The Voronezh Ceramic Factory was founded in 1954 and began with the production of glazed facing tiles. In 2004, a project was launched to produce a new product for the company - porcelain stoneware. In 2007, the plant became part of the UNITILE Group of Companies. The synergistic effect of the merger made it possible to expand the collection and size range of ceramic products, as well as to increase the volume of produced cladding ceramics for walls and floors.
"Voronezh Ceramics" works on modern equipment from manufacturers from Italy and Spain, with the help of which it carries out the approved technological regulations with a completed technological cycle. The plant complies with all accepted European norms and standards for quality and ecology. In 2014, at the proposal of the Government of the Voronezh Region, the enterprise was included in the National Register of Leading Organizations in the Construction Industry of Russia.
The main products of the plant are divided into ceramic products with glossy and matte finishes, which are widely used for cladding industrial and domestic premises. All products are certified by Southern Certification and Testing Center LLC, Rostov-on-Don.
On July 13, 1946, a resolution of the Council of Ministers of the USSR ordered Glavstroykeramika to begin construction of a ceramic factory in Voronezh. Construction work began on a site located in the southwestern part of the city, not far from the territory of the Voronezh Mechanical Plant. At first, the work was carried out rather sluggishly, since at that time many other objects and industrial enterprises of Voronezh were being restored, and there were not enough people, materials, and equipment for all construction projects.
Since 1951, the construction of the plant began to be carried out by a special construction organization - UNR-154 of construction trust No. 25 of Glavtsentrostroy of the USSR Ministry of Construction. By 1953, builders had gradually put into operation all the facilities of the plant for the production of facing tiles, as well as auxiliary workshops and related infrastructure.
After the necessary fine-tuning and elimination of shortcomings, the Voronezh Ceramic Plant (VKZ) was put into operation. This event took place in 1954. The design capacity of the enterprise at that time was 85 thousand square meters of facing tiles and 330 thousand square meters of floor tiles per year.
The high demand for facing tiles and ceramic products led to the full utilization of VKZ production facilities and good sales of finished products. Already by 1966-1970. The company’s staff exceeded the design capacity for the production of facing tiles by 30%, and for floor tiles by 78%.
By 1971, the Voronezh Ceramic Plant began to reconstruct production and modernize technological processes again. For these purposes, new workshops were built to produce 5,000 tons of glazes and 250 tons of dyes, 1,650 thousand square meters of floor tiles and 200 thousand square meters of facade tiles per year. By 1974, the production capacity of the enterprise for facing tiles had increased to 2.1 million square meters.
In 2005, the VKZ was completely reconstructed and modernized in terms of production technologies. The new owners of the enterprise purchased equipment from Italian manufacturers. After its installation and debugging, the capacity of the VKZ increased to 10 million square meters. meters of tiles per year. In 2007, VKZ became part of the Stroyfarfor holding, which specialized in the production of facing tiles and porcelain stoneware.
Global financial and economic crisis of 2008-2009. made his own adjustments to the optimistic programs of the VKZ. Loans taken from Sberbank and VTB for the technical renovation of the enterprise placed a heavy burden on its balance sheet. During the crisis period, demand fell, income and business profitability decreased. The ceramic plant, which at that time was part of the UNITILE holding, entered bankruptcy proceedings in 2011. In 2012, the owners of the enterprise managed to reach agreements with creditors on debt restructuring and restoration of normal operation of the plant. Currently, the Voronezh Ceramic Plant operates within the UNITILE structure, its production and trading activities have returned to normal.
Voronezh ceramic plant: history of development. Galkin Vadim Vitalievich.