BLACHOWNIA FOUNDRY IN BLACHOWNIA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80T00246A050300210001-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 15
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 20, 2010
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: August 31, 1959
• Content Type: REPORT

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INFORMATION REPORT INFORMATION REPORT
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
This material contains information affecting the National Defense of the United States within the meaning of the Espionage Laws, Title
18, U.S.C. Secs. 793 and 794, the transmission or revelation of which in any manner to an unauthorized person is prohib50X1-HUM
-T- -A-L
COUNTRY Poland REPORT
SUBJECT Blachownia Foundry in Blachownia DATE DISTR. g 1 AUG 1959
NO. PAGES 1
REFERENCES RD
DATE OF
INFO.
PLACE &
DATE ACQ.
FIELD REPORT NO.
of l o FVAIIIATIf7NS ARE DEFINITIVE. APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE.
of raw materials, plant layout and plant buildings.,
cast iron foundry) the malleable cast iron foundry; labor force, source
report on the Blachownia Four-dry in
Blachownia. The report contains n ormation on the following: the gray
ARMY review completed.
C-0-N-F-I-D-E-N-T-I-A-L
STATE I}[ ARMY X NAVY X AIR X FBI AEC
(Note: Washington distribution indicated by "X"; Field distribution by "#".)
LA
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THE FOUNDRY AT BLACHOWNIA (C)
Table of Contents
Pace Nr
Introduction ......,~~~~~~~~ee~~~~e~~~~~~~~~~~se~~~~~~s~~e?........s..? 3
1. Bac round .....1...y ................e........................... 3
2. oduction and 1x aion ...................................... 4
3. Labor Force ................................................... 4
4. Source of Raw Materials ....................................... 4
5. Foundry Facilities ............................................ 5
a. Gray Cast Iron Foundry ..................................... 5
b. Malleable Cast Iron Foundry ............................... 5
6. Plant Layout and DescriAtion .................................. 5
COMMENTS ..................e...see......a.............................? 6
Annexes A through D ................................................... 714
CONFIDENTIAL
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THE FOUNDRY AT BLACHOWNIA (C)
Listed below are the names, geographical coordinates, and UTM coordinates
of locations used in this reports
Location
Geog?aphic
BLACHOWNIA
N50-47, E18-58
CB-566285
CZESTOCHOWA
N5O-48, E19-07
CB-6813
LUBLINIEC
N50-40, E18-41
CB-36l6
1. Background
The foundry site at BLACHOWNIA was among the oldest in all Poland. ThE
original foundry there was constructed about 1916 and, although no longer in use,
still stood. Originally that foundry produced only malleable cast iron.
During WW II, the Germans built a large, modern foundry building, which
they never had a chance to equip and use because the war ended before it was com-
pleted. This building was not used until 1950.
There was some discussion after the war as to whether the foundry at
BLACHOWNIA should be expanded and whether the foundry building constructed by the
Germans. should be used or whether all operations at BLACHOWNIA should be abandoned.
It was decided to expand the operation and use the Erman building as a gray cast iron
foundry. Installation, of all equipment was completed by late 1949, and by 1950 the
foundry was in full operation.
The plan for this expansion was handled by the Special Projects Bureau
(Biuro Projektow Budownictwa Specjalnego), now called the Investment Supply and
Designing Bureau (Biuro Projektowania i Dostaw Inwestycyjnych), 1, a project bureau
which designed all metallurgical and electrotechnical facilities for military
production. This new foundry was to produce cast parts for mines of various types,
which it did until 1956, when the mine production was abandoned and the production
of pipes of various sizes and cast parts for meat cutting machines was begun.
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The task of reorganizing the foundry for this new production was handled
by Prozamet (Biuro Projektowania Zakladow Przemyslu Metalowego i Elektrotechnicz-
nego - Prozamet), 20 a project bureau which planned metallurgical and electro-
technical facilities for civilian production.
2. Production and Expansion
In late 1957, the Control Commission (Komisja Bilansow) of the Ministry
of Heavy Industry decided to change the production at BLACHOWNIA again. The change
was to be gradual and the complete transition was to be effected by 1965. The 50X1-HUM
outstanding features of this change were to reduce the total foundry output by
1800 tons yearly; and slowly to phase out the pipe production, which was to be
replaced by the production of cast parts for the electrotechnical industry and
faucets and water valves for industrial and domestic and to increase the
production cast parts for meat-cutting ma
In 1958, the production at BLACHOWNIA was 16,000 tons: 10,000 tons of
pipes; 2000 tons of malleable cast iron for the machine industry; 2000 tons of
cast iron for meat-cutting machines; and 2000 tons of various unknown cast items.
By 1965, the total production was to be 14,200 tons: 2200 tons of malleable
cast iron for the machine industry; 4000 tons of cast parts for meat-cutting machines;
6000 tons of cast parts for the electrotechnical industry; and 2000 tons of faucets
and water valves for industrial and private use (armatury domowe i przemyslowe).
7sition in production was to take place was unknown
in 1959, only 6000 tons of pipes were scheduled for 50X1-HUM
production at BLACHOWNIA. The production of pipes dropped by this foundry was to
which had not been chosen as of December 1958. 3. 50X1-HUM
3. Labor Force
technical staff
project bureau
of the workers
1600 to 2000,
r
seemed to -be goo &.
4. Source of Raw Materials
by engineers
of hi
the to
and technicians of he
s observations, the morale
tal work force at about
Raw materials for the two foundry facilities at BLACHOWNIA came from
CZESTOCHOWO. there was some sort of storage facility for 50X1-HUM
i
)
ron ore in the area around CZESTOCHOWA (exact location unknown
. Sand was mined
in the Bledowaka desert (pustynia Blendowska) north of CZESTOCHOWA, for use in
foundries throughout Silesia. The bulk of iron ore was imported from the USSR and
COJFJDENTIA L
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5. Foundry Facilities
a. Gray Cast Iron. Forar;d..ry
In 1958, the fo~.andry had a total, production capacity of 14,000 tons
yearly, but, as previously mentioned, the raps d ty was to be cut to 12,000 tons
yearly by 1965. The building was of steel, construction and measured about 80 by
54 by 12 m. The outer walls of the entire building were gray stucco, and there
were two types of roofs (see Annex B for sketch). A railroad spur ran through
the northern side of the building about two-thirds of the length.
The foundry was one of the most modern in Poland. There was very
little manual transport in the operation. Most of the transport was by conveyor
belt or overhead power crane (see Annex B-Ifor sketch of internal organization and
location of transport facilities). The foundry was equipped with five cupola-
type furnaces (zeliwiaki), two with a diameter of 600 mm, and three with diameters
of 900 mm. There were four vibrating form removal machines (kraty do wybiania
odlewow) which separated the cast from the form. These machines were not of Polish
m
F_ e anufacture, 50X1-HUM
were also casting machines (type and place of manu-
facture unknown I.
Attached to the west end of the foundry building was a 2-story, flat-
roofed, gray stucco office building, about 54 by 9 by 8 in, which housed the foundry
offices and social room for the workers. There was an entrance from the foundry
to the office building on the ground floor.
b. Malleable Cast Iron Foundry
This was a very old, red brick building in very bad condition, about
ready to fall down. There were skylights in the roof and many panes were missing
or broken. It was to be torn down by 1965, 50X1-HUM
probably be the first of all the buildings to be torn down because of its condition.
It measured about 30 by 12 by 5 m. (see Annex C for- tch). It was equipped
with two cupola-type furnaces capable of producing 2000
tons of malleable cast iron y ,,ar y.
6. Plant L a j o u t and IDe U ,2112n
p11an
The total foundry terrain was about 210,000 sq m in area (300 by 700 m)
and was open and flat with only occasional trees and shrubs. The buildings were
well spread out over the area; no two buildings were closer than 15 m. The grounds
were completely enclosed by a heavy wire fence about 2 m. high. There were only
two entrances, one for the railroad spur and one for foot and vehicle traffic (see
Annex D)..,
The foundry terrain could be extended only to the east. The north side
was bounded by a stream (name unknown), the west and south sides by hard-surfaced
oil, and crushed rock roads about 5 m wide. There were open fields to the east.
The foundry was served by the main railroad line, LUBBLINIFC-CZEST0CH0WA,
about ] km south of it. There was a main factory spur line, which branched into
other spur lines within the foundry terrain.
Annex D shows the plant layout and gives a description of each building
and its use.
CONFIDUNTIA L
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PINPOINT LOCATION OF THE BLACHOWNIA FOUNDRY IN BLACHCWNIA, POLAND
Legend
60
31
z
27
59
w
1. Foundry location
2. Foundry spur line
LL-
3. Main line from CZESTOCHOWA to LUBLINIEC,
0
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SKETCH OF THE CAST IRON FOUNDRY AT BLACHCWNIA, POLAND
Front and Side View
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Annex B-1
SKETCH OF THE CAST IRON FOUNDRY AT BLACHOWNIA, POLAND
LEGEND :
01 Mass Mixing Section
02 Foundry Materials Storage
03 Furnace Materials Storage
O Core Casting Section
05 Equipment Repair Shop
~b Cast Storage and Shipment Section
O Hand Casting Section
I
I (1 1 1 1 1 ! 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
I
0
Top View
C i 11 1 - , ~Cf)
a
Overhead Transport
Conveyor belt
Form Removal Vibrator
Casting Machines
Cupola Fwnaces w/diameter 600 mm
Cupola Fumaces w/diameter 900 mm
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Annex C
SKETCH OF THE MALLEABLE CAST IRON FOUNDRY AT BLACHO.NIA, POLAND
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Annex D
SKETCH OF THE PLANT LAYOUT OF THE FOUNDRY AT BLACHOWNIA
Heavy wire fence
Planned construction
Buildings to be torn down
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Legend to Annex D
1. This was a pond9 about 100 m wide and about 150 m long, into which the stream
flowed. Either the pond or the stream was the foundry source of water.
2. This was a red brick, 1-story9 shed-roofed building, which was used for storage
(details unknown). It measured about 40 by 10 by 5 in. It was to be remodeled and
made into a carpenter shop (stolarnia) by 1965.
3. This was the lumber yard (sklad drzewa)9 an open storage area, about 60 by
60 in. The lumber was stacked in piles about 3 by 2 by 2 in,
4. This was an open storage water basin, about 15 by 15 by 3 m deep. It was used
for fire fighting. It was the same as RAmber 9.
5. This was the boiler-room building, a red brick, flat-roofed building, about
20 by 9 by 8 in. There was room for two boilers with capacities of 2,5009000 calories
each. There was only one boiler of that capacity, however9 in 1958; the other was
to be installed by 1965. They were to be conveyor fed with coal; the one existing
boiler was hand fed but was to be converted when the second boiler was installed.
6. This was an open concrete coal storage area about 18 by 10 in. On the southern
side was a small indented basin, about 2 by 1 by - m9 which was to be used as a
hopper when the conveyor fed system was installed. (The position of the conveyor
is shown in Annex D).
',This was a gray stucco, 2-story building of reinforced-concrete9 about 40 by 24
by 9 m. It was being completed in late 1958 for use as the main plant shipping
warehouse (magazyn glowny i ekspedycja). The portion of the building into which
the railroad spur ran was open to the roof (no second floor). There were windows
at the east and west ends of the building, but none on the other two sides. There
was a mechanical lift (winda) located in the building, opposite the end of the
railroad spur. No further information.
8. This was a gray stucco building with a gable-roof, about 20 by 8 by 7 m9 which
housed the pipe-fitting sho (warsztat remontu rur) and the compressor station
(stacja sprezarek tlokowych)9 with three piston-driven compressors. The pipe-
fitting shop was located in the western half of the building and the compressor
station in the eastern half. No further information.
9., This was a concrete open water storage basin, about 15 by 15 by 3 m deep. It
stored water for fire fighting and was identical to N?imber 4.
10. This was a gray stucco9 l-story9 gable-roofed building9 which housed the
annealing and cast cleaning section (wydzial wyzarzania i oczyszczalnia) for the
11. This was the oldest part of the original foundry, the malleable cast iron
foundry which was no longer used. It was to be fenced and made into a museum
with a small area of lawn and gardens. It was a combination red brick and wood
building, about 15 by 12 by 4 m. It had the two original primitive cupola furnaces
(sizes unknown ). The roof had two gabled skylights running the full length of
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12. This was the factory security guard shack and workers' entrance gate
(portiernia). Through the southern portion of the building was a hallway through
which the workers had to walk to gain entrance to the foundry terrain. The building
was gray stucco, 1-story, with a gabled roof, and measured about 8 by 4 by 31 m.
It was manned by one guard 24 hours a day. It was to be torn down by 1965 and
replaced by a new entrance arrangement (see Number 13 on Annex D). No further
information.
13. After Number 14 has been torn down, two small, 4 by 4 by 31 m security guard
shacks are to be constructed, one on either side of the entrance road also to be
built. This is to take place by 1965 and will constitute the new main entrance
to the foundry grounds. No ?':,: ther .information.
14. This was an old 1-story, gray stucco, gable-roofed building, about 16 by 10
by 4J m, which housed the foundry management offices office of the director,
office of the chief engineer, and the secretariat. It was to be torn down by 1965
and the offices were to be moved into a new building. No further information.
15. This was the malleable cast iron foundry (odlewnia zeliwa ciagliwego)) which
was also scheduled to be torn down by 1965. For complete information on this
building see paragraph 5.b. of this report.
16. This was the projected building for the foundry management offices (see Number
14). It was to be a 2-story, gray stucco building, 40 by 10 by 8 m, to house the
main office of the factory security guard and the foundry dispensary (ambulatornia)
on the second floor. No further information.
17. This building housed the offices of t1a gray cast iron foundry and social
rooms for the workers. For complete information on this building see paragraph
5.a. of this report.
18. This was the projected foundry materials storage area, to be constructed
by 1965. It was to be about 10 m wide and 80 m long. There were to be concrete bins
for sand, clay, and coal, and some storage area for iron ore. It was scheduled
for completion by 1965 but no work had started in 1958. It was to have some sort 50X1-HUM
of overhead crane loading and unloading device to unload railcars and transport
matArlalR from noint of storage to the oint of use.
19. This was the gray cast iron foundry; for complete information see paragraph
5.a.' of this report.
20. This was to be identical to Number 17, except that it was to be smaller, 30
by 9 by 8 m. It was to house the offices of the cast cleaning section (oczyszczalnia),
the tinning and galvanizing section (cynkownia i cynownia), and the surface painting
section (malarnia), and to have social rooms for the workers. It was scheduled
to be constructed by 1965.
21. This was to be the new cast cleaning section, tinning and galvanizing section,
and painted surface section for the gray cast iron foundry. Work on this building
was to start in 1959. It was to be of gray stucco, a three-part (3 nawy) arched-
roof building, about 50 by 30 by 6,9,6 m. No further information.
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22. This was a 1J-shaped, 2-story, red brick,, flat-roofed building, which housed the
offices and social rooms for the workers in Number 23 (the main mechanic's workshop
and the tool room). It joined building Number 23 at the west end but only on the
second floor. The first floor was open and formed an arched passageway to the
inner courtyard of the building (see Annex D). The building measured about 38 by
9 by 8 m, and each wing about 10 by 9 by 8 m. The building was to be stuccoed
sometime in the future. No further information.
23. This was a prefabricated reinforced-concrete building with red brick outer
walls. It was in three parts (3 nawy). The center part was 70 by 20 by 9 m and
had a series of box-type skylights in the roof. The two side parts were 70 by 9 by
9 m, each with windows along the outer sides. The building housed the main
mechanical workshop and the tool supply room (warsztat glownego mechanika
narzedziownia). The building was only in partial use in 1958 because workmen were 50X1-HUM
25. This was an empty building ?,n 1958, but it was to be used as the firehouse
starting in 1959. It was a garage-type building, about 12 by 7 by 4 in, of brick
and stuccoed gray. A fire truck (type unknown) and one automobile (type unknown)
were to be parked in the building. No further information.
26. This was a 1-story, old, gray stucco g,,3ble-roofed building, which was used as
a kitchen and dining room (kuchnia i stolownia) for feeding the plant workers. It
measured about 20 by 7 by 31 m. No further information.
27. This was a hard-surfaced, ~ 'I and crushed rock road about 5 in wide which ran
from the city of BLACHOWNIA to the Blachownia railroad station, about l- km south
of the foundry. There was a grade crossing. Source did not know whether the stream
crossing was a culvert or a, bridge. No further information.
28. This building was also used to house some of the foundry management offices
When the new office was completed within
the foundry terrain, this building was scheduled to house a laundry and a tailor
shop for the workers. It measured about 20 by 8 by 4 in, had a gabled roof, and
was of gray stucco. No further information.
29. This was a hard-surfaced, oil and crushed rock road, which formed the southern
boundary of the foundry terrain. Source could give no other information about
it except that it was about 5 m wide. No further information.
CON FJDFNJTIA L
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