02.07.2008 // Minatom.ru

On June 22 Director of Bazalt FSUE Yevgeny Krasnoschekov marked his 60th birthday

This date has become an occasion for an interview with the manager of a company producing unique articles from beryllium.

— Mr. Krasnoschekov, what is the peculiarity of your products?

— Bazalt FSUE produces fine mechanics for rockets, spacecrafts and nuclear power plants. The peculiarity is that these systems are produced from beryllium and its alloys. Beryllium is a unique metal. Just a century ago humanity did not yet know how to use the fourth element of Mendeleev Table. Today, it is the basis of the production if air, rocket and space equipment.

— You have managed the company since 1986. How “have you been doing” all this time?

— It was hard time for the whole military-industrial complex. We were forced to stop our space programs and received no money for the defense. In 1990s alone, our output dropped by 95%. The period from 1990 till 2001 was the hardest. The Government understood our problems and tried to help but we were still falling apart. Our owner, the Russian Air and Space Agency, was unable to support us. In 2001 we were on the verge: we could lose a whole number of unique technologies.

The only way-out from that situation was change of owner. At that time, the Atomic Energy Ministry had the biggest demand for beryllium and their only beryllium producer was left abroad (in Ust-Kamenogorsk, Kazakhstan).

As the director of the company, I decided to meet with lots of government officials, to persuade them, to prove the necessity of preserving our production. My continuous efforts yielded results. On Aug 21 2001 the Government decreed on the separation of Bazalt from Korpus Production Association and its placement under the jurisdiction of the Atomic Energy Ministry. 

Our revival started in 2002 and, today, we are one of the best companies of the military-industrial complex. If in 2001 our output hardly made 11mln RUR, today, it exceeds 240mln RUR. Our salary is one of the highest in the sphere – over 12,000 RUR a month on an average. By the end of this year we are planning to raise it to 14,500 RUR. We have created favorable labor conditions for all of our employees: we provide them with free of charge catering and transportation and spend big money on their onsite safety and social security.

— Is it easier or harder to work under a new department?

— Of course, today, we don’t produce as many items as we did before. But our work is no less responsible. We hope that we start again to produce high-precision mechanics. This will certainly boost the demand. We are ready for it. Before the 1990s we worked very hard and supplied our products to over 30 companies. At that time, our monthly production was bigger than our annual production today. We fabricated very complex systems and were proud of being in the vanguard of the technological revolution.

Today, we cooperate with nuclear research centers and supply them with systems they need for their research projects. We have a whole department for production of such systems.

— Is it early yet to speak about enlargement?

— This will depend on the demand. Today, we fully meet the demand of Rosatom and Roskosmos (Federal Space Agency). But we do have development plans. Beryllium is a material of strategic importance. It is really crucial for our defense and nuclear industries. So, our task is to create a whole chain of beryllium production: from mining to finished product. That’s exactly what Rosatom State Nuclear Energy Corporation is doing now.
 
We are planning to take an active part in ITER project. The internals of the reactor should be coated with beryllium. This is a big contract. Our rivals are the Americans. Time will show who will get it but we are seriously preparing for it: we are making samples and are already testing them. So, we hope that we will succeed.

— Mr.Krasnoschekov. You are 60. What do you think about it?

— I have nothing to complain about. I have met lots of good people in my life. I will always remember the former director of Bazalt Yuri Berestovsky, Vladimir Yushkov, one of the founders of the company, Nikolay Saraychenko, my first boss. They all are my teachers. They taught me to work as much as necessary.

I would like to thank my wife for her daily support and care.

I am happy that my company has survived the hard times and is confidently looking into the future.