VARONIS AND SARKANAIS QUADRATS RUBBER FACTORIES/SOVIET SYNTHETIC RUBBER RESEARCH/CHEMICAL AND CELLULOSE PLANTS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00047R000300220004-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 23, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 15, 2013
• Sequence Number: 4
• Publication Date: August 10, 1953
• Content Type: REPORT

Declassified
(-)x�?-141
in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr 2014/11/04: CIA-RDP82-00047R000300220004-9
CLASSI FICATION CONFIDENTIAL/SECUR1.1;1 ri.NPORMATIM =IF
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
COUNTRY USSR (Latvia)
SUBJECT Varonis and Sarkanais Quadrats Rubber Factories/
Soviet Synthetic Rubber Research/Chemical and
Cellulose Plants
PLACE
ACQUIRED
DATE
ACQUIRED
DATE OF INFO:
TOSS DOCUMENT CONTAINS INFORMATION NE/SCSI.10 THE NATIONAL OEFESSE
OF THE UNITES STATES, WITHIN THE MEANING OF TITLE IS, SECTIONS 793
ASO 7941 OF THE U.S. CODE, AS AMENDED. ITS NNNNN MISSION ON NEVE.
LOTION OF ITS CONTENTS TO OR RECEIPT NY AN UNAUTHORIZED PERSON IS
PASTAS SY LAW THE NEASODUCTIOM CF THIS FORM IS ARON
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DATE DISTR. /v/Aug 1953
NO OF PAGES 2 50X1
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NO. OF ENCLS.
(LISTED BELOW)
SUPPLEME
REPORT NO
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMAT ON
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2. The Varopi Rubber Factory now employs 820 people and is producing almost
exclfAsively conveyor belts for use in the oil-shale mines in Estonia. These
belts, which are several miles in length, are assembled from smaller
lengths after they leave the factory. The conveyor belts are made from
Soviet synthetic rubber which is sodium-butadiene polymer.
The largest rubber plan- in production in Riga is
Sarkanais Quadrats which employs about one thousand workers and it is
producing only rubber footwear from Soviet synthetic rubber. It is
reported that these articles have little resistance or strength. A
third rubber factory, "Meteors", recently closed down because of the lack
of usable equipment.
Compared with the German Buna 8, the Soviet synthetic rubber being used at
Varonis is very soft and does not have to be softened as does Buna S.
However, the Soviet synthetic rubber is not very strong and it does not
have the high abrasion resistance found in Buna S. Therefore, the
conveyor belts manufactured by Varonis have to be very frequently replaced.
CLASSIFICATION COEFIDENTIAL/SECTRITY INFORMATION
DISTRIBUTION
ORR EV
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr 2014/11/04: CIA-RDP82-00047R000300220004-9
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr 2014/11/04: CIA-RDP82-00047R000300220004-9
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CONFIDENTIAL/SECURITY INFORMATION
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Sovie'it: synthetic rubber was first made by a
ussian chemist named Lebedev
LLebedev was executed for some unknown reason by the Soviets in or
about 1936.
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6. Before 1944, the USSR scientists were very
50X1 interested in cultivating a plant known as koksagyz ihich contains a latex-
like fluid that can be coagulated into rubber and vulcanized when mixed with
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sulphur and heated. it was one of the
research pr c s that was carried on in 1944 at Varonis in Riga.
the results esearch work with hoksagyz, it was very sticky and oxidized
easily in air. It was necessary to store it in cellophane bags and the rubber 50X1
produced fron koksagyz-Jas of poor quality. However, the Soviets were using
koksagyz in 1944 tor a number of articles. 50X1
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50X1 chemical factories are still in operation but the big super 50X1
phosphate plant in Milgravis (a suburb of Riga) had recently stopped work
because the Soviets had removed the lead plates necessary for the production of
sulphuric acid from the plant. The main production of this plant was synthetic
fertilizer made out of phosphate and sulphuric acid.
8. The "Baltijas Vagonu Fabrika (Baltic Train Car Factory)" in Riga is still
producing passenger train cars which are all shipped to the USSR. No new cars
are needed in Latvia because the transportation of passengers in trains has
been greatly reduced and no one is allowed to board a train in Latvia without
a special permit.
9. The three important cellulose factories in Latvia are still in
operation. These plants are located in Riga, Sloka,and Ligatne. The Ligatne
factory was famous prior to World War II for the proauction of an excellent
grade of paper which was exported to Western Europe. This plant is reported
to manufacture the best paper of all the paper plants in the USSR and the
entire production is sent to the USSR.
10,
some of the
tv an women w.o were epor es o iseria n une ave now returned
to Riga but they are not allowed to reveal any of their experiences to anyone.
Nonp of thp Latvian men deported at the same time Lune 19417have returned
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CONFIDENTIAL/SECURITY INFORMATION
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr 2014/11/04: CIA-RDP82-00047R000300220004-9