The regional administration of the Vladimir region has reported that the Gus Crystal Factory will resume production by the end of 2012. A comprehensive investment plan has been set up for the development of the plant with new infrastructure, which will result in the manufacture of crystal, foam glass and basalt fibers.
Production of crystal at Gus Crystal Factory (GHZ), the town of Gus-Crystal, Vladimir region, is to be restored by the end of 2012, according to a spokesman for the regional administration. A previous report said that the production of crystal was planned for launch in early 2013.
A comprehensive investment plan has been set up for the development of the plant with new infrastructure, worth about EUR 80 million. The plant will manufacture crystal, foam glass and basalt fibers.
The restructured production unit will have a modern furnace and an automatic production line, which will simultaneously produce up to 10 items of different colours. This new, high efficiency furnace will have a production yield of about 50-60%, compared to the previous capacity of 1-2%.
The second part of the restructuring project involves the production of blocks of foam glass insulation used in the construction and oil and gas industry. Russia produces only 2% of this new thermal insulation material, with the remaining 98% imported from China and Belarus. The project, which will result in a production capacity of 80,000 cubic meters per year, involves the creation of granular glass crumbs, direct production of cellular glass and sawing into blocks.
The third step regards the creation of the production of basalt fibers with a capacity of 50,000 tons of production per year.
Over the last ten years, Gus Crystal Factory has passed from one owner to another, also undergoing four episodes of bankruptcy since 2000. The plant supplied its products to all regions of the world, with 25% of total production exported.
Gus Crystal Factory (GHZ) was founded in 1756 by merchant A. Maltsov and, in Soviet times, employed 7,500 people, reduced to approximately 1,000 people in 2000, and, in 2010, just 200 people.