METALLURGICAL PRODUCTS HANDLED BY FERROMET

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A007100530004-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 19, 2008
• Sequence Number: 4
• Publication Date: June 21, 1955
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2008/09/19: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA007100530004-4
MFOQMQ
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
Metallurgical Products
Handled by Ferromet
This material contains information affecting the National Defense of the United States within the meaning of the Espionage Laws, Title
18, U.S.C. Sees. 793 and 794, the transmission or revelation of which in any manner to an unauthorized person is prohibited by law.
S-E- C?R=E-T
NOFORN
COUNTRY Czechoslovakia
DATE OF INFO.
PLACE ACQUIRED
DATE ACQUIRED
REPORT
DATE DISTR.
NO. OF PAGES,
O( am QC POOR
21 June 1955
REQUIREMENT NO. RD
1. Whereas in autumn 1953 .Ferromet:, foreign trade corporation could only offer
for export chains and nails,, it can now offer a variety of iron and steel
products., and it is planning an expansion program which will greatly increase
the range and quality of exports to the rest.
2. At present the Czechs are manufacturing for export only seamless tubes (diameter
2-6 inches),, but they are shortly to undertake the manufacture for export of
welded tubes (diameter a 2 inches). 'The diameter of,the latter will be in-
creased as soon as is practicable;' Sections (angles,, etc.) are at present only
manufactured in millimeter dimensions, but they will shortly be turned out in
inches in order to stimulate exports.
Sheets 'are at present manufactured in'thicknesses of 89 10,, 129 14, and 16
millimeters; it is possible that these thicknesses will be exceeded in the
near future.
L. Galvanizing work is still of a very low quality. Representatives'of Ferromet
5.
have recently stated that the whole of the equipment for galvanizing in Czech.-,
slovakia'will shortly be renewed.' At presents in wire products., only hard
bright- drain wire can be exported; there is no galvanized wire of any kind
for export.
The'Czechs are very anxious to acquire a suitable plant for tight rolling of,
hexagonal wire netting. They are unable to turn out high-quality wire of this
kind7'witli their present equipment. No wire of any kind is being quoted for
export before the end of the third quarter of 19550
6. At present there are only some 700 tons of heavy plates for export. Ferromet
representatives have recently stated that they hope this quantity will be
greatly increased in the near future.
SmFr-C-R E?T
10FOl
X FBI ' AEC
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Approved For Release 2008/09/19: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA007100530004-4
 Approved For Release 2008/09/19: CIA-RDP80-00810A007100530004-4
S-E-C-R E-T
NOFO1
8 o Ferromet is interested in compensation busine s; e.g., it s ~ a td !?fs~?~ ~'
to firms'who will take quantities of a commodity connect&d'*fth the oil
business (Ferromet representatives will not state what this commodity is, but
it is inferred that it is a chemical of some kind) a'discoun't of L a ton on
Ferromet?s iron and steel products.
It appears that in the Czech iron and steel industry,a system has .been intro-
duced whereby only one simple type of product is produced in any one workshop
in order to facilitate training of unskilled workers. For instance, when a
client requested that bars, which were on order from Ferromet,,should be bent
and not straight, as in the original order,''he was told that this could not be
done since the factory where the bars were being made had no equipment for bend-
ing; he was given to understand that this principle was being applied to the
whole of the industry.
S-E-C-R-E-T
NOFORN
Approved For Release 2008/09/19: CIA-RDP80-00810A007100530004-4