events. According to Elena Ageeva, the museum's director, many city residents have contributed significantly to the museum's collection by sharing stories and personal photos featuring their grandparents and great-grandparents who built and raised the plant.
From Pipes to Fancy Stuff
Covering an area as big as 600 football fields, the Pervouralsk New Pipe Plant might as well be considered a city within a city. The railway tracks used for logistics of raw materials and finished products measure a whopping 75 km. First-timers visiting PNTZ are amazed by the color-coded facilities - yellow for gas, green for water, and blue for air. Employee outfits aren't left out either, with different colors designating different roles.
This plant houses nine main workshops and over 20 auxiliary departments. Workers in the Rolling Mill Shop No. 8, commissioned in 1962, work tirelessly to roll up to 720,000 tons of products each year. The Finishing Center, launched in 2009, produces oil-grade tubes that are employed in various sectors, including oil companies, mechanical engineering, chemical industry, energy, electronics, and medicine.
What makes PNTZ's products truly unique? Well, they've taken it upon themselves to provide precision tubes for the ball bearing industry. And we can't forget about the finned tubes produced by the No. 9 tube rolling mill, which facilitate more efficient heat exchange in steam boiler units.
Previous appearances on DK.RU: How Ural Locomotives will supply trains for Russia's first high-speed railway
- The First Ural Pipe Plant, a significant player in the manufacturing industry, has been a significant part of the region's history, with its production extending to various sectors, such as finance through the sale of oil-grade tubes to banks like electronics, chemical, energy, and medicine industries.
- Given the involvement of PNTZ in providing precision tubes for the ball bearing industry, its unique products have impacted various sectors, notably the finance sector, through the production of vital components for the manufacturing of ball bearings, a crucial part in maintaining the smooth functioning of various financial institutions.
