The history/background
It was back in 1927 that our factory in Mosty launched the production of its major product – plywood. Built in a short time by the Konopatsky brothers, Ignacy and Vaclav, the plant was equipped with the most advanced technology at the time in this field of industry in Europe. The factory at that point consisted of lathing, gluing and grade edging departments. A boiler room was added too, which produced steam for the needs of the enterprise. When the factory was launched it employed around 100 people and the initial capacity was 20 cubic meters of plywood a day.
However, with the acquisition of a patent from a Swiss chemist for bonding dry plywood, the factory began to produce premium grade birch plywood that was widely used for the construction of aircraft. Since the late 1920s, aircraft plywood has been in demand and is widely used in building airplanes and cars. JSC Mostovdrev has successfully supplied the brothers Konopatsky’s aircraft plywood to Belgium, England, India, Indochina, Malaysia, Argentina, Singapore, Germany and the island of Ceylon.
After joining the western territories of the Belarusian SSR, Mosty plywood factory became the State plywood plant №9 and its production was standardised in accordance with the approved plan of the Government of the Soviet Belarus.
During the first 28 years of its operation the factory saw Mosty turn from a small village into a lively and forward-looking town. In 1955 the settlement was transformed into a town and became a full-fledged center of industry, education, commerce and culture – all due to (by then) the world-famous enterprise that laid the foundation for it. In 1958 a new company Mosty Plywood Woodprocessing Plant (FanDOK) was created following the completion of a long-standing process to combine two similar enterprises of Mosty, plywood and sawmill. Not only did this merger save public funds, but it also served as an impetus for the development of the new enterprise. It helped to increase the range of products, expand the production, as well as to simplify the process of managing the entire production chain from raw material to the final product. In the mid-60s Mosty FanDOK continued to gain momentum, remaining one of the largest enterprises of Belarus in its field. It was the specialists of Mosty FanDOK who were the first in the country to master the production of synthetic adhesives. With the use of this new material, the company was able to extend the range of its products even further. The factory’s curved parts department released steel and aluminium free coffee trays on the basis of plywood veneer and textured paper, a first for Belarus. The management of the company has always been engaged in improving the living standards of its employees and solving social and housing problems. Many of the apartment blocks seen today in Mosty were built for the company’s numerous employees and their families. Several multi-storey apartment blocks were erected along the central Soviet street for that purpose. It was also due to the efforts of the company directors that a suspension bridge was built connecting the centre of town with the other bank of the river Neman, allowing the citizens direct and convenient access to the forest and the comfortable leisure areas located on the other side.
In 1971 Mosty Plywood Woodprocessing Plant (FanDOK) was transformed into The Industrial Woodworking Association (PDO) "Mostovdrev". The head company in Mosty that consisted of the already mentioned plywood and wood processing departments was joined by Grodno, Mosty and Slonim furniture factories and the number of employees of the new association totalled 3,712 people. The consolidation of branches with the centre in Mosty made it possible to receive financial resources for strengthening its technical base with new equipment and technology, as well as allowed the use of raw materials and a transport base within the newly formed industrial association. Another significant event in the life of the company was the completion and putting into operation of the particle board department in 1972, with an annual capacity of 70 thousand cubic meters of chipboard. The scale of the construction of this department was quite impressive; the total cost including equipment was around 11 million rubles. In the period from 1971 to 1975 the company significantly improved its production base and launched a large number of production facilities. During this time a new machine shop and pools for boiling plywood material were put into operation. The company’s sewage system was also improved and completed. Other building projects at the time included a heated garage, fuel storage area and a number of residential buildings. The company provided the town with drinking water, hot water and central heating.
In 1977 PDO Mostovdrev carried out an extensive reconstruction of the Mosty furniture factory. The workshops were equipped with new machinery, which consequently led to an increase in productivity and final product quality. In the same year the company commissioned the construction of a new administrative building as well as a new nursery that could accommodate up to 140 children.
In 1979 the company continued to grow and expand. In January Grodno wood processing plant and Grodno LPH became a part of Mostovdrev. Later that same year, they were joined by Smorgon sawmill. As a result, by the end of the year, apart from the core enterprise, Mostovdrev also acquired 6 new branches: Mosty, Slonim and Grodno furniture factories, Grodno wood processing plant, Grodno LPH and Smorgon sawmill. The amount of employees totalled 6,200 people, making Mostovdrev one of the largest enterprises in this field in the whole USSR.
In 1988 Grodno wood processing plant and Smorgon sawmill left Mostovdrev and became independent companies. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, the mid 1990s turned out to be by far the most difficult period in the history of Mostovdrev. Market turbulence, a scarce supply of raw materials, exchange rate volatility, low liquidity and the unavoidable wear of out-dated equipment had a significant effect on the company.
In 1993 Grodno LPH became Mosty LPH. The following year, 1994 PDO Mostovdrev was transformed into an Open Joint Stock Company JSC Mostovdrev. By the time JSC Mostovdrev was formed, the company lost Grodno furniture factory and three years later, in 1997, also Slonim furniture factory. JSC Mostovdrev now faced numerous problems, the most acute of which was the scarce supply of raw materials. With the collapse of the Soviet Union Mostovdrev had to seek new sources of raw materials as the delivery from Russia became unprofitable.
In 2001 JSC Mostovdrev was joined by two new branches – Mosty catering and Mosty LPH. In 2003 the volume of production grew by 149%. The number of employees totaled 3,033 people. For the first time since the collapse of the Soviet Union, Mostovdrev managed to increase its export, achieving a 61% increase comparing to the previous year. The increased export included plywood, chipboard, sawn timber, latoflex and solid furniture.
During this period the enterprise acquired the latest machinery and equipment: wide belt sander for plywood production, veneer composer, plywood trimming line LOF 2, drying line RDW 620/20, peeling and cutting line and a line for stacking veneer. As a result, the company managed to dramatically improve the quality of its products and increased the production of plywood for export. In 2003 the curved parts department mastered the production of new chairs and increased the production of curved details for furniture by 75%. They included bar racks, cabinets, desks, chests of drawers, shelves and shelve systems.
In 2007 Mostovdrev finished the reconstruction of an industrial boiler and installed a new KE 25-24-3 70MTD boiler, steam turbine P-2,5-2,1 / 0,3 Kaluga Turbine Works and CBP generator - 2,5-2EUZ LLC "ON LEZ" ASU TP. The boiler works on wood waste generated at the plant; it’s reserve type of fuel is gas.
In 2007, JSC Mostovdrev launched a number of investment projects aimed at the organization of new manufacturing enterprises, including the technical re-equipment of existing enterprises. This followed Decree no. 529 of the President of Belarus on the 18th of October 2007 on "Some measures for the development of the wood industry".
Within the framework of this Decree, during the period from 2007 to 2015 the company upgraded the following production lines:
-modernisation of the timber production unit completed in 2008. Acquired forestry equipment in order to increase its own harvest from 110 to 170 thousand cubic meters per year.
-modernisation of sawmills completed in 2010. New equipment installed for production of planed stock. This enabled Mostovdrev to modify sawmill products and launch final product lines (flooring, panelling, blockhouse materials).
-acquisition and installation of chip cutting lines completed in 2010. Purchased production equipment for the production of wood chips. The chip material is used as fuel to generate thermal energy in the industrial boiler, as well as sold externally to customers (including export).
-Completed a project for launching large-size plywood production in 2013. The production of large-size plywood started in 2010 and the manufacturing of laminated plywood was launched a year later in March 2011.
Nowadays JSC Mostovdrev is the only manufacturer of PSF (not laminated, increased water resistance) and FOF (laminated) plywood sheets of sizes 1220x2440 and 1250x2500mm within the Republic of Belarus. These products are widely used in construction, car manufacturing and other fields.
In 2015 Mostovdrev successfully completed a project for the reconstruction of its chipboard unit, which involved equipping it with modern machinery made by the German company Diffenbacher for the production of fibreboard (MDF / HDF).
The capacity of the updated unit is now 150 m3 slabs per year. The slabs can further be used for production of laminated flooring with the use of SCM GROUP S.p.A equipment, made in Italy. At present JSC Mostovdrev is a high-tech, competitive and modern wood processing company that makes a comprehensive and rational use of raw materials and is able to produce high-quality products at an affordable price.
It was back in 1927 that our factory in Mosty launched the production of its major product – plywood. Built in a short time by the Konopatsky brothers, Ignacy and Vaclav, the plant was equipped with the most advanced technology at the time in this field of industry in Europe. The factory at that point consisted of lathing, gluing and grade edging departments. A boiler room was added too, which produced steam for the needs of the enterprise. When the factory was launched it employed around 100 people and the initial capacity was 20 cubic meters of plywood a day.
However, with the acquisition of a patent from a Swiss chemist for bonding dry plywood, the factory began to produce premium grade birch plywood that was widely used for the construction of aircraft. Since the late 1920s, aircraft plywood has been in demand and is widely used in building airplanes and cars. JSC Mostovdrev has successfully supplied the brothers Konopatsky’s aircraft plywood to Belgium, England, India, Indochina, Malaysia, Argentina, Singapore, Germany and the island of Ceylon.
After joining the western territories of the Belarusian SSR, Mosty plywood factory became the State plywood plant №9 and its production was standardised in accordance with the approved plan of the Government of the Soviet Belarus.
During the first 28 years of its operation the factory saw Mosty turn from a small village into a lively and forward-looking town. In 1955 the settlement was transformed into a town and became a full-fledged center of industry, education, commerce and culture – all due to (by then) the world-famous enterprise that laid the foundation for it. In 1958 a new company Mosty Plywood Woodprocessing Plant (FanDOK) was created following the completion of a long-standing process to combine two similar enterprises of Mosty, plywood and sawmill. Not only did this merger save public funds, but it also served as an impetus for the development of the new enterprise. It helped to increase the range of products, expand the production, as well as to simplify the process of managing the entire production chain from raw material to the final product. In the mid-60s Mosty FanDOK continued to gain momentum, remaining one of the largest enterprises of Belarus in its field. It was the specialists of Mosty FanDOK who were the first in the country to master the production of synthetic adhesives. With the use of this new material, the company was able to extend the range of its products even further. The factory’s curved parts department released steel and aluminium free coffee trays on the basis of plywood veneer and textured paper, a first for Belarus. The management of the company has always been engaged in improving the living standards of its employees and solving social and housing problems. Many of the apartment blocks seen today in Mosty were built for the company’s numerous employees and their families. Several multi-storey apartment blocks were erected along the central Soviet street for that purpose. It was also due to the efforts of the company directors that a suspension bridge was built connecting the centre of town with the other bank of the river Neman, allowing the citizens direct and convenient access to the forest and the comfortable leisure areas located on the other side.
In 1971 Mosty Plywood Woodprocessing Plant (FanDOK) was transformed into The Industrial Woodworking Association (PDO) "Mostovdrev". The head company in Mosty that consisted of the already mentioned plywood and wood processing departments was joined by Grodno, Mosty and Slonim furniture factories and the number of employees of the new association totalled 3,712 people. The consolidation of branches with the centre in Mosty made it possible to receive financial resources for strengthening its technical base with new equipment and technology, as well as allowed the use of raw materials and a transport base within the newly formed industrial association. Another significant event in the life of the company was the completion and putting into operation of the particle board department in 1972, with an annual capacity of 70 thousand cubic meters of chipboard. The scale of the construction of this department was quite impressive; the total cost including equipment was around 11 million rubles. In the period from 1971 to 1975 the company significantly improved its production base and launched a large number of production facilities. During this time a new machine shop and pools for boiling plywood material were put into operation. The company’s sewage system was also improved and completed. Other building projects at the time included a heated garage, fuel storage area and a number of residential buildings. The company provided the town with drinking water, hot water and central heating.
In 1977 PDO Mostovdrev carried out an extensive reconstruction of the Mosty furniture factory. The workshops were equipped with new machinery, which consequently led to an increase in productivity and final product quality. In the same year the company commissioned the construction of a new administrative building as well as a new nursery that could accommodate up to 140 children.
In 1979 the company continued to grow and expand. In January Grodno wood processing plant and Grodno LPH became a part of Mostovdrev. Later that same year, they were joined by Smorgon sawmill. As a result, by the end of the year, apart from the core enterprise, Mostovdrev also acquired 6 new branches: Mosty, Slonim and Grodno furniture factories, Grodno wood processing plant, Grodno LPH and Smorgon sawmill. The amount of employees totalled 6,200 people, making Mostovdrev one of the largest enterprises in this field in the whole USSR.
In 1988 Grodno wood processing plant and Smorgon sawmill left Mostovdrev and became independent companies. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, the mid 1990s turned out to be by far the most difficult period in the history of Mostovdrev. Market turbulence, a scarce supply of raw materials, exchange rate volatility, low liquidity and the unavoidable wear of out-dated equipment had a significant effect on the company.
In 1993 Grodno LPH became Mosty LPH. The following year, 1994 PDO Mostovdrev was transformed into an Open Joint Stock Company JSC Mostovdrev. By the time JSC Mostovdrev was formed, the company lost Grodno furniture factory and three years later, in 1997, also Slonim furniture factory. JSC Mostovdrev now faced numerous problems, the most acute of which was the scarce supply of raw materials. With the collapse of the Soviet Union Mostovdrev had to seek new sources of raw materials as the delivery from Russia became unprofitable.
In 2001 JSC Mostovdrev was joined by two new branches – Mosty catering and Mosty LPH. In 2003 the volume of production grew by 149%. The number of employees totaled 3,033 people. For the first time since the collapse of the Soviet Union, Mostovdrev managed to increase its export, achieving a 61% increase comparing to the previous year. The increased export included plywood, chipboard, sawn timber, latoflex and solid furniture.
During this period the enterprise acquired the latest machinery and equipment: wide belt sander for plywood production, veneer composer, plywood trimming line LOF 2, drying line RDW 620/20, peeling and cutting line and a line for stacking veneer. As a result, the company managed to dramatically improve the quality of its products and increased the production of plywood for export. In 2003 the curved parts department mastered the production of new chairs and increased the production of curved details for furniture by 75%. They included bar racks, cabinets, desks, chests of drawers, shelves and shelve systems.
In 2007 Mostovdrev finished the reconstruction of an industrial boiler and installed a new KE 25-24-3 70MTD boiler, steam turbine P-2,5-2,1 / 0,3 Kaluga Turbine Works and CBP generator - 2,5-2EUZ LLC "ON LEZ" ASU TP. The boiler works on wood waste generated at the plant; it’s reserve type of fuel is gas.
In 2007, JSC Mostovdrev launched a number of investment projects aimed at the organization of new manufacturing enterprises, including the technical re-equipment of existing enterprises. This followed Decree no. 529 of the President of Belarus on the 18th of October 2007 on "Some measures for the development of the wood industry".
Within the framework of this Decree, during the period from 2007 to 2015 the company upgraded the following production lines:
-modernisation of the timber production unit completed in 2008. Acquired forestry equipment in order to increase its own harvest from 110 to 170 thousand cubic meters per year.
-modernisation of sawmills completed in 2010. New equipment installed for production of planed stock. This enabled Mostovdrev to modify sawmill products and launch final product lines (flooring, panelling, blockhouse materials).
-acquisition and installation of chip cutting lines completed in 2010. Purchased production equipment for the production of wood chips. The chip material is used as fuel to generate thermal energy in the industrial boiler, as well as sold externally to customers (including export).
-Completed a project for launching large-size plywood production in 2013. The production of large-size plywood started in 2010 and the manufacturing of laminated plywood was launched a year later in March 2011.
Nowadays JSC Mostovdrev is the only manufacturer of PSF (not laminated, increased water resistance) and FOF (laminated) plywood sheets of sizes 1220x2440 and 1250x2500mm within the Republic of Belarus. These products are widely used in construction, car manufacturing and other fields.
In 2015 Mostovdrev successfully completed a project for the reconstruction of its chipboard unit, which involved equipping it with modern machinery made by the German company Diffenbacher for the production of fibreboard (MDF / HDF).
The capacity of the updated unit is now 150 m3 slabs per year. The slabs can further be used for production of laminated flooring with the use of SCM GROUP S.p.A equipment, made in Italy. At present JSC Mostovdrev is a high-tech, competitive and modern wood processing company that makes a comprehensive and rational use of raw materials and is able to produce high-quality products at an affordable price.