Leninska Kuznya [Lenin's Forge]

The Leninska Kuznya shipyard, owned by President Petro Poroshenko, assumed a major role in rebuilding Ukraine's navy. The Kyiv plant was set to complete two small Gyurza-class gunboats by the end of 2016, the first new vessels received by Ukraine's navy since 80% of its fleet was stranded in Crimea. A further eight such vessels were to join the fleet by 2017, with a total of 20 completed by 2020.

Formerly, in the ex-Soviet Union, according to the strategy of industrial development, the most powerful shipbuilding plants have been located at the rivers, in the middle of the country's territory - e.g. in Gorky city (now it is Nizhny Novgorod), in Khabarovsk, Komsomolsk-at-Amur, Zeienodolsk and others. A decision referring to the development of powerful industrial shipbuilding sector in Kiev, at the plant "Leninska Kuznya", has been taken about 40 years ago. Time has shown that such decision has become viable, very correct, accurate and active. The industrial policy of the plant has been always oriented to the following: constant modernization of production , search for new technologies, cooperation with several dozens of scientific/research entities and design bureaus available in Kiev, and the latter is aimed at the checking of new technical solutions . All above contribute to a stable development of shipbuilding production.

In 1862 a Joint Stock Company was founded by production engineer Donat Fyodor Grigorievich. It had been a mechanical plant and iron-works and from the very beginning the plant had been a private property with management of works being carried out by the founders. Within a short period of time, by 1868 metal structures had been manufactured for a new bridge over the river Dnieper, construction thereof being carried out under direction of the well-known Russian engineer Mr.Struve.

The year 1889 saw the reorganization into a company named as "Kiev Machine-Building Plant" belonging to Society "Donat, Lipkovsky and Co". In 1895 came the transfer to the ownership of the Joint Stock Company "South Russian Machine-Building Plant".

In 1924 the company "South Russian Machine-Building Plant" was renamed to "Leninska Kuznya" [Lenin's Forge] plant according to Decree of Kiev Regional Executive Committee. In 1928 a Decree of Supreme Soviet of Ukraine on the following matters: organizing of fluval shipbuilding in Ukraine, specialization of "Leninska Kuznya" in this branch of industry, development of shipyard.

In 1928 began the laying down of shipyard on the left riverside of Dnieper, at Rybalsky peninsula. By 1931 came the launching of the first tugboat with all-welded hull designed for 150 hp, adn in 1932 came the commencement of building the river tugs for 300 hp with valve steam engine of our own production on board. Th year 1934 saw the beginning of building the river tugs for 400 hp.

In the post-war periodthe yeard focused on construction of dredges with the out-put of 250 m/h, of passenger vessels for 400 hp., harbor seagoing tugboats, self-propelled sea-going scows.

From 1954-1962 began the start of construction of the middle-class fishing freezer trawlers for 800 hp., multi-scooped dredges and dry cargo ships with cargo-carrying capacity of 400-600 tons. Machine-building sector constitutes a high percentage in general scope of our production. We manufacture a wide range of boiler units, pumps, equipment for chemical industry, controllable pitch propellers, freezing technique.

In 1986 a big scope of works for elimination of consequences after explosion at Chernobyl Atomic Power Plant. In 1995 there was a change in a form of the ownership, setting-up of the open-type Joint Stock Company named as "Leninska Kuznya" Plant".

The flow-line conveyor method of ship construction is widely known in the world and it is employed at the shipbuilding companies in many countries. Because of peculiar conditions of the shipyards and by some other reasons the above method is used at the mentioned shipyards only partially and in majority of cases before shaping of hull in a dock; it may take place at a pre-determined site or at the building berth with slope.

It's in a full extent that flow-line conveyer method of ship construction was adopted at the JSC "Leninska Kuznya" Plant". It means that using such method, a ship erection schedule is established and organization of building is provided as well, including manufacture and delivery of material resources, pieces and parts, units and modules as well as accessory equipment to the shops. All above listed is conveyed then from the shops to erection site depending upon the method of vessels' construction and taking into account the date of the vessel's transfer to the Client. Four flows have been arranged at the shipyard.

A flexible engineering and production management and control of building the vessels is provided using a flow-line conveyor method for that purpose. Adoption of erection schedule is very important hereby. It gave the possibility to obtain construction rhythm as 14 days, that is every 14 days the yard launched a vessel and delivered her to the Client.

Simulation trials of ships contributed much as well because they fully imitate conditions of sea trials at the proving grounds. It is already during 30 years that all serial ships here are subject to such trials at the water area of the shipyard. The above method gives the possibility to make checking, adjusting and tuning of hull machinery, units and devices. The testing being completed, the vessel is transfered to the Client.

The major investor is Ukrainian Industrial and Investment Concern named as "UKRPROMINVEST". Peculiar partnership has been established with such well-known and world-recognized institutions: Institute of Electric Welding named by academician Paton, Institute of Power and Capacities, Institute for Problems of Founding, Hydrodynamics Institution, Institute for Materials Study, Institution for Chemistry of Surfaces, Hydroacoustics Institution, scientific/research Institute "Kvant", and other organizations located in Kiev and in other recognized centres of shipbuilding industry. It's already in our times that all shipbuilding workshops have been modernized; up-to-date assembly/welding equipment, cleaning units, systems for primer application and equipment to cut shipbuilding steel have been mounted. Ships and vessels constructed at our shipyard are equipped with the advanced installations and units produced by the world-known leaders in manufacturing of radio communication equipment, navigational means, fish-finding technique, fishing gears.

The plant possesses a significant experience in the building of fishing freezer trawlers and tuna ships, automated dredges, chemical tankers, antisubmarine ships, scientific research vessels, geological survey vessels. That's why that special structures for underground, for construction of dwelling houses of monolitic concrete and others are ordered just here. It is thanks to a long-term persistent work that the plant has earned its good name, and this name is now a visiting card for the new Clients. It's especially important taking into account a very high price of the vessels and the time required for their construction.