Sestroretsk Instrumentation Plant

Categories / Economy/Industry
Sestroretsk Instrumentation Plant ( Sestroretsk, 2 Voskova Street) is an open joint-stock company, a tooling and machining enterprise and large producer of metal-cutting instruments. It was established in 1721 as state ammunition plant, and in the 18th century produced and repaired fire-arms and cold steel. The plant settlement grew into the town of Sestroretsk. At the beginning of the 19th century the plant was re-equipped, and manufacturing of new high precision products was made possible. Mass production of three-port rifles of 1891 model designed by S. I. Mosin (who was the director of the plant since 1894) started at the plant at the end of the 19th century. Making of automatic rifles designed by V. G. Fedorov started in the 1910s. In the 18th century the plant produced metal railings for St. Petersburg embankments, minted coins and made buttons for uniforms, along with the traditional firearms. It was here that the clock for St. Peter&Paul Cathedral as well as the “sockdolager machine” for the chemical laboratory of M. V. Lomonosov and other unique products were made. Manufacturing of measuring instruments, and then of cutting instruments was established In the middle of the 19th century. In the beginning of the 20th century the plant became the largest supplier for the military industry. The volume of production of arms and instruments increased sharply in the years of World War I in 1914-18. In 1918-22, the industry suffered a decline of production, the plant completed only a few accidental orders; afterwards it was reorganized to produce measuring, cutting and assembling instruments. The plant was named after revolutionary S. P. Voskov (1889-1920) in 1923. The new machine-building section was established in 1935 and the plant became a machine-building enterprise. At the beginning of the Great Patriotic War of 1941-45 the enterprise was transferred to Leningrad, making arms along with instruments. After the war the plant switched to making complex instruments with hard alloy armour, assembled and welded equipment tempered with high-frequency current as well as automatic equipment for instrument-making industry. The products of the plant were exported to 60 countries of the world. The enterprise was reincorporated as a joint-stock company in 1991. It was awarded the International Prize For technology and quality in 1996.

References: Сестрорецкий инструментальный завод им. Воскова: Очерки, док., воспоминания, 1721-1967. Л., 1968.

V. S. Solomko. Fedorov Vladimir Grigorievich
Lomonosov Mikhail Vasilievich
Mosin Sergey Ivanovich
Voskov Semen Petrovich
Voskova St./Sestroretsk, town, house 2
Сестрорецкий инструментальный з-д им. Воскова: Очерки, док., воспоминания, 1721-1967. Л., 1968 SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral
1721