17 September 2024
The day when Balakhna Paper Mill (Volga JSC, at present) was launched, in reality, marked an era in the paper industry of our country. In just two years, the heroic labor of the construction workers erected buildings of the mill among swamps and lonely woods, and the mill was supposed to solve a serious problem for the country, i.e. shortage of newsprint.
On August 25, 1928, paper-making machine No. 1 was put into operation at the Balakhna pulp and paper mill. Just two years after the launch of the first paper-making machine, the second one was put into operation. And less than two years later – the third one. With the commissioning of the third paper-making machine, the Balakhna pulp and paper mill became not only the largest, but also the most technically advanced manufacturer in the country. In May 1933, the pulp and paper mill manufactured the first batch of newsprint for export.
During the Great Patriotic War, “Pravda”, “Krasnaia Zvezda”, other national press, dozens of army and divisional newspapers, and millions of leaflets were printed on paper manufactured by Balakhna pulp and paper mill.
1,419 workers of Balakhna pulp and paper mill (including 880 women) were awarded the Medal “For Valiant Labor in the Great Patriotic War.” Three workers of the mill received the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.
In the 1960s, a fundamental renovation and expansion of the works began: complexes of the sixth and seventh paper-making machines, a new pulp plant and a warehouse of finished products were put into operation. Six workers of Balakhna pulp and paper mill received the title of Hero of Socialist Labor for production excellence.
The eighth paper-making machine was launched on October 26, 1994. A truly grand event took place. For all subsequent decades, this machine became the main production unit for the mill.
The period from 2019 to 2023 can rightfully be called the “five-year period of far-reaching changes” at Volga JSC. During these years, a new product portfolio development and diversification strategy was implemented. Volga JSC has moved from the category of “one of the Russian leading manufacturers of newsprint paper” to the category of “one of the leaders in the production of packing papers.”
In 2021, new product types were assimilated: fluting and testliner. The main consumers of mill products became companies from China. At the beginning of 2021, the share of exported manufactured products amounted to about 70% to more than 70 countries around the world.
At the same time, the technical capabilities of the mill have increased through successful implementation of large-scale investment projects. During this tough time, we managed to launch a line for the manufacture of thermomechanical pulp, as well as renovate the turbine-generator in the power complex (NiGRES), which made it possible to increase the production volumes and cater the needs of the mill needs for auxiliary electricity by 100%. And today, thanks to continuous development, Volga JSC has a good safety margin.
Currently, Volga JSC is implementing a new investment project, which includes upgrading of paper-making machine No. 6 and expansion of logging in the Nizhny Novgorod region. This large-scale investment program will make it possible not only to increase the production output and ensure competitiveness of Volga JSC in the domestic and global markets, but also create more than 500 additional jobs.
Volga JSC pursues extensive charitable and sponsorship activities, providing charitable support to churches located in Balakhna and the Nizhny Novgorod region, participates in the construction of urban infrastructure. For many years, Volga JSC has provided charitable support to children's educational institutions, Zamiatinski children's boarding school, creative and sports groups of the Balakhna district, and "Little Country” zoo at Balakhna. The Company regularly provides assistance in organizing and holding cultural events in the town and region: Balakhna Land Day, Victory Day, town events "St. George's Ribbon", "Light Up" and others.
REFERENCE
Joint Stock Company “Volga” is a vertically integrated timber company. It manufactures packing papers and cartons, newsprint from 100% thermomechanical pulp. It makes the Top 100 largest companies of the Nizhny Novgorod region and is ranked high among the largest exporters of the Nizhny Novgorod region.
The Company was established in 1928.
