In October 1953 Archeda-Stalingrad gas pipe-line was brought into operation and natural gas came to Volgograd. In accordance with the USSR Council of Ministers Resolution ¹ 6366-P dated 30th November 1957, Stalingrad plant “Gazoapparat” was set up which aimed to provide the residents of the city with domestic gas equipment and to which the manufacturing buildings of the repair enterprise in the Central region of the city were turned over. One part of the equipment was bought as new, the other part was transferred by the local authorities from a number of city plants such as Tractor, Red October, Barricade, Petrov plant etc. The bulk of the employees – workers, engineers and managers – also moved from those plants.
As early as possible thousands of “Gazoapparat” staff members managed to master rather complicated technologies of multi-operation stamping, non-ferrous foundry casting under pressure, steel silicate enamelling, heat-exchanger soldering with phosphorus copper, assembling on a continuously production line etc. Thus, already in 1958 10 000 4-burner gas cookers under the brand of “Stalingrad” and 8 000 DHW boilers ÊÃÈ-56 were produced. The plant fulfilled its task – the city got provided with domestic gas appliances.
In 1962 a not yet equipped manufacturing building in the plant was turned into a studio for Y. V. Vucheticha to create the Memorial Complex to the heroes of Stalingrad Battle, for the whole 5 years. The 10-fold smaller copy of “The Motherland Calls” sculpture was made here. ”The Square of Mourning”, “The Square of Heroes” sculptures were created in the main plant building, as well as the fragments of the monumental relief, which were moved out in parts later on and assembled at Mamayev Kurgan. People`s artist of the USSR Y. V. Vuchetich presented the plant employees with the copy of his sculpture “Let us Beat Swords into Plowshares”, with an inscription of gratitude for what “Gazoapparat” employees had done for him. The sculpture is still there in front of the plant entrance-gate.
In 1965 “Gazoapparat” integrated into the main department “Glavgazmehplants” of the Ministry of Gas industry of the USSR, a new period of technical upgrading and mastering the production of modified equipment has started since then.
In 1972 the plant set out to produce more sophisticated DHW models ÂÏÃ-18. In 1982 there appeared a new 4-burner cooker model 1477 “Electra” in the range of “Gazoapparat” products and next year - already 2 cooker models: table top mod.1216 and 4-burner mod.1469 “Dachnitsa”, without an oven. The next year there were already 2 cooker models launched: a 2-burner table top mod.1216 and 4-burner mod.1469 “Dachnitsa”, without an oven.
After the collapse of the USSR “Gazoapparat” was pulled into recession with a dramatic fall in housing and a 70% decrease in the sale market. But the plant got it over and went on working and dynamically developing. In 1993 “Gazoapparat” was reorganised in OAO ”Volgogazoapparat” as an affiliated OAO ”Gazmash” company, in full accordance with the Decree of theRF President of “Reorganising the state-owned gas concern “Gazprom” into Russian joint-stock company “Gazprom”, dated 5th November 1992.
In 1996 4-burner cooker models 14.101 were put into production, and in 1998 – 2-burner models 12.101 under the brands of “Lada” and “Lada-Lux”.
Constantly striving to update the quality of the products manufactured and increase the volume of production, the new lines of enamel-coating, polymer powder-coating for cooker units and high productive ovens for enamel glaze kilning were put into operation in OAO ”Volgogazoapparat”. The components and innovative materials of high quality were used in the design of cookers. In 2005 and 2006 OAO ”Volgogazoapparat” set out to produce upgraded 4-burner cooker mod. 14.110 “Lada” and “Lada-Lux” and 2-burner models 12.110, with an oven.
To meet the demand of the construction market, OAO ”Volgogazoapparat” diversified its production and domestic electric cookers to be produced in large numbers. In the middle of 2006 4-plate cooker models ÝÁ×Æ-5-4-5,5/7-220
“Dachnitsa” were launched, at the beginning of 2007 – 2-plate-with- oven models ÝÁ×Æ-5-2-3,9-220, and in 2008 – 4-plate –without oven mod. ÝÁ×-5-4-5-220.
Currently OAO ”Volgogazoapparat” is staying focused entirely on manufacturing domestic cookers. All the models are sophisticated in design, easy and convenient in use. Apart from that, individual orders for outfitting and designing cookers are fulfilled for no more than 4 days. The output is annually increasing, the model range is expanding. At the end of 2007 more than 8,5 mill cookers and more than 3 mill gas-fired heating boilers rolled off the production line of OAO ”Volgogazoapparap”, on the occasion of its 50th birthday anniversary.
The constant updating of production assets, focus on the quality and innovation of a product range, competitive prices, accessible service, reliability and durability of the products manufactured have made the brand of “Lada” and “Lada Lux” one of the most demandable in its price range. OAO ”Volgogazoapparat” is striving very hard to become the leader in its segment. And there are essential prerequisites for it: OAO ”Volgogazoapparat” is a numerous diploma and certificates of quality holder. In 2007 it won “100 best products in Russia” contest due to the achievements in upgrading the quality of the products manufactured. In addition to that, since 2003 OAO ”Volgogazoapparat” has won “The best organization of the year” regional contest several times.
The motto of OAO ”Volgogazapparat” is “Quality, Reliability and Convenience at minimum price!”
