“Let’s Go!” – MSA celebrates new production hall

On the 12th of December, 2013, MSA officially opened a new production hall in Dolní Benešov, in the north-east of the Czech Republic. A delegation from Valve World took part in the festivities, and used the opportunity to video interview several of the company’s top management.
 
(Scroll down for videos).

The opening of the new hall – which took ten months to complete – represents a major first step in MSA’s modernization programme . That was made very clear by MSA’s General Director Mr Vladimir Kononov.

“This event is an important step for MSA. The first stage of modernization was completed without interrupting production – a difficult task but we have successfully achieved it! I am convinced that this new chapter in the story of MSA will lead to more successes, ” said Mr Kononov.

The official ceremony took place in the new hall itself on the 12th of December, and was attended by some 100 dignitaries and guests. Mr Vitaliy Sadykov, the General Director of the Rimera Group (the Russian enterprise which owns MSA) commented that the new hall will strengthen MSA’s position to serve oil and gas companies and even the nuclear power industry.

“MSA’s products are sold to some of the world’s leading companies. During the past three years , sales have increased by 60% and are now reaching USD 100 million a year,” Mr Sadykov noted.

The highlight of the celebration was the final closing of a valve, symbolizing the starting up of the new manufacturing hall and the beginning of the production processes.

The new production hall will produce, amongst other items, control valves for nuclear power engineering , metal-to-metal seated ball valves and fully welded ball valves for aggressive environments.

To end the speeches, Mr Kononov called out “Let’s go!” which was the signal to start up the new production hall.

The decision to modernise this production hall was taken in in 2012. The reconstruction will help MSA not only to increase production quality yet , but also to accelerate the production cycle and hence to expand production capacity, optimize the production process and reduce costs .It also signifies welcome extra employment for the locality.

The last stage of the modernization programme will start in 2015. By then, some EUR 17 million will have been spent. The investment in the new production hall amounted to over EUR 6 million. “In addition we have received an EU grant to the value of EUR 2.5 million,” added Otto Janda, MSA’s Investment Director.

“In 2014 we plan to manufacture small and medium-sized valves in the new production hall,” he continued. “This required investment in new technologies. For example, we have installed a new paint shop, ultrasound equipment, new welding stations and we are especially proud of a horizontal machining center from Germany.

To conclude the celebrations, guests were then invited to a magnificent dinner and party at the Hotel Imperia in Ostrava.