Kamensk-Uralsky Metallurgical Works

Kamensk-Uralsky Metallurgical Works, commonly abbreviated KUMZ, is a large metallurgical enterprise in Kamensk-Uralsky, Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia. The plant is one of the city’s principal industrial employers and was established during the Soviet industrialization period to supply aerospace manufacturing with semi-finished products made from aluminum and magnesium alloys. Its product portfolio now spans cast billets, ingots and slabs; rolled sheet and plate; extruded bars, rods, tubes and profiles; forgings and rings; lightweight drill pipes; roll-bond heat exchangers; and specialized materials such as aluminum-lithium alloys and closed-cell aluminum foam. The works originated in a Soviet government decision issued in 1939 to build Works No. 268 for magnesium-alloy production. Construction began in May 1940, and equipment evacuated from the Stupino Metallurgical Works during the Second World War helped establish casting and rolling capacity. KUMZ produced its first aluminum-alloy slabs in February 1942 and its first forged and extruded products in autumn 1943. The plant’s public launch was reported in May 1944, a date subsequently treated as the enterprise’s birthday. During the postwar decades, KUMZ expanded its workshops, technologies and customer base, adding major forging, extrusion, casting and rolling capabilities. It also began exports in 1958 and diversified into magnesium rolled products and consumer aluminum cookware. KUMZ’s industrial model is vertically integrated. Its casting operations prepare alloy billets and slabs from primary aluminum, alloying elements and scrap for use by the plant’s downstream departments. Rolling facilities make conventional and patterned products, including tread plate and aluminum-lithium sheet and plate. Extrusion operations manufacture a broad range of profiles, bars, rods and tubes using numerous hydraulic presses and in-house tooling. Forging operations produce aircraft components, die forgings and rings in a wide range of sizes. The company also operates heat-exchanger, plate-treatment, research and testing facilities, allowing it to verify chemical composition, strength, ductility, fracture toughness, hardness, conductivity and material structure. The enterprise has historically served Russian aircraft design organizations and broader transportation, industrial, construction and energy markets. Its aerospace orientation connects it with programs ranging from Soviet and Russian spacecraft to international projects, including the International Space Station and Sea Launch. Export products have been marketed to customers in dozens of countries, and the works has held or pursued quality and sector certifications associated with aerospace, environmental management, occupational safety, rail transport, marine classification and nondestructive testing. Reference material also identifies aerospace customers such as Boeing and Bombardier for certain specialized plate products, although the scope and continuity of individual customer relationships may change over time. KUMZ is also closely tied to the social and physical development of Kamensk-Uralsky. Housing, a neighborhood, schools, health facilities, sports venues, cultural institutions and recreation facilities were developed in connection with the workforce and the surrounding community. As with other large metallurgical plants, its operations have environmental impacts. Available reference material describes the plant’s contribution to regional air pollution as comparatively limited in 2014 while reporting that it accounted for 11.6 percent of sewage discharge into the Iset River in the town, placing it third locally at that time. Current ownership, financial condition, executive leadership and website information are not established in the supplied references.

KUMZ’s history began with Soviet Government Decision No. 513-99C of June 3, 1939, which authorized construction of Works No. 268 for magnesium-alloy products. Building work began in May 1940. During the Second World War, production equipment from the Stupino Metallurgical Works in the Moscow region was evacuated to the site, helping the new enterprise establish casting and rolling operations. The first aluminum-alloy slabs were made in February 1942, followed by the first forged and extruded products in autumn 1943. A report published in Pravda on May 5, 1944 announced the plant’s launch; KUMZ subsequently treated that date as its founding anniversary. Postwar investment broadened the enterprise’s technological base. New forging and extrusion facilities were added in 1951, a casting shop in 1958 and an extrusion shop in 1959. The plant made its first recorded export shipment in 1958, sending 2,952 metric tons of rolled aluminum-alloy products abroad, and produced magnesium rolled products for the first time that year. Aluminum-alloy lightweight drill-pipe production began in the 1950s and received a dedicated workshop in 1972. In March 1966, KUMZ commissioned a mechanized roll-bond heat-exchanger line, supporting refrigerator manufacturing and later other thermal applications. The Soviet authorities awarded the enterprise the Order of the Red Banner of Labour on July 8, 1978, recognizing production development and the introduction of new technologies. The works diversified its community role alongside industrial growth. Housing construction near the plant contributed to the development of the Chkalov neighborhood. Facilities established or expanded during the Soviet period included sports, medical, cultural, educational and recreational institutions. These included the Metallurgist sports house, employee and children’s clinics, a boating station on the Iset River, the Metallurgist Palace of Culture, a therapeutic building and later recreation facilities. The plant also supported schools, kindergartens and organized sporting activities for employees and residents. KUMZ was reorganized as a joint-stock company on November 30, 1992. In the following decades it continued to modernize and extend its product range. A greenfield plate heat-treatment project was launched in December 2007. In December 2011, the company entered contracts for a new rolling-mill complex incorporating hot rolling, cold rolling and sheet heat treatment; the stated investment estimate was 550 million euros, but the supplied material does not establish the final cost or completion status. A major 300-meganewton vertical forging press was commissioned after modernization in May 2012. The modern works is organized around casting, rolling, extrusion, forging, heat-exchanger and plate-treatment operations, supported by tooling and research facilities. Its casting department produces billets, ingots and slabs in many Russian-standard alloys as well as alloys meeting international standards and proprietary aluminum-lithium formulations. Rolling operations include hot and cold mills, patterned sheet production and water-jet cutting for shaped blanks. Extrusion operations use numerous hydraulic presses and in-house tooling to produce extensive families of profiles, bars, rods and tubes. Forging equipment serves aircraft and other industrial programs, while special production includes aluminum foam panels for energy and acoustic absorption. The company has participated in Soviet, Russian and international space programs and has supplied materials for aerospace, transport, construction, refrigeration, solar-thermal and other applications. Environmental impacts remain a consideration for the site, as for other large metallurgical enterprises; the supplied reference reports a 2014 local sewage-discharge share of 11.6 percent and does not provide a current environmental assessment.

1. 2012Large forging press modernization

   A 300-meganewton vertical forging press was launched after modernization in May.

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2. 2011Rolling-mill complex contracts

   KUMZ entered contracts for a rolling complex covering hot rolling, cold rolling and sheet heat treatment.

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3. 2007Plate heat-treatment project

   A greenfield project for plate heat treatment was launched in December.

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4. 1992Joint-stock reorganization

   KUMZ was reorganized as a joint-stock company on November 30.

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5. 1978State labor award

   The enterprise received the Order of the Red Banner of Labour for production development and technological improvements.

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6. 1966Roll-bond heat-exchanger line

   A mechanized production line for roll-bond heat exchangers entered service.

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7. 1958First export delivery

   KUMZ exported its first recorded shipment, comprising 2,952 metric tons of rolled aluminum-alloy products, and also began magnesium rolling.

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8. 1944Plant launch recognized

   A May 5 report in Pravda announced the plant’s launch; the date became KUMZ’s recognized birthday.

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9. 1943Forging and extrusion start

   KUMZ produced its first forged and extruded products in autumn.

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10. 1942First aluminum-alloy slabs

    The plant produced its first aluminum-alloy slabs in February.

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11. 1940Construction begins

    Construction of the new metallurgical works began in May.

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12. 1939Government authorization

    A Soviet government decision authorized construction of Works No. 268 for magnesium-alloy products.

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A vertically integrated Russian producer of specialty aluminum and magnesium alloy semi-finished products, with a historic focus on aerospace and other demanding transport and industrial applications.

• Aluminum alloy billets, ingots and slabsCasting products1942

  KUMZ casts aluminum alloys from primary aluminum, alloying elements and scrap. Its casting operations supply downstream rolling, extrusion and forging departments with wrought-alloy billets, ingots and slabs, including formulations made to Russian and international standards and selected aluminum-lithium compositions.

• Rolled sheet and plateRolled aluminum products

  The rolling division produces aluminum sheet and plate for aerospace and industrial customers. Products include flat sheet, plate, tread plate and diamond-pattern surfaces used in vehicles, rail equipment, drilling structures and other applications. Water-jet cutting allows plates to be converted into shaped blanks.

• Aluminum-lithium alloysSpecialty aluminum alloys

  KUMZ is identified as one of the relatively few producers of aluminum-lithium sheet and plate. These lightweight materials are associated primarily with aerospace applications, where reduced mass and specialized mechanical performance are important.

• Extruded profiles, bars, rods and tubesExtruded products1951

  The extrusion division uses hydraulic presses and in-house tooling to make extensive ranges of aluminum profiles, bars, rods and tubes. These products serve aircraft, transportation, construction and general industrial uses, with tooling capabilities supporting many cross-sections and dimensions.

• Forgings and rolled ringsForged products1943

  KUMZ manufactures die forgings, open forgings and rolled rings using large hydraulic and ring-forging equipment. The products support aircraft design bureaus and other demanding engineering sectors, with sizes ranging from small components to heavy industrial parts.

• Roll-bond heat exchangersThermal-management products1966

  The company produces roll-bond aluminum heat exchangers. The line was introduced in the 1960s and originally supported household refrigerator production; the technology is also associated with flat-plate solar thermal collectors and related heat-transfer applications.

• Aluminum-alloy drill pipesIndustrial tubular products

  KUMZ makes lightweight drill pipes from aluminum alloys. The product line originated in the 1950s and was later supported by a dedicated workshop, reflecting the plant’s broader use of aluminum semi-finished products in specialized industrial equipment.

• Closed-cell aluminum foam platesSpecialty materials

  Closed-cell aluminum foam plates are produced as lightweight energy- and sound-absorbing materials. Reference material identifies applications in automobiles, buildings and interiors, aerospace, shipbuilding and rail transport.

• 2012Modernization of a 300-meganewton forging pressGeneration change

  Large forging capacity was important to KUMZ’s aerospace and heavy-engineering product portfolio.

  What changed. A unique vertical 300-meganewton forging press was launched after modernization.

  Aftermath. The press expanded or renewed the plant’s capability for large forged products; further operating details are not provided.

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• 2011Contracts for a new rolling-mill complexStrategy

  KUMZ planned to strengthen its rolling platform for aluminum sheet and plate production.

  What changed. The company entered contracts covering a cold-rolling mill, hot-rolling mill and sheet heat-treatment facilities.

  Aftermath. The announced investment estimate was 550 million euros; the supplied material does not confirm final expenditure or completion.

  Estimated investment. 550 million euros (December 2011 announcement)

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• 2007Launch of a greenfield plate heat-treatment projectStrategy

  The plant sought to expand and modernize its capabilities for treating aluminum plate.

  What changed. KUMZ launched a new greenfield project for plate heat treatment.

  Aftermath. The supplied reference does not establish the project’s final capacity, cost or operating outcome.

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1. Kamensk-Uralsky Metallurgical Works