THE ELECTRICAL INDUSTRY IN YUGOSLAVIA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00809A000700110663-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: R
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 15, 2011
• Sequence Number: 663
• Publication Date: June 26, 1953
• Content Type: REPORT

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1u CLASSIFICATION USE ONLY
CENTRAL INTS IGENC ETAGgEN REPORT
INFORMATION FROM
SUBJECT
HOW
PUBLISHED
WHERE
PUBLISHED
DATE
PUBLISHED
LANGUAGE
Economic - Electrical industry
Handbook
Belgrade
Nov - Dec 1951
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DATE DIST. Ab Jun 1953
NO. OF PAGES 6
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO,
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
Informatiyni prirucnik o Jugoslaviji, Book 1, Sections 20-21, 1951.
flhe following report is based on an article in Informativni
prirucnik o Jugoslaviji, a handbook which has been issued in sec-
tions since late 19 by the Yugoslav Directorate for Information-7
Although the electrical industry is the youngest industrial branch in
Yugoslavia, it has made significant progress in its development and in meet-
ing Yugoslavia's demands for its products.
An electrical industry, as a separate branch, did not exist in Yugo-
slavia before the war. There were a number of enterprises, branches of the
metallurgical ihdustry, which produced some electrical materials. They in-
cluded large artisans' shops or shops of an artisan character, dependent on
foreign firms for most of their semifinished products. The majority of these
had developed from service shops, which maintained and repaired machines and
installations delivered by foreign firms. Later, these shops began produc-
ing articles made from parts and semifinished products imported, from parent
organizations abroad. Foreign firms took advantage of the cheap manpower in
Yugoslavia and protective import duties to establish factories with obsolete
machinery discarded in well-developed industrial countries. This was the
case with the cable and storage battery factories.
There were not very successful attempts to establish an electrical in-
dustry with domestic capital. However, the resulting enterprises depended
on the purchase of semifinished products and parts from abroad, with the re-
sult that they merely assembled parts purchased from abroad or processed
foreign raw materials at best. Attempts to establish a domestic electrical
industry after World War I, including the "ITES" Electric Machine Factory
(fabrika elektricnih masina "ITES") in Karlovac in 1921, the "Jugosijalica"
Electric Light Bulb Factory (fabrika sijalica "Jugosijalica") in Zagreb in
1935, and the Transformer Factory (fabrika transformatora) in Ljubljana,
failed because these industries yielded to the competition of large foreign
firms. The foreign electrical industry dominated the Yugoslav market eithar
through the direct import of finished products or through products from their
12
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shops in Yugoslavia. Before World War II, there were 20 electrical industry
enterprises which employed a total of 1,185 people and produced electrical
goods valued at 91,299,000 dinars. Two of these enterprises produced elec-
tric conductors, two produced electric machines, four produced storage and
dry batteries, one repaired electric machines, eight produced varied elec-
tric materials, and three produced electric light bulbs. Three of these
enterprises were in Serbia, nine in Croatia, and eight in Slovenia.
In addition, there was a radio industry, especially developed in Serbia,
which assembled parts imported from foreign firms. The radio industry, con-
sisting of four enterprise.., employed about 400 people in Belgrade, Zemun,
and Pancevo. This industry was destroyed at the start of World War II. An
enterprise for the production of radio and telephone equipment for the army
was located in Cacak and employed about 200 employees,
Electrical material valued at 180,700,000 dinars was imported from
abroad in 1948, as compared with material valued at 176,100,000 dinars
imported in 1938
Most important electrical products, such as generators for power plants,
transformers, distribution equipment, and measuring equipment, were imported
from abroad-
The Electrical Industry in 1945
In 1945, the electrical industry was much the same as it had been before
the war. Enterprises kept operating and war damage was quickly repaired.
However, output was considerably lover than before the war. During the war;
production of radio receivers had ceased completely and the majority of small
enterprises owned by domestic capital had ceased operation, especially in
Serbia. Enterprises in Zagreb and Novi Sad mostly maintained a normal rate
of production during the war. Several artisans' enterprises producing elec-
trical materials sprang up during the war, especially in Croatia, Slovenia,
and the Vojvodina, but they were of no particular importance and could not
have developed into large industrial enterprises. Among these were enter-
prises for producing dry cell batteries for flashlights, which ceased opera-
tion before the end of the war because of difficulties in procuring raw ma-
terials.
The more important electrical enterprises surviving the war were in
Serbia, including the "Novkabel" Cable Factory (fabrika kabela "Novkabel")
in Novi Sad, which produced conductors, insulated wire, and steel cable;
the "Sever" Electric Machine Factory (fabrika elektricnih masina "Sever") in
Subotica, which produced motors and generators for railroad car lighting;
the "Grom" section of the 7.renjanin Machine Factory (fabrika masina u Zren-
janinu, which produced electric motors; and the "Tesla" Electric Light Bulb
Factory (fabrika sijalica "Tesla") in Pancevo. There were several other
small enterprises of local importance.
Most electrical industry enterprises in Croatia survived. These enter-
prises, located in Zagreb, Included the "Bade Koncar" Electric Equipment Fac-
tory (fabrika elektricnih strojeva "Bade Koncar"), which produced mostly
electric motors and some distribution equipment; the "Elks" Cable Factory
(fabrika kabela "Elks"), which produced insulated and noninsulated cable,
Bergman tubes, insulated wire, and steel cable; the "Kontakt" and "Elektro-
proizvod" factories, which produced electric installation equipment; the
"Tez" Electric Light Bulb Factory (fabrika elektricnih sijalica "Tez"), and
the "Dis" Domestic Light Bulb Factory (domaca industrija sijalica "Dis");
the "Munja" Storage Battery Factory (fabrika akumalatora "Munja"), and the
"Kroacija" Factory, which produced dry batteries and flashlights. In
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addition, there were a few small artisans' shops Generally speaking, the
enterprises in Zagreb were artisans' enterprises, equipped with obsolete
machines and housed in buildings unfit for industrial production.
In Slovenia, surviving enterprises included the "Zma3" Dry Battery Fac-
tory (fabrika suvib elernenata "Zma,j") in Ljubljana, and the "Impol" Enter-
prise in Slovenska Bietrica, which produced noninsulated electric cables,
supplied rolled and irawr,?eirs >.o the "E.ks" Factory in Zagreb and the "Nov-
kabel" Factory in Novi Sad, and proa'uc'-5 topper and brass plate.
Yugoslavia has raw material- for tie development of the electrical in-
dustry, including copper, aluminum, and :tee! (wnich will be forthcoming
with the development of the v -ail..;rgirai industry). Various kinds 'of in-
sulation material will be sapplied c?y cnemical industry. There is suf-
ficient raw material for eie.ectric pon:e_3ir, Plastic materials, such as
polyvinyl chloride, bakeiit,:, and others, vill be produced by the Yugoslav
chemical industry in satisfactory quantities. The textile industry already
produces fabrics and cotton yarn neei-d. for insulation.
immediately aft--r toe Ii ration, an ,-:ectricsl industry department was
established '., the lover ';c-_.lnr. of the icral Ministry of industry, and
electrical industry departments warn. ?;tec i>r;ea in the republic ministries
in Serbia, Croatia, an Siosenia. ",`nose departments were the nuclei for the
later adminia*,rative anci operati^ua. rraragements of the electrical industry.
The electrical industry departat-nt?; were in operation until mid-1946, when
main administration=. were organize'..
At the end of 1945, thr.. fir:.t pion- :rre ?.crked out for the construc-
tion of the "Rade Koncar" Factc'-a, argesc industrial enterprise in
Zagreb to 1946, the first cradtt: re a:-,rcve] for the construction of
electrical industry enterer r?-:o.. l1rtz:ari1y the "Rade Koncar" Factory. In
1945, the ". skra" Froc i,io+, : n: tr,,:.^.? r?t Enterpri.e (preduzece precizne meha-
nike "Iskra") in Kranj va:a n.slgn>i no tie _.sctr:ca: industry
At the end of May 1946. ?..e Mai Aimtni;t?ratior for the Electrical Econ-
omy, with headquarters in Zagreb, ablished ir: the federal Ministry of
Industry The Main Aimini;tratic?n tsar, an ?..en trica industry section whose
function was the ad:niniFtra:i"e and opereticna: management of electrical in-
dustry enterprises which had been declared :ederal enterprises. In October
1946, the Main Adminiatration of cn' ~ei.'rnl Electrical Industry, with head-
quarter, in Belgrade, was organ:ze.i i, the federal Ministry of Industry. In
February 1947, the Main A:waniPtra*.icr. ci tad- Federal Electrical industry be-
came the Main Lirecr?crate of tin Federal E.er.trica: Industry which managed
federal electrical enterprises The Main iirectorate of the Federal Electri-
cal industry was dis ulved In July 1950, and its enterprises were incorporated
in the newly established federal Directorate for Machine Construction, and
the Directorates for Machine Construction of Serbia, Croatia, and Slovenia.
The remaining electrical industry enterprises, which were turned over to the
republics, were under the management of the republic Main Directorates for
Electrical Industry of Croatia and Slovenia, and the Main Directorate for
Metallurgy in Serbia. At prersent, electrical industry enterprises concerned
with machine construction are under the management of the republic Main Direc-
torates for Machine Construction, while electrical processing enterprises
are under the management of the Pain Directorates for Metallurgy.
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During the first period of development of the electrical industry, it
was impossible to construct completely new enterprises in areas where the
industry was completely undeveloped. Consequently, the electrical industry
was developed mostly around existing enterprises; development consisted pri-
marily of modernizing production methods. At present, the electrical indus-
try, with the exception of local industry, is still concentrated in Serbia,
Croatia, and Slovenia.
Among electrical industry enterprises existing at the end of the war,
15 were relatively important, and provided the basis for further develop-
ment: At the beginning of 1951 there were 27 electrical industry enter-
prises in operation, and foi.r under construction.
The electrical industry started primarily with the production of key
products, such as generators and electric motors, needed for electrification
and industrialization called for by the Five-Year Plan. At present, Yugo-
slavia is producing all types of generators for hydroelectric power plants,
while generators for thermal power plants are in preparatory stage. Power
plants for which generators have been produced are the Mariborski Otok, Vu-
zenica, Mesici, Savica, Zrnovci, Vlasenica, Rijeka, Musovica, Pesocani,
Ozalj, Sokolja, and other hydroelectric power plants. Hydrogenerators have
been produced for the Slap Zete, Sapuncica, Zavrlje, Raska, Ovcar-Banja,
Glava Zete, Medjuvreje, Zvornik, Medvode, Jajce, Vrla, and other power plants.
In addition to generators, the "Bade Koncar" Factory has produced a
great many electric motors.
Other plants producing electric motors include the "Sever" Factory in
Subotica, the "Elektrokovina" Enterprise in Maribor, the "Motor" Enterprise
in Skofja Loka, and the "Iskra" Enterprise in Kranj for its own use. At
present, Yugoslavia produces enough electric motors to meet demand, except
for some special types. The total capacity of electric motors produced in
1949 was 136,000 kilowatts.
The first electric transformers were produced in 1946. The "Bade Kon-
car" Factory has produced a number of 3-, 6-, 10-, and 35-kilovolt trans-
formers. At present, 110-kilovolt transformers are in production. The
"Elma" Electric Materials Factory (taverns elektromaterijala "El.ma") in Lju-
bljana produces transformers on a small scale.
In 1949, the total capacity of transformers produced was 167,000 kilo-
watt-amperes. In 1950, transformer production facilities were expanded con-
siderably, so that future production is planned to be even greater because
of serial production and because beginning difficulties have been overcome.
The production of high-torque and high-voltage switches, previously
not produced in Yugoslavia, has been mastered by the "Bade Koncar" Factory.
Prototypes have been produced and regular production is in preparation. The
"Bade Koncar" has produced up to 35-kilovolt circuit breakers, and is work-
ing on circuit. breakers up to 110 kilovolts.
Certain types of electric conductors, were produced in Yugoslavia before
the war, but not underground or underwater cable, or cable for industrial
installations. The "Novkabel" Factory, the "Elks" Factory, and the "Impol"
Enterprise, which produced electric conductors, were modernized after the
war and their production increased.
In 1950, the production of noninsulated and insulated conductors totaled
4,926 tons. At present, Yugoslavia produces many types of conductors which
were not produced previously, such as lead-covered installation cable and
other types. The production of armatures has increased six times over 1946.
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STAT '
The Five-Year Plan calls for the construction of a new cable factory
in Svetozarevo, which is now under construction.
Electric measuring instruments were not produced in Yugoslavia prior to
1948. They are now being produced by the "Iskra" Enterprise. At the end of
1950, electric meters, ammeters, and voltmeters were being produced serially,
while the production of other electric measuring instruments was in a prepara-
tory phase.
At Present, the "Kontakt" Electrotechnical Factory (elektrotehnicka
tvoraica "Kontakt") and the T.E.P. Electrotechnical Factory (tvornica elek-
trotehnickih proizvoda) in Zagreb, the "Elip" Factory in Zemun, and the
"Elsa" Factory in Ljubljana are producing electric installation material.
All these enterprises were built under the Five-Year Plan, but are not yet
fully developed.
In Zagreb after the liberation the new "Tez" Electric Light Bulb Fac-
tory was constructed, which absorbed the old "Tez" and "Die" electric light
bulb factories. The "Tez" and "Tesla" factories produced a total of
4,428,000 bulbs in 1948, and 3,753,000 in 1950.
The production of storage batteries, which are produced by the "Munja"
Factory, was 2.29 times greater in 1949 than in 1946, but somewhat lower in
1950.
The production of telephone instruments, which are produced by the "Is-
kra" Enterprise, was begun in 1947.
The production of electric power tools, which are produced by the "Is-
kra" Enterprise, is completely new in Yugoslavia. To date, electric hand
drills are being produced serially, while the production of other tools is
in a preparatory phase.
Motion picture projectors, which are produced by the "Iskra" Enterprise,
have been produced in Yugoslavia since 1948. To date, motion picture pro-
jectors for standard film arebeing produced serially, while projectors for
nonstandard-size film are being developed.
In 1946, the "Nikola Tesla" Enterprise was established in Belgrade to
develop the production of radio equipment. This enterprise produced its
first series of radio receivers in 1948. At first, production was based
mostly on assembling imported parts, while only mechanical parts and radio
cabinets were produced domestically. Today, a number of radio parts are
being produced in Yugoslavia.
The "Radio Industrija" Factory in Zagreb produces amplifiers and micro-
phone cabinets.
There are small artisans' enterprises producing radio equipment, such
as signal equipment.
The RR-Zavodi in Nis, the most important radio enterprise, is under con-
struction. It will start production in 1951. Its production program in-
cludes radio tubes, X-ray equipment and tubes, and radio equipment such as
resistors, condensers, etc.
Since the war, the porcelain factory in Novi Sad has been modernized
and expanded, and equipped for the production of dielectric porcelain. The
factory produces dielectric porcelain for voltages up to 35,000 volts. Pro-
duction of dielectric porcelain for voltages tip to 100 kilovolts has been
mastered. This factory uses domestic raw materials exclusively.
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A new factory for dielectric porcelain has been built in Stup near Sara-
jevo. This factory produces porcelain -for voltages up to 100 kilovolts.
A new factory for dielectric porcelain is under construction in Arand-
jelovac. This factory is to produce dielectric porcelain for the electrical
industry and for the electrical economy and communications. This factory
will have a larger capacity than the above-mentioned factories. It will take
over production of dielectric porcelain produced by industrial methods, while
the other two factories will produce dielectric porcelain for high voltages
using semi-industrial methods. The construction of the new factory and full
utilization of existing factories will ensure sufficient supplies of dielec-
tric porcelain needed for the development of the Yugoslav electrical indus-
try, electrical economy, and communications.
The Yugoslav electrical industry is also developing production of indus-
trial furnaces, electrical equipment for automobiles, electrical home appli-
ances, etc.
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