ROLLED STEEL PRODUCTION IN THE DDR

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00457R012700230001-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 23, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 11, 2013
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: July 8, 1952
• Content Type: REPORT

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/08/09: CIA-RDP82-00457R012700230001-2
50X1-HUM
INTELUFAX 21
FEB 1952
CLASSIFICATION
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
sErmtr/comcg, onammis ONLY
SECURITY INFORMATION
INFORMATION REPORT REPORT
COUNTRY Germany (Russian Zone)
SUBJECT Rolled Steel Production. in the MR
DATE OF
INFO.
PLACE
ACQUIRED
?
ICULATE
CD NO. 50X1-HUM
DATE DISTR.
NO. OF PAGES
NO. OF ENCLS.
(LISTED BELOW)
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
8 July.1952
,50X1-HUM
THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS INFORMATION AFFECTING THE NATIONAL DEFENSE
OF THE UNITED STATES, WITHIN THE MEANING OF TITLE 18, SECTIONS 793
AND 794, OF THE U.S. CODE, AS AMENDED. ITS TRANSMISSION OR REVE-
LATION OF ITS CONTENTS TO OR RECEIPT BY AN UNAUTHORIZED PERSON IS
PROHIBITED BY LAW. THE REPRODUCTION OF THIS FORM IS PROHIBITED.
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
50X1-HUM
r,
?t::c .
2. A comparison of the supply ituation f or a-31 types of rolled steel (including
boiler plate and Seamless tubes)) as. shown in actual production returns for
1951 and' in the official 1.952 planned figures.) follows-(all figures in
metric ton8.1:
a. Rolled steel (all types, Including b and c..below).
Balance on 1 January
Domestic production
Import
Reserves
Minus the balance of
Tota.1 Available fo .distrOution
CLASSIFICATION
1951
1252
514l000
718,40o
11132,804
1/337,550
278,048
300,000
100jdoo
Not9oo
2, 024,852
2,4551950
? 718,24-GO
68o,703
-1.13X)61.452
1,775,247
UCZEIRTICONTEROL - U.S. OFFICIAIAS OILY
50X1-HUM
STATE
,i`x
NAVY
x
NSR8
DISTRIBUTION
ARMY
X
AIR
X
FBI
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/08/09: CIA-RDP82-00457R012700230001-2
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/08/09: CIA-RDP82-00457R012700230001-2
50X1-HUM
SECRET/CONTROL -U.S. OFFICIALS ONLY
- 2 -
This shows an increase of 35% in the quantity of rolled steel of all types
available in 1952, compared with 1951.
b. Boilerj:Dlate 0
1951
J.:222
Balance on 1 January
83,165 ?
116,934
Domestic production
193,334
273,300
Import
.70,059
221000
346,558.
482,234
Minus the balance
116,9341
159/278
229,624
322,956
This shows an increase of 41% in the quantity of boiler plate available in
1952 compared with 1951.
c. Seamless tubes
1951
1952
Balance on 1 January
15/370
23,490
5Iomesticiproduction
17,210,
34,000
Import
20,449
17,000
53,029
74,490
Minus the balance
23,490
2.41639
29,539
49,851
This Shows an increase of 69% In the quantity of seamless tubes available
in 1952 compared with 1951.
3. These increases look very satisfactory especially 50X1 -HUM
when it is considered that the engineering program for 1952 is only 16415%..
above that of 1951. They are, -nevertheless, misleading since there are
considerable difficulties to be overcome in order to have the desired
product 'available in the correct quantity by the required date.
Among these difficulties are the following:
a. The production of profile iron. by the two-high n.11 at Maxluette will be
161000 tons less in 1952 than in 1951, because ?the extra. demands:
.being made for railroad lines (Reichsbahn 17,000 tons), semi-manufacture
(sheet bars for the sheet rolling mill program), steel rods, and angle
iron .
b. The extra widths arii extra lengths of sheet iron needed for shipbuildi%
etct,rannot be produced even though the supply of sheet iron_will be
considerably greater. Similarly, the production of high4esistaat boiler-
plate (e.g. St.52) will be totally inadequate.
c. The planned production figure for seamless tubes includes 19,000 tons from
the new tube works in Riesa_.)although it is actually quite doubtful that
this will be In operation by the end of the year 50X1 -HUM 1
The production that can
be counted on is in reality barely half of the total minimum requirenent-
50X1 -HUM
(70/000 tons), and unless some help is Obtained from the other members
of the Russian bloc, the plan will have to be revised. Requests
made so far rto_ Czechoslovakia, Hungary, and. Rumania.nor the-exchange of
steel for seamleas tubes have failed completely. ftM 4k,/t ,
(1. The official inventory for 1 January 1952 has shown that although there
,are large quantities of rolled steel available, holdings in those quantities
most urgently needed are very small and little help is likely to cone from
this quarter.
SECRET/CONTROL - U.S. OtT LCIALS ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/08/09: CIA-RDP82-00457R012700230001-2
5nxi-Hum
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/08/09: CIA-RDP82-00457R012700230001-2
?
aECRET/CONTROL ILS. .OFFICIALS ONLY
- 3 -
a series of problems that have arisen as the result 50X1-HUM
.of the proposed additions to the 1952 planyaIlanvoIving large quantities of
rolled steel. These include:
a. A new bridge-building scheme requiring 10,000 tons of steel.
The new sulphuric acid plant at Ritterfeld4 (10,000 tons of Steel
including a large quantitr of Woes).
5 <
e. A hew. request from the ReichbbdUk for 7,000 tons of boiler tubes.
d. An additional request iy the 59partm,ni.4controlling SAGs and .provermnent
'contracts for 6.000 tons of Ehih'shedbiand 11,000 tons of coarse sheets
a4vIs
.e. 10,000 tons of coarse, lifor large diameter pipes for the waterways. 50X1-HUM
(to replace the steel socket pipes originally on the import list, but
now cancelled).
f. Extra steel for the coke oven plant. at LauchhammAr (the full plans were
not ;'own when the 1952 figures were worked .out and insufficient allowance
was made to cover-the 60,000 tons needed).
The complaint is made that the dates arrangedby the SAGs and VERs for the
delivery of compiaed machinery are not coordinated with those fixed for-
delivery of araila-materials (both hone production and imports), with the
50X1-HUM
realfit that:delays occur, particulArly in reparations orders and .eports- to
the USSR ? as imports tend to come in towards the
end of the year, the demand on home production is greatest at the beginnJngl
while plAnhed production rises steadily and reaches its peak only at the
.end of the year. This conflicts with the main delivery dates for reparations,
which are May nd November. 50X1-HUM
SECRET/CONTROL -U.S. OFFICIALS ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/08/09: CIA-RDP82-00457R012700230001-2