When the collective of the production preparation shop prepared for its 50th anniversary the superintendent of the shop, I.V. Prikhodko, in his interview to our newspaper, spoke not only of current production but also the near-term outlook and expressed some wishes regarding the development of the shop. Since then 5 years have passed and in this short period of time a lot has changed in the structure of the shop and its future.
One would think what connection the production preparation shop has with the construction of the oxygen-converter shop complex or the construction of the PVC complex? It turned out, that this particular shop is concerned with the accomplishment of the programme on retooling and modernization of the Works.
Step by step things that no one even had in mind are becoming reality. This is what our correspondent talked about with the superintendent of the shop, I.V. Prikhodko.
– Igor Vasilyevich, to what extent have your dreams come true regarding the renovation of production capacity?
– In fact, for many years we have been striving for capital repair of the saw-mill equipment. At present it has been done on two power-saw benches. Thus, stable work of the department has been provided for, for the next few years. Thereby, a very important problem regarding provision of the Works with sawn timber and lumber items has been solved. Another actual problem has also been solved. This is the construction of an automobile weighing department on the territory of the storage department, where all the loads up to 40 tons are weighed, except long-length trucks. There has been no need to purchase equipment especially for our shop. It was already kept at the store house and it was unclaimed. Previously, all the loads delivered to the Works and discharged from the production preparation shop passed through the only scales located in the scrap preparation shop. This caused long lines and particularly in that period when scrap was transported to the Works by trucks. Now, for three years running we are not facing any problems regarding weighing of material.
– In the last two years there have been a lot of changes in the structure of your shop. Departments have been joined and the production has expanded. What has been the reason for this?
– Five years ago we could not even imagine that a PCI complex would be built at the Works, that a new project on the construction of an oxygen converter shop would be created, and all this would be directly connected with our shop. But time made its amendments and according to the decision of the Works’ board we received two departments from the repair-building shop, i.e. a container workshop and a carpenter’s workshop with a saw-mill, which was put in dead storage as a low powerful and unprofitable department. The staff was transferred to other departments. After capital repair of our power-saw benches their production considerably increased. The annual volume of sawing round timber totals to 40-42 thousand m3. Previously, it was 33-34 thousand. At present the carpenter’s workshop is not operating but we have to transfer it to a new place because the territory on which it is located belongs to the zone of the oxygen converter shop construction site. Our saw-mill (timber works) provides this department and the container workshop with lumber. Since the container workshop has become a subdivision of the production preparation shop it provides the Works with a 100% of pallets for packing finished products. Previously they were produced both in our shop and in the repair-building shop and also in the department organized by firm “Investtorgprom”. Now this firm delivers to us only square-sawn timber. All this, of course, required complete loading of all the departments with sawn timber. We provide 80% of our needs in this material. The remaining 20% of supply is accomplished by the logistics department. At present we can say that our saw-mill department together with the container and carpenter’s workshops is a saw-mill woodworking mill of an average size. Timber waste is also used. Apart from selling it to citizens we have mastered the production of woodchips for the ferroalloys plant, which orders it in a quantity of 350 — 900 m3 monthly. By doing so we earn the Works an average of 500 thousand UAH per year.
– What concern has your shop to the construction of the PCI unit?
– We will be directly involved in the production technology of pulverized coal. This year the construction of this complex both in the blast furnace shop, as well as on the territory of our shop, has begun. On the construction site of Zaporozhye-Levoye a complex on delivery and discharge of coal will be built. It wouldn’t be quite right to call it a storehouse. It is particularly here that the technological process for preparing coal to receive pulverized coal fuel will start. In this area a wagon tilter, piler, neutralizer and a loading place will be installed. The whole process is automated and mechanized. The servicing staff includes operators and, of course, electricians, fitters and warehouse men, all in all about 70 persons. With the foundation of this department the number of workers in the shop will exceed 500 persons. This will be a very intensive department with complicated equipment. According to the technology stable composition of the fuel is required. 4 suppliers are foreseen, Coal will be of different grades. It has to be neutralized and piled. The volume of received and shipped loads will amount to 7 thousand tons per day. The technology is a continuous one and does not foresee any interruption. This will be our facility and we are totally responsible for coal preparation and receipt of coal dust. The construction date is a tight deadline. In a year it has to undergo industrial testing. Today the Works’ specialists are selecting the supplier of equipment. To start construction of the preparation complex 80 000 m2 of territory is to be freed, which is occupied by a coal and sand storehouse.
– With such manipulation with coal, apparently there will be a large amount of dust? What is foreseen for normal labour conditions?
– We have visited port Yuzhniy where coal is loaded on river transport. There is no dust. People are working in cabins with air conditioning. Today labour condition requirements are very high and we have foreseen everything in correspondence with them. This will be the most modern department in the shop. We have started improving labour conditions in all the departments of the shop to make the work of the staff and their industrial life more attractive.
– How has your dream regarding organization of preserving material values come true?
– It’s hard not to notice what high fences are protecting the storehouse, occupying most of the territory of the shop. One might say that they are unsurpassable. Together with the ‘hedgehog” on top of the fence, the height of the fence reaches 4 meters. At the gate there is a pass control post with the Works’ guards. The workers of the shop have even different passes than the other workers of Zaporizhstal. They are red. This makes it easy to distinguish the workers of the shop from outsiders. A special pass control to enter and leave the storehouse has been organized. Penetration of outsiders onto the territory of the shop is out of the question. Safe keeping of stocks of materials and capital equipment is provided. Managers of many shops want to fence in their territory too after seeing our fences. Taking this opportunity I want to congratulate all the workers of the shop with its 55th Anniversary and express my sincere gratitude to each worker for self-sacrificing labour , achievement of high indices in fulfilling the production assignments, and I wish you all good health, prosperity and new success in all your deeds.
A few words about the production preparation shop.
It’s date of birth — 30 May 1953. Staff number — 437 persons, among them 386 workers, 49 managers and specialists, two officers. Number of men — 268. Number of women — 105. Number of young workers (up to 35 years old) — 157. 64 workers have higher education, secondary special education — 204 persons, secondary education — 91 persons. The shop units occupy approximately 20% of the territory.