OUR HISTORY

On 29 May 2012, the Cherepovets Plant of Welding Consumables (OOO “CZSM”) was founded. It was an ordinary event at first sight, one of many throughout the year. But it was at this moment that a series of changes began, which resulted in the expansion of our influence not only in the Vologda region, but throughout Russia, as well as in the CIS countries.

After 5 years of operation, CZSM launched a new production line and, relying on its own design developments, modernized the wire finishing treatment stage. As a result, there has been a simultaneous increase in production volume from 6,000 to 12,000 tonnes and an improvement in quality.

In the same year, the production chain was expanded with the joining of Magnitogorsk Electrode Plant (MEZ) to the holding company. “MEZ” is a modern enterprise equipped with an automated European production line. At the time of joining the holding, the plant produced 35 grades of welding electrodes.

Just a year later, MEZ managed to develop and introduce a range of electrodes with improved welding and technological properties. This range included grades that were specifically designed for welding high-alloy, heat-resistant and corrosion-resistant steels, as well as for surfacing on working surfaces: MEZT-590, MEZ TSL-11, MEZTST-15, MEZNZ-13, MEZ T-620 and MEZ OZL-6.

The opening of welding wire production at the territory of “Magnitogorsk Electrode Plant” was an event of strategic importance. “CZSM-Ural” has an advantageous location in relation to the main producers of raw materials. Thus it supplies our sales companies with products that have price advantages over competitors and having the same quality as the main production facility of the holding – the Cherepovets plant of Welding Consumables.

The inclusion of SvarMontazhStroy (OOO “SMS”) to the production holding was another important stage in the expansion of the production chain. The plant is equipped with advanced European equipment and produces welding consumables that meet international standards. In addition, “SMS” is the only Russian manufacturer of air-tight seamless flux-cored welding wire. By the time of joining the holding, the plant produced 18 grades of solid wire with an annual output of 6,000 tons.

We kept on heading towards European quality standards. In October 2020, the Cherepovets Welding Consumables Plant launched the production of European-style BS 300 basket spools. Our own production of spools allowed us to improve the quality of wire winding and offer our customers an eagerly sought and technologically advanced product.

The plant’s central laboratory was the subject of a modernization programme in 2022. We introduced new quality control methods for incoming raw metarials and finished products – from spectral analysis of chemical composition to testing of mechanical properties of deposited metal and welded joints. This has improved quality standards and strengthened customer confidence.

Due to the annexion of “Ameta-Elektrod” to the holding company, we got an opportunity to supply high quality products to the European part of Russia and the CIS at a competitive price. The plant was acquired in a state of bankruptcy, but our experienced specialists managed to revive production in just one quarter of a year. During this process, some of the equipment was modernized to ensure that the products manufactured meet high quality standards.

In autumn 2023, the holding’s management decided to unify the quality standards applied to the finished products of all five plants under a single trademark – ARCUS. This unification resulted in improved quality and increased the total output of welding consumables in Russia to 18%. The ARCUS trademark has taken its rightful place among the TOP-3 manufacturers of welding consumables.