Polotsk-Steklovolokno JSC – Exporters of Quality
Open Joint Stock Company "Polotsk-Steklovolokno" produces over a thousand types of unique fiberglass products. The enterprise, with a 65-year history, focuses on quality and teamwork, and the experience and professionalism gained over this time allow for continuous development. This and more was discussed by Deputy General Director – Chief Engineer Egor Voyteshonok during a tour of the enterprise.
The Glass Melting Furnace is the Heart of the Plant
Fiberglass production is a continuous technological process, which is why the glass melting furnaces at the plant operate day and night. It all begins with the preparation of the batch. Its raw components – quartz sand, alumina, limestone, and other ingredients – are combined in specific proportions, mixed, and fed into the furnace hopper. Here, the batch is melted at very high temperatures and transformed into glass. This critical stage is under the control of glassmakers.
– We maintain the technological parameters of the glass melting process using computers, monitor all parameters of the glass melting furnace, and constant control is required, – notes Alexander Guretsky, a glassmaker at workshop No. 6.
From the melting bath, the glass flows into feeders and spreads to the working positions. Here, the fiberglass is carefully received by the strong hands of operators in the continuous fiberglass production department. They skillfully handle the fine glass fiber, which is wound onto mandrels.
Wonders of Technology and Women's Hands
The next stop on the route is winding and twisting workshop No. 8 and weaving workshop No. 9. Here, new equipment is installed: winding, warping, and sizing machines, as well as looms. It is characterized by high productivity and is equipped with microprocessor control technology.
In the spinning and weaving building, glass fiber is transformed into yarn, which then becomes fabric. The workshops are impressive in their scale: collectively, these two departments house about 800 units of modern equipment and employ around 1200 workers. The complex technological processes are primarily managed by the fairer sex, delicate girls and women: warpers, glass yarn winders, and weavers.
Ours – Belarusian
PSV Open Joint Stock Company produces a wide range of fiberglass products. These include construction materials, structural materials used in the manufacturing of fiberglass-reinforced plastics, from which various structures are subsequently obtained, for example, in aviation and shipbuilding, and electrical insulating materials, widely used in electronics, and exclusive high-temperature silica materials that retain their properties even at 1000°C.
Export Map
PSV OJSC is an export-oriented enterprise, with almost 90% of its products supplied to foreign markets. The main consumers are located in the Russian Federation, European countries, and Southeast Asia. Last year, new destinations appeared on the company's export map: Saudi Arabia, Iran, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, and Georgia.
The presence of the Polotsk enterprise's products is increasing in countries such as Turkey and Thailand, as well as in Central Asia and the Transcaucasus.
Focus on Innovation
PSV OJSC places great importance on further improving technology to bring the company's products to a high modern level and to feel confident in foreign markets. This is relevant, as China, for example, produces fiberglass products in fantastic volumes in a similar sector of the real economy. The Polotsk enterprise strives to carve out its niche by emphasizing a reasonable balance of price and quality, and aims to be one step ahead by producing innovative products: thermal insulation jackets, foil-faced fabrics, wind and moisture protection membranes – about 85 items in total, accounting for about 2% of the total production volume.
Special Products – Special Quality
Competition in the global market necessitates adherence to high quality standards. PSV OJSC has implemented an integrated management system that complies with the international ISO standard. The enterprise has repeatedly participated successfully in quality competitions: "Best Goods of the Republic of Belarus," "Best Goods of the Republic of Belarus in the Russian Federation Market," "Best Construction Product of the Year in the Republic of Belarus," and has also received the prestigious award – the Government Prize of the Republic of Belarus for achievements in the field of quality – six times. In the Year of Quality, individual products of the Polotsk enterprise will be nominated for the State Quality Mark.
The Secret to Success Lies in the Team
Open Joint Stock Company "Polotsk-Steklovolokno" values every specialist. The enterprise has established a robust motivation system, employs differentiated labor payment methods, and has implemented a progressive bonus system. The collective agreement of the joint-stock company is among the most advanced in the country. For instance, in 2023, additional payments and compensations per employee averaged 3127 rubles, which is equivalent to approximately 1.7 times the average salary.
The plant has a specialized production process, requiring all employees to possess high qualifications, specific knowledge, and skills. The team of Polotsk chemists, currently numbering over 3,000 individuals, is often referred to as one large family. The plant workers collaboratively address work-related issues and honor the esteemed traditions of the collective. Most importantly, there is a shared sense of responsibility and engagement. Every employee of OJSC "PSV" understands that the overall result depends on their labor, and each individual strives for self-improvement to advance together.
Source: vitebsk-region.gov.by