OAO ”Gazapparat” has been in existence since 1945. For many years it was the only plant in the North-Western region of the country which was specialized in manufacturing domestic gas equipment.
When the 2nd World War was over, the State Committee of Defense adopted the resolution dated 10th June 1945 of “The Restoration and Development of the Estonian S. S. Republic and Leningrad Region and Providing the city of Leningrad with Natural Gas”. In collaboration of the resolution it was decided to construct a number of domestic gas appliances plants, including “Lengazapparat” renamed later in Leningrad gas equipment plant. The plant was set up on the territory of little use and seriously damaged during the war and which belonged to the former plant “Nasos” (Pump), manufacturing acids-resistant pumps before the war.
At the beginning the plant manufactured room heating ovens, enamels for internal purposes and the needs of other plants, and enamelled the parts supplied by affiliated enterprises.
In 1952 2- and 4- burner domestic gas cookers were mastered and put in mass production. For that purpose the stamping, machine, galvanic, assembling and tool-making shops were organized at the plant.
In 1956 the plant mastered the production of gas-fired DHW boiler, while “Lengipromengproect” was developing a new model of DHW boilers.
In 1960 DHW Ë-1 water heaters were put in mass production. During the following 4 years the plant continued updating the design with the use of “Lengaz” experience and recommendations. In 1964 the plant set out to produce DHW Ë-3 and then – Ë-3Ě, which was certified as a base model for standard DHW boilers with variable heating system pressure. Mastering mass production of the innovative generations of domestic gas appliances, constant upgrading the quality of the products, their reliability and durability – all these were accompanied with the creativity of the whole team of the plant aimed to upgrade the technological process , mechanization and automation of production, to widely introduce the advanced methods of moulding, mechanical processing and enamelling.
In 1960 a shop division of non-ferrous foundry was set up in the plant, and in 1963 - a shop division of assembly machines, that allowed to upgrade processing of parts on turret lathes to more advanced technologies and increase the productivity of labour in 40 operations more- than- 2-fold. The introduction of sub – and final-assembly production lines of cookers and DHW boilers, finished product delivery to a sale warehouse increased the productivity of those operations 2,5-fold.
During 1967- 69 the enamelling shop was reconstructed, the technology of burning black parts was replaced by chemical degreasing and pickling, for that purpose an in-line mechanized production was created. The technology of burning parts in line-end furnaces was replaced by the in-line mechanized methods of shlicker coating, drying and burning parts in continues furnaces. The stamping shop was radically rebuilt, the first phase of a new shop was brought into operation. The stock of equipment was supplemented with new high power presses, the equipment was installed in compliance with technological process. At the same time the plant was ready to introduce an innovative unified 4-burner cooker ĎĂ4/1, which was launched in 1970, with outdated 2- and 4- burners being no longer in production. At that time there was a great demand for the plant product in the USSR and it was delivered to all the Soviet Republics. The amount of gas cookers and DHW boilers manufactured in the plant by 1970 amounted to 2,5 mill.
It is far from being a complete list of measures taken which enabled the plant to increase the output and productivity of labour more- than – 2 - fold without an increase in the amount of employees. The output in 1970 was equal to 214% of the one in 1960, and the productivity of labour in 1970 – to 220% of the one in 1960.
In 1993 Leningrad gas equipment plant was renamed into OAO “ Gazapparat” as OAO “Gazmash” affiliated company. At the same time OAO “Gazprom” management took a decision on modernization to commercially develop high-tech production in OAO “Gazapparat”. For that purpose, OAO “Gazprom” and the “Tragaz” Italian bank consortium signed the contract for delivery of the equipment, technologies and know-how to produce innovative gas-fired DHW water heaters and components based on the technology of the Italian firm “Merloni Progetti SpA”. After that there began a new period in the life of OAO “Gazapparat”: new manufacturing buildings were being constructed, European high-tech automized equipment was being installed. Not only did the plant innovate a model range of gas-fired gas geysers (DHW boilers), but it set out to produce a new types of product.
In 1997 gas-fired geysers /water heaters/ Neva /Neva/ were manufactured on the basis of European technologies in compliance with the highest standards . As far as eco-safety is concerned, Neva is at the level of world leaders. The equipment for the geysers to be produced is the sophisticated stock of Italian, German and Swiss machines which allowed to manufacture any complicated parts precisely and quickly. In 1999 the plant started to boost the output and was one of the first hundred most dynamically developing enterprises in Russia for the subsequent years, constantly striving to increase the quality and reliability of the product.
In 2004 a basically new model range of gas-fired geysers Neva Lux was launched. The models Neva Lux 5013 and Neva Lux 5016 were certified as European Quality products. In 2005 the plant started to produce the models 3224, 3220, and a wall-mounted double-mode gas-fired boiler Neva Lux 8023.
In 2007 OAO “Gazapparat” resumed the production of domestic gas cooker models Neva 540-10 and 540-50, approved by “The Committee for Economical Development” of the St. Petersburg government and delivered in the frame of the city programme to replace the outdated gas cookers in dwelling houses. In accordance with the production development programme, OAO “Gazmash” and OAO “Gazapparat” took a decision to move the production of DHW Neva mod. 3010, 3110 and 3212 to “Armavir gas equipment plant” Ltd., a 100% OAO “Gazmash” affiliated company, in Krasnodar territory. Since then those models have been in production under the brand of “Darina”.
In the first half of 2008 wall-mounted gas-fired model Neva Lux 8224 went into production. That model is supplied with a new electronic plate and hydraulic unit, innovated self-diagnostics systems and a water cooling heat-exchanger. Those innovations are intended to prolong its life service considerably.
The selfless labour of the plant team is constantly rewarded. At the present moment OAO “Gazapparat” is the largest manufacturer of gas-fired DHW boilers in Russia and the CIS. Multi-year experience and deep-rooted traditions made it possible for OAO “Gazapparat” to manufacture the products of high quality – there is a great demand for gas-fired geysers (water heaters) and boilers under the trade mark Neva and Neva Lux not only in Russia, but far beyond as well. With focus on consumers, OAO “Gazapparat” develops the product by analogy with European quality, but at bargain prices – to a considerable extend. For many years consumers have gained confidence in its reliability and long life service.
192019, Saint-Petersburg, Professor Kachalov street,3;
tel.: (812) 567-22-65, fax: (812) 567-60-27
e-mail: zavod@baltgaz.ru site: www.baltgaz.ru
