OREANDA-NEWS. December 07, 2009. OAO TATNEFT launched a major petrochemical production works: a solid steel chord tire factory in Nizhnekamsk (Republic of Tatarstan). This factory will join the many enterprises of the TATNEFT Group of Companies, reported the press-centre of TATNEFT.

The ceremony was attended by Mintimer Shaimiev, President of Tatarstan, Vladimir Azbukin, Deputy Energy Minister of Russia, Rustam Minnikhanov, Prime Minister of the Republic, Farid Mukhametshin, State Council Chairman, Shafagat Takhautdinov, General Director of OAO TATNEFT, as well as by the heads of the largest enterprises of the republican petrochemical sector.

Initially the guests were acquainted with the new works to produce truck and bus tires of the Solid Steel Chord (SSC) design. The new generation tires have been made under the German Continental company technology and they are not any inferior in quality compared to the similar global brands. Preparation technology of rubber compounds using a high percentage of natural rubber and silica provide for high quality products and high level of consumer properties. The rubber compounds are made in 3 stages for the purpose of improving the technological properties.

The processes of ingredients weighing and rubber mixing are fully automated. The process of the metal chord rubber coating, production of tire parts, as well as the final assembly are carried out by high-precision equipment. Vulcanization of tires, their loading and unloading is performed automatically with special devices ensuring quality control at each technological stage of the production and manufacturing process. The tires pass through several stages of quality control: visual, X-ray control, checking the strength inhomogeneity and geometry of tires. The whole complex of measures for in-plant quality control provides for the sale of reliable and proven products.

The KAMA SSC tires are notable for their durability and reliability. They enable to increase the vehicle loading capacity by 8%. The possibility of re-treading the tires increases the tire life up to 500 thousand kilometers. Fuel saving ranges from 10 to 15%. New tires meet the European environmental standards. Production capacity of the factory is 1.2 million tires per year.

Opening the ceremony, Shafagat Takhautdinov, General Director of OAO TATNEFT, said that the Company implemented the construction of the factory within a record breaking time period (a little over two years) and he assured that the quality and quantity of the tires, which would be produced here, would meet the Russia's automotive industry demands.

Vladimir Azbukin, Deputy Energy Minister of Russia, recalled that at the meeting held in Nizhnekamsk on November 17, 2009, Vladimir Putin, Head of the Government of Russia, had outlined the most important tasks for the development of the petrochemical industry in Russia. He emphasized: "Today's event is a demonstrative example of how to solve the tasks assigned". According to the Deputy Minister this plant will help solving one of the problems of the domestic automotive industry. V. Azbukin expressed his gratitude to the leadership of the Republic and to TATNEFT for the "proper" investments and constant attention to the industry branch.

Mintimer Shaimiev, President of the Republic of Tatarstan, noted in his speech that "TATNEFT Company successfully implements the task of the relevant modernizing of the existing production facilities and creating completely new ones", specifically emphasizing that "the new tire factory is a unique, high-tech works". Stressing the importance of the new factory, he noted the example of the KAMAZ manufacturer, which "increases the competitiveness of its vehicles by the way of their modernization. The new tires will now also contribute into solving this problem".

Concluding the ceremony the President of the Republic presented the state awards of Tatarstan to participants of establishing the new factory.