NITEL (nitel-oao.ru)

NITEL (Nizhny Novgorod Television Plant, Nizhny Novgorod Television Plant named after Lenin, in the Soviet eraGorky Television Plant named after Lenin", now — ZAO "NITEL", colloq. "Lenin's plant" — an enterprise of the radio-electronics industry in the Prioksky District of Nizhny Novgorod. Founded during the First World War by the firm Siemens & Halske (pronounced "Siemens and Halske") as a plant for the production of telephone equipment.

The Essence of the Matter

One of the largest production facilities of the military-industrial complex of Russia. Known for its anti-aircraft missile systems and complex electronic equipment, including radar stations capable of detecting aircraft built using "stealth" technology.

To conceal the plant's defense significance, for many years it was compelled to produce civilian goods: radiolas, telephones, "Chaika" color televisions, and picture tubes.

The corporate motto is "Reliability, Guarantee, Quality."

Founders

The firm Siemens & Halske (from 1966 — the Siemens corporation) has had long-standing trade ties with Russia. In 1852, one of its founders, the inventor Werner von Siemens, came to St. Petersburg and secured a major order to build an all-Russian telegraph network.

Werner's younger brother, Carl, became the firm's permanent representative in Russia; he later took Russian citizenship, and in 1896 received a title of nobility.

Russia became a second homeland for Carl Fyodorovich Siemens and his children.

In the 1850s, disagreements with the Prussian telegraph authority resulted in the cancellation of all orders, which brought on a serious crisis for the young firm. Siemens & Halske was effectively saved by orders from the Russian Empire. In 1853 the firm began building the Russian telegraph network, completed two years later. The network covered a distance of over 10,000 km, stretching from Finland to Crimea.

In the 1880s the company carried out two landmark projects in Russia — it designed the lighting system for Nevsky Prospekt and installed the lighting system for the Winter Palace. Werner von Siemens called the latter "the greatest and most impressive lighting system in the world."

By the start of the 20th century, several large plants of the Joint-Stock Company of Russian Electrical Engineering Works "Siemens and Halske" were operating in Russia. After the revolution, despite all the plants being expropriated, Siemens & Halske continued to cooperate with Soviet Russia and supplied, for example, turbines and electrical equipment for the legendary Dnieper Hydroelectric Station.

Joseph Wiesen, in his book West German Industry and the Challenge of the Nazi Past, 1945–1955, cites as a quotation the words of a certain Russian colonel: "Hitler Kaputt, Berlin Kaputt, Siemens Kaputt."

History of the Plant

On August 1, 1915, "in the Myza locality," the first stone was laid for what would become an industrial enterprise, incorporated into the Joint-Stock Company of Russian Electrical Engineering Works "Siemens and Halske."

On January 22, 1917, the Nizhny Novgorod factory commission signed a protocol recognizing the plant as fit for operation, and on January 31 a permit to operate the plant was issued, signed by the Nizhny Novgorod governor Girs and senior factory inspector Kislyaev.

On March 6, 1917, the first batch of outpost telephone sets (850 units) was prepared for delivery under a contract with the electrical engineering department of the Main Military-Technical Directorate.

The following six years were very difficult: orders matching the plant's profile were practically nonexistent. The enterprise was forced to take on repairs of telephone equipment of various systems, and the manufacture of spindles for flax-spinning mills, apothecary scales, railway signal parts, fuel injectors, digits and marks for ticket punches, scythes, sickles, wall clocks, and so on.

Only in 1924, after the secretary of the Nizhny Novgorod Provincial Committee of the All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks), Andrei Zhdanov, appealed personally to Stalin, did the plant receive sufficient workload — work began on preparing serial production of crystal-detector receivers for telephone sets. From that point on the plant steadily began expanding the range and volume of its output.

A social infrastructure quickly began forming around the new enterprise: a residential settlement, a bathhouse, a bakery, a consumer shop, and a clinic. This laid the foundation for one of the modern city districts of Nizhny Novgorod — Prioksky District.

Until 1929 the plant manufactured various telephone sets, radio loudspeakers, and telephony devices and equipment. From 1929, production of communication radio stations began, which continued right up until 1956.

These radio stations (over 50 types) were widely used in army equipment, which allowed the share of radio equipment in total output to rise to 82% by 1937. The plant's products proved themselves especially well during the years of the The Great Patriotic War.

Practically all branches of the Soviet armed forces were equipped with communication devices manufactured at the Gorky Plant named after V.I. Lenin (as the enterprise was then called). By decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR dated January 21, 1944, the plant was awarded the Order of Lenin.

After the end of the The Great Patriotic War, in March 1946, the enterprise entered a new era — the era of radar. The plant was the first in the country to receive a government assignment to develop and manufacture mobile radar stations. Already in 1947 the first P-3A radar samples were presented for bench, field, and range trials. In August 1948 the P-3A was adopted into service in the Soviet Army. In total, from 1948 to the present, the enterprise has serially produced more than 20 different types of radar stations, deployed not only in Russia but in 50 countries around the world.

From the early 1950s, alongside the production of special equipment, serial production of consumer and household items began. At first these were record players and vacuum-tube radio receivers of the plant's own design, and from 1960 the serial production of televisions began. In total, more than 8 million units have been manufactured to date. The "Radiy," "Chaika," and "NITEL" televisions were well known and enjoyed great popularity.

In 1983 the enterprise (at that time — the "Radiy" production association) was awarded the Order of the October Revolution.

In 1992, in accordance with the State Program for the Privatization of State and Municipal Enterprises of the Russian Federation, the plant was reorganized into an open joint-stock company.

In 1995 one of the most difficult periods in NITEL's history began, linked to a sharp reduction in state orders. The enterprise experienced serious economic hardship. However, in 2003 a new stage began in the development of OJSC "NITEL," linked to a change of owners. A group of shareholders of the "Assotsiatsiya" bank, founded by the Nizhny Novgorod Association of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (NAPP), took over the plant. Sergei Borisovich Samoilov was appointed General Director of the plant. In 2004 the president of the Nizhny Novgorod Open Joint-Stock Company Gidromash, president of NAPP, and Hero of Socialist Labor Luzyanin was elected Chairman of the Board of Directors of OJSC "NITEL."

The enterprise's management and specialists found ways to solve the most difficult financial and economic problems, which helped preserve the core workforce and technological processes. During this period the plant began paying much attention to the repair and modernization of previously manufactured products. Both domestic and export orders began coming in, making it possible to raise wages.

Radio-Electronic Production Output

1925-1934: production of various types of crystal-detector receivers and headphones for the public.

1928-1938: production of "Rekord" and "Zorka" loudspeakers, "Proletary" radio speakers, and loudspeaker installations for mobile sound-film units.

1925-1949: production of standard and special equipment, various telephony devices and instruments (including intercom equipment for aircraft, tanks, and river and sea vessels and boats).

1925-1940: production of civilian telephone sets of various types.

1929-1932: production of military field telephone sets with phonic and inductive calling.

1928-1951: production of two-way communication radio stations and radio transmitters of various types for communications with army networks.

1941-1945: in total, almost half a million sets of radio stations of all kinds, military field telephone sets, and intercom devices for aircraft, tanks, and ships were supplied to the front.

1946: start of production of radar equipment; about 17 thousand radar stations of various types were produced, of which more than 4 thousand were exported to 52 countries around the world.

1946-1960: production of P-3, P-3A, P-8, and P-10 radar stations.

1957-1990: production of P-12 and P-18 radar stations.

1959-1991: production of P-14, P-14F, 5N84A, and 44Zh6 radar stations.

1953-1963: production of ARZ, "Melodiya," "Oktava," and "Sonata" radio receivers and radiolas.

1959-1964: production of "Radiy" black-and-white televisions. A total of 765,500 units were manufactured.

1959-2001: production of entire series of "Chaika" and "NITEL" black-and-white and color televisions (over these years more than 8 million television sets were manufactured in total).

1994-1997: production of "Chaika" video players using SHARP (Japan) technology. A video-combo unit was developed based on the video player and television.

Defense of the State

In 2007 the enterprise began production of the modernized 55Zh6U ("Nebo-U") and 5N84A ("Oborona") radar stations.

Along with the supply of modern radar systems, OJSC "Nitel" carries out modernization, maintenance, and supply of spare parts for P-18 and 5N84A type radars, which today remain the most widely deployed means of detecting airborne objects.

All radar stations produced by the enterprise use the meter wavelength range, which gives them a number of advantages over radars of other ranges and a relatively low cost of production and operation. These products are in demand on both the domestic and foreign markets.

Today OJSC "Nitel" is one of the largest enterprises of the radio-electronics industry in Nizhny Novgorod and Nizhny Novgorod Region. The plant is steadily increasing production volumes and is actively preparing production of the newest radar models to meet the objectives of the state armament program through 2015.

Distribution of OJSC "NITEL" Shares as of 01.07.2009

Shareholders Number of shares %

Individuals 5,866,285 94.018
Legal entities 373,275 5.982

including:

ZAO "Instrument" 353,274 5.662
JSC CIF SZ "Narodnoye Dostoyanie" 16,000 0.256
OJSC "Altai — Holding" 4,000 0.064
OOO "Investment Company "Opora" 1 share

TOTAL 6,239,560 100

Quality Management System

The audit of the presence and effective functioning of the enterprise's QMS was carried out by experts from the Institute for Testing and Certification of Armament and Military Equipment (InIS VVT) of the "Military Register" over the course of 2 days, from May 26 to 27, 2009.

At the first stage of the inspection audit, 20 of the 38 divisions of OJSC "NITEL," selected by the expert group, were inspected. In addition to the divisions, an audit was carried out of eight QMS processes covering all areas of the enterprise's activity.

The audit confirmed that the quality management system developed and implemented at the enterprise is not only in working order, but is also continuously being improved, and that the quality and competitiveness of OJSC "NITEL" products ensure a complete absence of customer risk in fulfilling the state defense order.

At the closing meeting, the experts of InIS VVT "Military Register" noted the positive development dynamics of the enterprise's QMS and the high level of training of division heads and quality officers, which, in their opinion, cannot fail to be reflected in work results.

The management of OJSC "NITEL" recognized the managers who particularly distinguished themselves during the audit, as well as

specialists and the enterprise's internal auditors.

News of ZAO "NITEL"

Official Website

Official website of ZAO "NITEL"

Postal Address

603009, Nizhny Novgorod, Gagarin Avenue, 37

Telephone

Fax (831) 464-59-13

E-mail

nitel-nnov@mail.ru

Departments and Services

Director's reception, tel.: 469-71-22

Public relations specialist, e-mail: nitel-pr@mail.ru

Personnel department: tel. 469-73-93, 469-71-01, e-mail: nitel-op@mail.ru (Monday – Friday, 8:00–12:00, 13:00–17:00)

Marketing and Cooperation Bureau: tel. 465-50-69, 469-71-67, e-mail: marketing.nitel@mail.ru

Commercial department, tel.: 469-73-08, 469-73-09

Sales and Rail Transport department, tel.: 469-74-86, 469-72-61

Foreign Trade Firm, e-mail: nitelvtf@mail.ru

Awards

1944 — Order of Lenin.
1946 — presentation for permanent safekeeping of the Red Banner of the State Defense Committee.
1957 — Gold Medal at the International Exhibition in Brussels for the "Oktava" radiola.
1983 — Order of the October Revolution.
1993 — international award "For the Best Trademark."
1994 — international award "For Quality."
1994 — international "Golden Star" prize for the quality of its products.
Several models of "Chaika" televisions were, in various years, awarded the State Mark of Quality.

Future Plans

Along with the manufacture and supply of new systems, OJSC "NITEL" carries out modernization, maintenance, and supply of spare parts for P-18 and 5N84A type radars, which today remain the most widely deployed means of detecting airborne objects. This is a fairly important area of the enterprise's activity, since these stations will remain in service for at least another 10-15 years.

In May 2006 the enterprise resumed assembly production of "NITEL" color televisions: 54 cm diagonal, stereo sound, Japanese component base.