SPOLANA NATIONAL ENTERPRISE IN NERATOVICE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A006300370008-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 11
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 17, 2008
• Sequence Number: 8
• Publication Date: April 21, 1955
• Content Type: REPORT

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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
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COUNTRY Czechoslovakia
DATE OF Ra10.
/LACE ACQINID
THE SOIMCE WAWATIOM: IN TH/i SNOW AM OMMHfref
THE AP/RA/J" OI COMTEM- IS TN4TATWE.
The Spolana National Enterprise plant in Neratovice (N50-16 E14-31) 25X1
originally out of the Saponka factory, which manufactured soap andvegetableed
shortenings. This factory stopped operation, and its buildings are now used as a
storehouse of Spolana. Constr
uction of the buildings of in 1942s
ontj rt-
by 1945 approximately one third of the work was comleted.Cow began
after the war and expanded further in 1950. In 1954~', the plant was aaucaboubout c threntenuti
e ti
as big as in 1945. Construction is still going on. The mos
for production of sulphuric acid is still under Constructiont important building
2. The plant is located south of Melnik, near Neratovice.
by the Elbe River, to the south
the To the east it is bounded
railroad station and railroad line that rune west otowaarrdePrague. Tovthe,south of
the plant, north of the Neratovice railroad station in the loop of the railroadf
line, lies the original Saponka factory. A field path from Neratovice to the
village of Libis runs along the west and southwest sides of the plant and joins
the asphalt highway near the southern boundaries of Libis.
for Spolana workers is located at the northwestern tip of the A clus of houses
planteand runs south
toward Libis. To the north, along the Elbe, are fields.
along the Elbe River is approximately east side of the plant,
1,000 meters long; its south side is up to
1,000 meters wide, and the fence on this side is about 400 meters north of the
Saponka factory. The west side of the plant forms a slight curve. The plant occupies
an area of about one square kilometer. 3. All machines of the plant are in excellent condition and mainly of post-war manu-
facture. Maintenance is good. The electrol.irsis department manufactured between 1949 and 1953. Almost all of ., exceptathe electric instal-
lation, came from East Germany. Electric installations are of Czech
production,
Product ion:
a. Caustic soda (NaOH) is produced in the electrolysis department.' output of
sodium hydroxide depends on the quantity cf available electric current, which
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any sssaw to UNWA A.sl" >fswsa r pN11bL 1
by law.
upORT
Solana National Enterprise in Neratovice DATE D13TR.
21 April 1955
NO. OF PAGIs 11 25X1
REQUIREMENT NO. RD
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is irregular. In the winter of 1953-1954 the supply was insufficient and
production wa> far below capacity. The average capacity of one bath is 220 kg.
of NaOH in 24 hours. With an average of 190 baths operating out of the total
of 200, production capacity is 41,800 kg. in 24 hours. With regular supply
of electric current, production could be increased at least 10 percent.
Although current ip never switched off completely, its voltage sometimes
substantially decreases. The best supply of electricity is from midnight to
3 an, and the critical point is from 6 amtto 9 op. The sodium hydroxide is
drawn off to containers in the ground floor, and part of it is then drawn into
containers used for the production of artificial threads. Only low-grade
sodium hydroxide is used for this production. Other uses of caustic soda:
The NaOH is transferred in tankers to Lovosice (N50-31,E14-04), where it is 25X1
where it is used in stocking manufacture
and to Vl
i
(N
,
as
m
49-42, E14-54)
and Semtin(N50-05,F15-44), where it is-used in the production of high explosives.l
Part of the NaOH is also exported to other Satellite countries, chiefly to
Hungary, by railroad tank car.
b. Artificial, spider-thin, snow-white threads are produced which are highly
explosive and are used in the production of artificial silk. Finished products
are shipped in spools to Lovosice and other textile factories.
c. Hydrochloric acid is produced as a by-prodact from waste brine.
r
d. Sulphuric acid (H2SO4) has been produced in the fertilizer department. A new
building was under construction for production of sulphuric acid on a much
larger scale, to commence in autumn 1954.
e. Production of several kinds of fertilizers was started during the war,
f. Glue, bone meal, gelatine, and 'nocyd are also produced at the factory.
5. Almost all raw materials and all finished products are shipped. by rail. Nine to
twelve cars of salt are imported daily from Fast Germany for the electrolysis
department. Cardboard, which is the basic raw material for the production of
artificial threads, comes from the cellulose plant in Zilina. This cardboard was
called "cellular tissue". Bones for the production of glue", bone meal, and
gelatine are supplied by the Collecting Center for *ste Material, National
Enterprise. Seventy to eighty cars of small-lump brown coal are brought daily
from the Most coalfields.
6. The departments of electrolysis and of artificial threads, which are of greatest
importance, never exceeded the plan. They fulfilled the plan usually 90 nerePrt,.
Less important departments, such as the glue and gelatine shops, fulfilled the plan
100 percent. Incomplete fulfillment of the plan in the department of electrolysis
was due chiefly to shortage of electric current, which caused insufficient produc-
tion of sodium hydroxide used in the department of artificial threads.
7. Electric current is probably supplied by the Ervenice (N50-31, E13-32) power plant.
Part of it is produced in the Spolana boilerhouse, and some is supplied by the
hydroelectric generating station on the Elbe, According to the latest ruling, all
current produced in any plant has to be supplied to the prblie alectric grid and
only such amount of it taken by the plant as has been pu-c in. This is to prevent
factories from having an unused surplus of their own current. This order did not
improve the general supply of current during critical periods.
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3. The number of employees is constantly increasin with the co;r.pletion of new branches
of the plant. In June 1954 employees g
totalled around 6,000. Twenty-five to thirty
percent of the employees are women. O i 15 percent of the employees are speciali"~ts
who have been working in the plant at least five years. A large number have been
transferred here from other activities, e.g.p farmers crafts tradenp and former SNB employees. The average age of Spolana,eiployeesnis arrounde30-35
years. Inhabitant,:. of the Melnik area either work in the Spolana factory or in th,-
mines. In 1953 employees of this area were hired only by Spolana, but in 1954 the
local labor-recruitment drive probably faile~j as workers were needed in arJ~ricult>>4 e.
Most employees of Spolana come from the Melnik area and some from the Brandys nad
Labem (N50-11, E14-40) and Kralupy (N50-14 E14
to another branch of industr ~ -19) areas. No employees may transfer
health reasons. Approximately 90 except ~ mines. They may leave the plant onl;~ for
from he point of pprw of the present percent of the employees ar', )olitically unreliable
i e' as they enjoyed ch better living
conditions in their previous employments.
9. 'Workers In the electrolysis and artificial threads department,
water works, fire brigade, and works guard work hours a day. the Work boilin theese
branches goes on without intermission gintwoshift , 12 hours of work being
followed by 24 hours of free time, regardless of holidays. in March 1954 it was suggested to snitch to an 8-hour working Aday andkto divi a mac?-
work I.nto three shifts. New employees would have to be hired, which would mean
a reduction of present wages. These measures are probably caused signs unemployment. The Kladno mines, for example, have been refusing to hire newf
employees since April 1954. The administrative department works only one shift,
fro from 2 . Other branches of Spolana work two shifts, from 6 "to 2 pr.
a pm.until 10 Am.
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11. Morale is rather low. Everybody tries to get through his task without the slightest
interest in quality. Employees are not making "socialist pledges", nor are they
offering improvement suggestions. Unexcused absenteeism is practically nonexistent.
Medically justified absenteeism reached 12 to 14 percent.
12. The plant has a very well equipped infirmary, oleakrooms, and washrooms. A
housing development for workers called "Na skalkach" is under construction near
the village of Mekojedy. Single employees live in a camp at the southern edge of
the plant consisting of temporary brick huts, approximately 20 x 10 meters in
size.
139 Access to the factory is allowed only to holders of passes. These are yellow cards
in celluloid covers with a photograph of the holder. Employees of other departments
have no access to the department of electrolysis, to the boilerhouse, or to the
water works. Two members of the works guards, armed with pistols, inspect these
passes at the main entrance, and two works employees inspect them at the secondary
gate. The works guards have about 70 members. They patrol the plant day and
night. At night they are armed with submachine guns.
Comment: The references are 25X1
presumably to Czech Silk (Ceske hedvabi),
National Enterprise, in Lovosice, Elite National Enterprise in Varnsdorf,
Zbrojovks Brno, National Enterprise, Viasim plant in Vlasim, and Synthesis
National Enterprise in Semtin.
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spolana Chemical Factory in Neratonice
scale 1:10,000
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Legend to Annex A
00r the
1. ,t: except for the.east side W , ~ whole plant is srarroumded
by a wire fence, on concrete poste, about tVQ net Ahi0
2. A connseti road runs along the east bM* of the bs sold Npnaete the plant
with 1leratovioe.
4.
.._ , _ usrd,.^an a d e_ n ce t The main o0a is a brick buildin, 12 x 6 x 4
meters large, here the road opens into the plant,-eons 100 asters west or the
Elbe. This bui3.dtng &18o contains the personnel and .the dusts.
m the 1Nratovioe g ti9g f 9 lg ' ~-pea~Oa factory building east.
f
ro
rm
b ward and enter the factory an the southwest; one track rime along the Zbs; the
second branohea alowZ4 the artificial-threads hall, and q # d puns along the
south of the tens.
5. _ 'ftc priinal plant at lleratovios, 9eponka, is located approximately
400 meters south of the soriiVeIt f tip Of $ si . It to now Used as a stcee-
house of Spol*M. Saponka in a brisk btzlldi", 100 s 40 x 12 mess in else.
c acuherin denarta.ai t ''~lle to p o(ptary brick building of tarrooonar?te hsae
h1
th
vwv time --
s -
In Tina ,Gu
meters, and was oon*ucted during the W. Saccharin production is centered here.
7. bm: The main repatr?ahop building is brick, 70 z 30 x ? asters, and
is used or repairs Pf maebines and aaterisl.
8. The old boi,~ar tlS t iigo west of the atiq fepatr p said is 0 x 8 x 7 mere
in size. It coal vpess two sss.d odds 9f coal da3,
9. 11 ti This building a three stoa tss and Lis 00 x 30 x 20 inters
0MM
large. It ie a brisk building of fearroooaor,ado beetles built 0~after tioeslolgl#guooyd
is an insecticide used may against the
production are an the grotmd floor, West of toe ,. The .loses of the chief
engineer of the in repair chop are else to this part,
10. meter : constructed during the, war. It lies west of the Dynocyd
production ball.
U. jco tin ged: With fogs small steam locomotives; Wlek,114 x 10 x 6 asters large.
well
12. lafiaMs ? aiirgle.story ors co and at ~ inc o we al3mays It
an dst,.
equipped; din tug the day two deo nib
13. Now Ong gaa' container: Between the wain repair slap and the slestrolysis
department; put into operation at the end of lt,bruar7 1954. Its chaps is cyUndri-
cal, of 10 meters diameter and 14 asters hhglt. Its bass to at pound ]well its
sides are covered with earth.
14. ns,oartment of a1eatrols : A brick hall with f srooonerete tram and a large amber
of windows. It has only two stories but is mob larger than most of the buildings.
The hall is about 220 motors long, 70 asters wide, and 25 asters hidl-. This depart-
ment went into operation in October 1953, althotaglr one third of it was put into
operation in 1949. Its walls and supporting pillars are 60 oent$M'ters thick.
The ferroconcrete reinforced ceiling and floor of the Wood floor use 90 centimeters
thick. (bee Anne Da
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15. Tanks: Along the eastern side of the electrolysis hall are four tanks with earth.
The cwo in the south are hydrogen containers, and the two in the north are brine.
tanks.
16. Hydrogen combustion furnaces: East of the electrolysis hail stands a two-story
brick building with ferroconcrete frame 35 x 35 x 12 meters large. It contains
six hydrogen combustion furnaces.
17. Detpartnient of liquid chlorine and h c h for c Scids North of the building at
Point 1 is an identical building, where chlorine is liquified and hydrochloric
acid produced.
13. Brine production: In the last building in this row, identical with the above,
brine is prepared. It contains concrete tubs, where salt and barium are added to
water. The actual brine is then piped into two containers and pumped through
special pipes to the electrolysis department.
19. More of salt: East of the buildings at points No. 18 and 17, a concrete building
70 x 30 x 12 meters large. Under its roof is a bridge crane which smoothes the
salt and transports it to a conveyor belt which leads into the brine production
department. A siding leads to this building.
20. New main boilerhouse: Included in the Five-Tear Plan (1948 - 1953). A brick
structure of ferroconcrete frame. It appears to be a three-story building and is
about 100 meters long and 40 meters wide. It also contains the machine shop.
Employees of other departments have no access here.
21. Ch mngy: At the northeast corner of the hall. It is the main chimney for all
fumes of the chemical production. Brick; its diameter at its bass is five meters,
height 40 meters.
22. A-lar,--e um lies between the railroad tracks and the 1ellorbomar? Above
it is a traveling shovel crane, which transports coal to the conveyor belt leading
to the boilers. In winter daily consumption of coal is 70-80 carloads of brown
coal.
23. water works: This is a brick structure with concrete frame, 40 x 20 x 12 meters
in size, north of the boilers; it was constructed after the war. Dater, which is
pumped from the Elbe, is filtered and pumped to different points in the factory.
Entry to this building is forbidden.
24. Glue Somewhat larger than the water works. A new building. Employees are
transferred here as punishment.
25. getne egg: Approximately of the same size as the glue shop. It was put into
operation in 1945.
26. Artifietal?+ __ thr a ahoy: The largest hall of the plant. Most of it was put into
operation during the Five-Year Plan (1948 - 1953). It is of brick with a ferro-
concrete frame, 250-280 meters long and 80 meters wide, with four stories. on top
of its north end is a ventilator tower, approximately 20 meters high. This hall
has the most modern equipment. White, very fine artificial threads are added to
'brtificial silk". In the southeast of the hall, on the fourth floor, are offices
of the manager, chief engineer, Coomunist Party Secretariat and Works Conmoil.
On the ground floor, in the south of the hall, is a store of artificial threads.
Along the east of this department is a row of five sodium hydroxide oontaiaera
of cylindrical shape, diameter four meters, six meters high. These containers
are connected with halls of this department by pipes.
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27.
FSdUlast ~ ggs: along tbs.nwth of tbs + r ttoS4-t do buildin- and
ioma s otriot e s 44 x 20 "two 11w tom s oar . , 4 a1 ldsda of
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t
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e
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is
rs, as sa anipina-10.;1~4td (
28.
~Mrrwd bpi i . p b1y in *"Um. 195A.
Pan, .the pr'~I as Mira produo
219,.. A Tai of row $i 7s-~-ta~r ,b~3 c: airrq . ~ N* `d s 6 * 3
'
ors its f balsa
joioasg, r]ao6T3,o ~ ps it itis0' ~iNi~ .l ss
% *U a $04 toa0s
3G.
x1i" 64 aiium A aist~ls-sto~7 buU3,63 ,. oot 1 t ~rifll .St. lbist
f26 an oou o 'tbi aatnts aboi stops$ rick so 3o.* 6 >rt r 'n?
31.
32.
33.
Along ths, vest. 'side at , h .11a4 tombs ',408d w MMAAWMA
iOK iiila r to iati tut tit 9 ~M V~. ..
s49ds oitos .o! additional taatodyr 1bo ' l 'f of 0110 wt tht'paNl.
Apart from Us abou buildiugs t _ p]iat iSolvdso ? ..eftr$ .*ebli 1is*Sia. of .
,Lwss to. be -auk larger
a aoid bs, sesns.
;... iorarI!fl r, Aa s 60 mattes
the OtAsr two f ,OOrb are fir.i s & s M13 .
Q[ t e arm a so as'.4bs !mss . . Owlai
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Electrolysis Department
Scale 1:1,000
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Legend to Annex B
Ground floor :
1. Main entrance: The main entry into the ground-floor hall.
2. Corrj~orp From the entry in an easterly direction; another corridor branches out
from it along the west side approximately one quarter of the way down the hall.
3. Dining room: Used for morning and afternoon breaks. Lunches and dinners are
served in the works canteen.
4. Lavatories.
5. Waees, counts- dartgent: Also serves as an office of the time-study engineer
and the planner.
6.
Clc~ak,,r2oms and baths.
7. The hall it, f: The hall takes up practically the whole ground floor, which is
approximately seven meters high. On the ceiling is a row of pipes; these are for
inlet of brine, outlet of exhaust brine, water inlet, outlet for sodium hydroxide,
and chlorine and hydrogen outlet. On the ceiling are also high-ampere wires in
insulating holders. All these pipes and leads are connected through the ceiling
with the actual production hall on the second floor. The ground floor has very
few machines and equipment and is really a store of spare pipes and parts.
8. SQd yB. mdde containers: In the south part of the hall are six sodium hydroxide
containers, metal, cigar-shaped,, 3j meters in diameter and 12 meters long.
9. C or a ventilator s: Approximately in the center of the hall are three chlorine
electrical ventilators, which pump away chlorine from the second floor and run it
through pipes to the liquid chlorine department; surplus chlorine is let out through
the main chimney.
10. Hydrogen .e tion: This is the most dangerous part. It is a steel cylinder, of one.
meter diameter, from the ground to the ceiling. In the center of it is a glass
portion, in which the water tap, preventing access of air, is constantly watched.
This hydrogen station pumps away hydrogen and conveys it to combustion furnaces.
11. Maintenance
shop.
12. Office of &kq forer qfsectrp,]~raj: A brick office, along the west side of the
13. Office: Of the engineer in charge of the electrolysis department and his assistant.
14. Laboratory: For testing products.
Second floor: The real production goes on here. It has a ferroconcrete floor
50 centimeters thick and is approximately 15 meters high.
1. sky to the second floor: Six ferroconcrete staircases lead to the second floor.
2. Obeninng,} the caring: In the center of the floor of the second floor is an open
space, about 10 x 6 meters large, through which various articles are hoisted. A
smaller electrical crane of 1,500 kg. capacity travels on ikils above the open
space.
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3. Ventilators: Three ventilators with regulation equipment, which dray away the
chlorine.
4. Pressure control device: Called "Aakalka", used for observing the pressure of
hydrog -. It is connected to a hydrogen pump.
5. Foreman's office: 6 x 4 meters.
6. Smokij m a c12 oom -for shft wrkera,.
7. ra sforMK room: For the whole electrolysis department in an annex on the level
of the second floor, 10 x 7 meters in size.
8. Baths: Four rows, each with 20 metal tube, 7 meters x 1.20 meters x 40 centimmeters,
on concrete stands approximately 50 - 60 centimeters high, which contain electrical
equipment for analysis. Pipes for inlet of brine and water, pipes for drawing off
chlorine and hydrogen, and outlet pipes for used brine and prepared sodium hydroxide
lead into these baths. There are another four rows of baths for production of
sodium hydroxide. Each row has 30 metal tubs of the same dimensions as above.
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