Production of high-precision pressure sensors for the petrochemical industry was started in Russia for the first time. The project with worth of 3 million euros was implemented by Scientific and Production Enterprise “GKS” under license of Siemens AG.
Director of the Department of Instrumentation of SPE “GKS” Vitaly Chardymov told RBK-Tatarstan about the features of high-tech production, the first customers and the company’s plans for business development
- Scientific and Production Enterprise “GKS” was the only one in Russia who Siemens gave the license for the production of high-precision pressure sensors “КМ35”. How did the cooperation with the German company start?
- This is the first time in history, when Siemens gave the license not to its subsidiary, as an independent partner. In addition to the original Siemens factory in France, manufacturing of such sensors is open in the United States, China and India, but it is all subsidiaries. Our collaboration with Siemens has been going on for ten years and during that time we have developed from a small company into one of the major taxpayers in Tatarstan. This potential was seen and German colleagues who want to develop their own market of instrumentation in Russia.
- Did employees of Siemens participate in the preparation to launch in Tatarstan?
- Of course. German colleagues, for whom it is important that products will be with the appropriate quality, also oversaw the creation of production in Tatarstan: design, purchase, delivery and installation of equipment, training of our assembly workers at the plant in France/ under the license agreement we were given the technology, workstations, test and metrological stands. It is been a year from the development and signing of the contract prior to the first release and 21 October 2016 there was the opening of new production line.
- Where the sensors find application?
- The sensor is used in the extraction, preparation, transportation of hydrocarbons and provides safety from the depressurization, pressure boosting, it is involved in the control of technological processes of oil refining. The device has already been given to the Russian reality, because we have tested it at low temperatures. Today, the sensor is certified for use at temperatures up to - 50 degrees, which makes it different from its predecessor, manufactured by Siemens. We will not stop on these indicators, because in Russia oil and gas production is conducted at more extreme temperatures.
- Judging by the fact that producers are willing to supply such products in the world a little bit, this is a big step in the import substitution. How profitable is now Russian companies buy the sensors from you?
- Russian companies, of course, more profitable to buy products from us. The price is two times less compared to the foreign sensor. The customer receives for less money imported quality, as both components, and technology are imported production, but labor efforts are domestic. In addition, if you order the sensor from abroad, then the delivery will have to wait 7 to 9 weeks. Many enterprises are unable to wait such a long time. With the transfer of production in Tatarstan dates of creation of the device has decreased, production rates can be up to 30 pieces a day.
- What is the situation today with components?
- Now the sensors are made on the basis of original components supplied by Siemens. With the development, we plan to increase the number of domestic parts. In Tatarstan there are no factories that could manufacture the required quality components to us. There are negotiations with a possible partner in Krasnoyarsk, which can engage in the production of metal housings for the sensor.
- How popular are the devices?
- The need for such sensors is very high. On average, one newly built oil refinery orders for the production of several thousands of sensors. Already operating enterprises order it for the replacement of the obsolete equipment beyond the designated period of operation. In Russia there are hundreds of such enterprises.
- Which companies were the first customers?
- Among Tatarstan companies it is Tatneft, TAIF-NK, Kazanorgsintez. We did supplies to Gazprom, Novatek, Rosneft, Transneft, for a new complex for the liquefaction of natural gas on the Yamal Peninsula (so far the only such enterprise in Russia). Our first customers have become partners with whom we have been working in other areas. Now customers just find us on the Internet and leave their request on the website. We also have been certified in the Republic of Kazakhstan where the following year, the sensors will go to a new field. Belarus, Ukraine and Uzbekistan are very interested in supplies.
- Who exactly in “GKS” is engaged in the manufacture and sale of sensors?
- It is a team of 15 people - the Department of Instrumentation. These are sales managers, engineers, technicians, assemblers and quality controllers.
- Please, tell us about the production plans in 2017?
- In general, we are going to cover the needs of all measurement parameters: pressure, temperature, flow and level environments. A project for the production of flow meters on own production will start in the next year. There are negotiations with Siemens on the basis of the success of the assembly of high-precision pressure sensors “КМ35”. The first step is to learn how to do so, as foreigners, than continue to increase the number of domestic technologies and components. Manufacture of flow meters is longer than the sensors, and the design of the whole project will take about five years.
The head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Republic of Tatarstan Albert Karimov also emphasized the importance of the opening of new production line for industry of Tatarstan.
“The opening of the modern production line is important for the development of the republic industry and improvement its competitiveness. Localization of equipment production, demanded by the most important industries, can not affect positively on the economy of Tatarstan”, - said Karimov. According to the minister, the reputation of SPE “GKS” as a certified partner company, the production capabilities and efficient long-term cooperation were influenced on the decision of Siemens AG. SPE “GKS” was the initiator and investor of the project for localization in the Republic of Tatarstan Siemens technology for the production of pressure sensors”, - noted the minister. “In addition, in 2012 the Republic of Tatarstan and the company Siemens signed an agreement on developing and strengthening strategic partnership and mutually beneficial cooperation in a number of sectors, including, industry and energy. SPE “GKS” was the partner of PJSC “Tatneft”, supplying products to develop superviscous oil. This year the company won a tender for the supply of measurement systems of quantity and quality of oil and petroleum products (SIKN) for PJSC “Tatneft”.
Text and photo: http://rt.rbc.ru/
