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New Light on THE SOVIET INDUSTRY

18th November 1932
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Page 54, 18th November 1932 — New Light on THE SOVIET INDUSTRY
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

OF recent years, there has been a certain amount of mystery attached to any development in Russia, due to the authorities showing the foreigner only what they consider is good for him to know. This has applied in no small way to the motor industry, so that in this country, today, few persons have any idea of the vast developments which are being carried out in this direction under the Five Year Plan.

Russia's greaTest need as a largely agricultural country is for tractors and lorries which can be utilized on the collective farms. It was soon to be realized that the mere importation of foreign vehicles was a measure which could be only a temporary one, and that, in order to meet the overwhelming demand, in a practical manner, it must be dealt with on the spot.

This necessitated the construction of factories and the installation of suitable plant, a feat largely accomplished under the guidance of foreign experts. There are now numerous factories functioning, and most of them seem to have recovered from their earlier difficulties, and to have emerged from the uneconomic stage through which the Molotoff Works at Moscow is now passing. The conditions of this works were described in our associated journal, The Motor, on November 1.

Important Commercial-motor Factories.

The principal of these commercialmotor factories are The Krasny Putilovets (Red Putilov Worker Factory), The Felix Djerjinsky Tractor Factory, at Stalingrad, Selmashstroy (The Agricultural Machinery Factory, at Rostov-on-Don), and works at Harkov and Oheliabin.sk.

A number of 30-cwt, lo-rries has also been produced by the Molotoff Works, at Nizhni Novgorod, but, as has been stated, the output from this factory is, at the moment, most erratic. The Stalin Motor Works, at Moscow, has also been making a certain number of commercial vehicles.

Dealing with the other factories in the order mentioned, we start with that of the Krasny Putilovets. It was one of the first to build tractors in the Ukrainian Socialistic Soviet Republic. At first, ready-made parts imported from America were assembled, but later actual production was commenced, the

Fordson tractor being taken as a model. The P.P., or Fordson Putilov tractor, as the new product is known, is now t1:0 be seen on many of the collective farms throughout the Soviet.

Some facts concerning this factory, issued by the State Publishing House, are of interest. It is an independent factory with new buildings, new machinery and new working methods, and, although it is not yet working at full capacity, at the end of this year it is estimated to produce 30,000 tractors annually.

The Felix Dierfinsky Factory, at Stalingrad, has, it is claimed, the greatest capacity of any tractor works in the world. It was estimated to turn out 38,000 tractors of

the International type (up to 80 h.p.) in 1931. These figures could not have been reached by a long way, because, during this period, the total output for the whole country was only 40,000. This year, 50,000 tractors is the figure given as its proposed output.

In its early days, thousands of worthless vehicles were produced by this works, due to the poor quality. of the metal used. Spare parts and tools for repair work are few, and readers may -be astounded to learn that, at the commencement of this year's harvest season, over 100,000 tractors awaited repair.

Early Troubles Overcome.

Recent reports state that most of the early troubles at this factory have been overcome. A technical institute (Vine) has been set up here for tha purpose of giving mechanical instruction to thousands of would-be engineers.

In 1927, a barren stretch of country marked the snot where now stands Selmashstroy (The Agricultural Ma chinery Works, at Rostov-on-Don). Completed in 1931, it is estimated that it will not he working at full capacity until next year, although a reasonable degree of efficiency seems now to have been reached, despite an inauspicious start.

Figures given for full-capacity output include :-100,000 tractor ploughs, 100,000 tractor binders, 30,000 disc harrows and 6,000 trailers. The area covered by this factory is about 280 hectares.

The factory at Harkov, the capital of the U.S.S.R., is now in full swing, and 50,000 tractors a year has been mentioned as the quota needed from this plant. Harkov has so increased its industrial enterprises that, in four years, its population has increased by 55,000.

Cheliabinsk, in the Urals, bids fair to out-rival Stalingrad for the title of " world's largest tractor works." The new factory here is now nearing completion and is expected to be ready by January, 1083. It will derive its power from the new plant recently completed nearby, the capacity of which is being increased for this purpose. It is expected that this works will concentrate more on the chain-track type of tractor, now so much in demand, which may possibly be equipped with an oil engine. These agrimotors would be of 60 h.p., and, whilst the required number for the first year is 40,000, it is felt that once again an overestimate has been made. .

Production Below Schedule.

For the first six months of this year, only 21,000 of the 82,000 tractors estimated have been completed, and that is a combined total from all the factories.

It can be said that, after many troubles, principally due to poor metal and inexperienced labour, the commercial-motor industry in the Soviet at last seems to be getting away from the deep rut of inefficiency into which it had fallen at its initiation.

One of the difficulties nnder•which the Soviet motor industry is suffering is that the chief officials of the factories have been so intimidated that they now refuse to take individual action, with the result that new developments have first to be considered by committees of the engineers, involving, in some cases, considerably delay.

Elsewhere throughout the country, new garages on modern lines are making an appearance, and motors are ousting the more medizeval forms of transport. This article has been written after a personal visit to Russia, and has been published to meet the insistent demands of the public for authoritative information, shorn of sensation and fiction, of the present conditions obtaining in the motor industry of the U.S.S.R.

The pictures accompanying this

article are by " in Construction."

Tags

Organisations: State Publishing House
Locations: Moscow

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