Plastpolimer, plant (32 Polyustrovsky Avenue)

Categories / Economy/Industry
PLASTPOLIMER (32 Polyustrovsky Avenue), an open joint-stock company, the leading scientific research and development institute in the field of research and development of plastic polymerisation products. It was created in 1969. In 1973 the plant was renamed Plastpolimer Okhta Research and Development Association, which was a part of R&D Institute Of Polymerisation And Experimental Plant (formed in 1945), Leningrad Department of Giproplast Moscow Project Institute (formed in 1958), and Okhta Chemical Integrated Plant (67 Kommuny Street) - one of the oldest enterprises of St. Petersburg (founded in 1715 as Okhta Powder Mill). Until October, 1917, the plant was the largest powder mill in Russia, producing various kinds of powder and other explosives for the army and the navy. D. I. Mendeleev, I. A. Vyshnegradsky, P. N. Yablochkov, A. D. Zasyadko, K. I. Konstantinov, A. A. Fadeev, Z. V. Kalachev and others contributed to rationalising production. The first missiles (1817) and rocket launchers, which were successfully used during the Russian-Turkish War (1828-29) were invented and made there. Since 1922 the plant produced consumer goods mostly, including first Russian imitation leather (nitrocellulose-treated cloth), celluloids, nitric lacquers, sulphur dyes for textile industry, phenolic resins, camphor, bakelite, glutton and other materials. When S.N. Ushakov, who was the founder and the first director of Leningrad Institute of Plastic Materials (1931) joined the plant in 1945 he established a partnership between the R&D Institute of Polymerisation and experimental plant. In the beginning of the Great Patriotic War (1941-45) the equipment of all major workshops was evacuated to the Urals. The equipment of the former Schliesselburg Powder Mill was relocated to the plant’s grounds, and production of ammunition (including that for artillery rocket launcher), antiseptics and other kinds of products were organized. After the War the plant restarted production of plastic, mastered the technology of producing cellulose triacetate, vinyl, polyvinylbutyral resin tape, different kinds of plastics for cable and electrical industry, polyethylene, fluoroplastic (itydol), ethoxyline resin, polystyrene and other materials. The plant expertise was used in setting up large manufacturing companies in various parts of the country. In 1988 the R&D Association became a part of Tekhnokhim Inter-branch State Association; in 1993 it was transformed into a joint-stock company. There is a Museum of History of Russian powder and polymer production.

References: Каменев К. И. Историческое описание Охтенского порохового завода. СПб., 1891; Смолян А. С. Живые традиции: О прошлом и настоящем Охтинского хим. комбината. Л., 1959; Охтинский химический комбинат, 250 лет, 1715-1965: Очерки, док., воспоминания. Л., 1965; Почин С. А. Архитекторы молекул: История охтинского НПО "Пластполимер". Л., 1987.

V. G. Avdeev. Faddeev А.А.
Kalachev Z.V.
Konstantinov Konstantin Ivanovich
Mendeleev Dmitry Ivanovich
Ushakov Sergey Nikolaevich
Vyshnegradsky Alexander Ivanovich
Vyshnegradsky Ivan Alexeevich
Yablochkov Pavel Nikolaevich
Zasyadko Alexander Dmitrievich
Kommuny St./Saint Petersburg, city, house 67
Polyustrovsky Ave/Saint Petersburg, city, house 32
Смолян А. С. Живые традиции: О прошлом и настоящем Охтин. хим. комб. Л., 1959
Почин С. А. Архитекторы молекул: История охтин. НПО «Пластполимер». Л., 1987
Охтинский химический комбинат, 250 лет, 1715–1965: Очерки, док., воспоминания. Л.