THE ELECTROFAR FACTORY IN BUCHAREST

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00457R014400350003-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 28, 2006
• Sequence Number: 3
• Publication Date: October 23, 1952
• Content Type: REPORT

! TELLO1AX 4
FEB 1952 Oa w^w
RVIL/ CENTRAL I NTELL I GEN E' AGENCY"1~ A T
SECRET/CONTROL - U.S. OFFICIALS ONLY
SECURITY INFORMATION
INFORMATION REPORT REPORT NO.
CD NO.
COUNTRY Rumania
25X1 SUBJECT The Electrofar Factory in Bucharest
DATE OF
INFO.
PLACE
ACQUIRED
THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS INFORMATION AFFECTING THE NATI.ONAL 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-
2 5X 1 LATION OF ITS CONTENTS TO OR RECEIPT BY AN UNAUTHORIZED PERSON IS
PROHIBITED BY LAW. THE. REPRODUCTION OF.THIS FORM IS PROHIBITED.
DATE DISTR. 23 October 1952
NO. OF PAGES 3
NO. OF ENCLS.
(LISTED BELOW)
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
1. The Electrofar Factory is the former Tungsram electric bulbs factory
belonging to the Osram-Tungsram concern in Budapest. It was nationalized
in 1948 and amalgamated with the Lumen Factory at 47,- Calea Tudor
Viadimirescu. The Lumen Factory retained its former premises, but pro-
duces only the glass bulbs, as the finishing equipment was transferred
to the Electrofar Factory, at 27/29 Soseaua Basarab. Neither factory is
large, but the equipment is up to date, especially that of Electrofar.
However, the machinery is not treated with the necessary care and wears
out quickly. There is a shortage of skilled workers.
2. The factory receives semi-manufactured and finished filaments from the
Tungsram-Osram Factory in Budapest. Although the factory equipment
includes a spiral-winding machine,some finished spirals are received.
Galvanized fittings are supplied by the Fieni Factory in the Dambovita
district, and methane gas is supplied in cylinders by the Sonometan
Factory.
3. The factory produces the following:
a. Ordinary bulbs in clear, matt, and blue glass, of 10 to 300 watts.
"Resist" shockproof bulbs for naval use, in 60 to 80, 120 to 250
and 300 watt sizes.
C. Resista bulbs for military use inside tanks, etc.
d. Resista lamps for railway carriages in 15, 25, 60 and 100 watts.
e. Flashlights in 2 to 4 volts, In 1951, attempts to produce bulbs
for tank searchlights were not successful. Small quantities of
bulbs for automobile searchlights are being produced.
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DISTRIBUTION
ORR EV
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f. Magnifying apparatus for the reading of maps and diagrams, produced
h m
l
t
d
d
o
e
on a Du
c
for the first time in 1951. The instrument is base
called Heliograi, and can be used for maps up to 160 cm. wide. About
450 such instruments were produced in the course of the year and sold
for between 450,000 and 500,000 lei before stabilization.
In cooperation with other enterprises, the Lumen Factory is the only
factory in Rumania to produce neon signs. The necessary materials
are supplied by Tungsram in Budapest.
4. Before nationalization, the factory produced between 4 and 5 million
bulbs annually. In 1951, the production of both factories totaled
29800900 bulbs valued at 168,000,000 lei.
5. Ordinary bulbs are distributed to the inland market through Centrocom
Metal and its sale centers, Ferometal. Resista bulbs are supplied to
the Rumanian Railroads (CFR) and to the Army. Naval Resista (shock-
proof) bulbs for ships are exported to the USSR by Sovromtransport in
Constanta. The new tank searchlights are also delivered to the USSR.
Bulbs for automobile searchlights are distributed through Centrocom
Metal. Heliographs, are supplied to State enterprises and building
companies. The larger State enterprises sometimes ocder regular bulbs
directly from Electrofar instead of through Centrocom.
6. The Lumen Factory employs 124 persons and Electrofar 362. Ninety per-
cent of these are women. The factories work in three shifts of 24 hours.
Working conditions are bad, which affects both output and auality.
The employees are underfed and exposed to the gas used for the bulbs,
causing an average of four or five workers to faint daily. There are
many mishaps, both intentional and unintentional. The bulbs are so
bad that 40 percent cannot stand the heat of the production process.
Owing to the bad sales, the factory's account with the State Bank is
often exhausted, with the result that wages and salaries cannot be
paid in time,
7. Before stabilization, the following salaries and wages were paid per
annum:
General Manager
22,000
lei
Chief Accountant
18,000
'T
Chief Engineer
20,000
"
Head of the Production
Department
20,000
"
Administrative Director
16,000
Foreman
11,460
" plus occasional bonuses
Skilled Worker, between
3,000
and 6,000 lei
Unskilled Worker, between
2,500 and 2,800 lei
8. Hungary is prepared to supply wolfram only if Rumania is also prepared to
buy large quantities of finished bulbs. In 1951, Hungarian Osram and
Tungsram bulbs appeared on the Rumanian market, and as they are much
better than those of local production, the Electrofar bulbs became unsalable.
SECRET/CONTROL - U.S. OFFICIALS ONLY
Approved For Release 2006/08/08 : CIA-RDP82-00457RO14400350003-5
 Approved For Release 2006/08/08 : CIA-RDP82-00457R014400350003-5
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- 3-
As a result, the managers lived in constant fear of arrest, and began the
production of the heliographs in order to prevent the factory f ron. going
bankrupt. The workers did not care, as they were badly paid and could
easily find employment elsewhere.
There is a factory guard of 11 Securitate men in uniform, and a fire
brigade of six men who belong to the local fire brigade.
a. Constantin Filipescu, general manager.
b. Grumberg, chief engineer.
F
c. Solomon, engineer, head of the Production Department.
SECRET/CONTROL - U.S. OFFICIALS ONLY
Approved For Release 2006/08/08 : CIA-RDP82-00457R014400350003-5