A conference for «Import substitution in the critical tool products– hardmetal cutting inserts and rotary tools»
19 February 2015
On Feb 17 – 18, 2015, VIRIAL Ltd., as one of the major Russian hardmetal product manufacturer, under auspices of the Ministry for Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation, hosted a conference themed “Import substitution in the critical tool products– hardmetal cutting inserts and rotary tools”. Open discussions and between federal and regional authorities, academic science and industry yielded the statement on the ways for achieving maximum efficiency in solving the problem of the substituting imports in the industrially critical products – high-tech cutting tools. The extreme relevance of this problem is due to the high dependence of the Russian metal-cutting tool market on imported products (up to 85 % of the total tools consumed in 2013). Mr. E. Polkanov, First deputy CEO of the STANKOPROM JSC, presented a draft program for development of import-independent metal-cutting tool production in Russia. If implemented, this program shall lead to substantial independence of the Russian industry of the tool imports (imports decreasing to mere 15 % by 2020). Program sets to upgrade Russian tool and hardmetal industry as a basis for establishing vertically integrated cooperation chains. Said chains are to be based on the powder suppliers (WOLFRAM Company, POBEDIT JSC, KZTS JSC), hardmetal suppliers for tooling applications (POBEDIT JSC, KZTS JSC, VIRIAL Ltd.), solid rotary tool suppliers (NIR CJSC, SATIZ CJSC, “Tool Plant - Perm Motors” CJSC), and assembled tool suppliers (SKIF-M Ltd., MION Ltd.). R&D support shall be provided by trade research Institutes (VNIIINSTRUMENT JSC and VNIIALMAZ JSC). The panel discussions led to a joint resolution that approved the draft program as presented by STANKOPROM and recommended the Ministry for Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation to consider the possible funding support to be included into the national budget. The event gathered the participants from over 70 tool manufacturers and their customers. Plenary session included keynote lectures from Mr. D. Kolodyazhnyi (deputy CEO for Quality and Innovation Development at ODK JSC ), Mr. A. Dub (CEO at “Nauka and Innovatsyii” (Science and Innovation) JSC), Mr. R. Popov (Head of General Engineering Division at ROSTEC State Corporation). The conference offered its participants with a tour of production of the St-Petersburg-based VIRIAL Ltd. company, one of the leading Russian hardmetal and technical ceramics manufacturer. As stipulated in the above program, VIRIAL company is set to become a growth point for the tool industry in the North-West of Russia.