SPOLANA, NATIONAL ENTERPRIZE, NERATOVICE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00046R000200060002-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 26, 2009
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: September 30, 1953
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2009/05/26: CIA-RDP82-00046R000200060002-1
SECRET
SECURITY INFORMATION
SUB3ECT ' Spolana! National Enterprise!
Neratovioe
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
1.
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
The Spolana National Enterprise in Neratovice 5 50-16, E 14-3 ,17'
various chemical products, the chief of which were rayon
staple fiber, chlorine, and caustic soda. The plant was formerly
a part of the United Chemical Works (Spolek pro ohemiokou a hutni
vyrobu), but in January 1950 the fuotory became an independent
enterprise directly subordinate to'the Ministry of Chemical I
du
t
s
ry.
n
A small chemical factory at Vranany ZY 50-19, E 14-2g7 was subordi-
nated to the Spolana, plant in January 1950 .
2'. The construction-of the Spolana plant started sometime in 1940 in
the area of the then Biochema plant, which was a factory for pro-
duction mainly of canned foodstuffs, chocolate, candies, and vine-
.gar. The Biochema plant was directly subordinate to the main
Biochema,plant at Brno-Modriee and was the property of the United'
Chemical Works. The only other Biochema plant was at Babice
1-1 49-17, E 16-4~2 . The Biochema concern was nationalized in 1945
and named Fruta Rational Enterprise. (The Biochema concern was ori-
ginally owned by the Wholesale Purchasing Association for Consumers
Cooperatives (Grosseinkauf-Gesellsohaft fur Konsumvereine) in Prague,
an organization of.the German Social Democratic Party in Czeoho-
elovakia. This organization was liquidated in Autumn 1938). Start-
ing in 1940, the Biochema installations in Neratovice were demolished
step by step and buildings of the new Spolana plant were erected in
their place. With the exception of the vinegar factory, whioh''has
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since been incorporated in the Spolana plant, all product3op.at
the Biochema plant at Neratovice stopped In 1944. The construe-
tion of the Spolana plant was not yet finished in the Summer of
1952, one building for the production of sulphuric acid and super-
phosphates and one building for the production of cellophane still
being under construction at that date, During World War II it
was planned to construct a new cellulose factory in the plant and
use the cellulose produced there in the production of rayon. Up
to July 1952 the construction of a cellulose factory had not been
started, and it is possible that this plan was abandoned, and
that it had been.decided to upply olana plant with cellulose.
from a new cellulose factory under construction in 25X1
Steti !+l' 50-27, E 14-2 in e . u umn o 1951.
o
J r the location of the Spolana Plant, see Enclosure A. For the
ayout of the factory buildings,, see Enclosure Bj There was a
tower of iron construction 100 m, high in the Spolana factory
yard, somewhere in the space 'between the power station Encl. B,
Pt. 12 and the sulphuric acid
build-Eng Ancl. B. Pt,
There. was a spur
rrac~`rom a era ovice RR station to the plant. The main road
between Prague, Neratovice, and Melnik ff 50-21, E 14-227 was in
poor condition. (Reconstruction of this road was planned but had
not yet started as of 1952.) However, the Spolana plant was located
close to the Elbe River and had its own port facilities, and the
bulk of transportation to and from the plant was by water. The
plant had a power station, 16,000 kw., located in the plant area
cl. B, Pt. 1 and a hydroelectric power station of its own on
e Elbe River, south of the plant area Encl. A, Pt. 2J.
4. The plant had new first-class production e
Czechoslovakia and n rtlv f ?m G same
Also, all the plant's
aaoratories were very well equippe , especially the photographic
laboratories. There was a small institute for research concerning
the production of protective building materials. This was the only
research institute in the plant.
The production of the Spolana plant was as follows: viscose rayon
staple fiber of both wool and cotton. types, chlorine, caustic soda,
bones and skin glue and gelatine, bone powder, starch, dextrin,
vinegar, glucose, saccharine, insecticides, and herbicides. About
60 tn. of rayon staple fiber, 45 tn. of chlorine and 50 tn. of
caustic soda were produced there da 25X1
Thq plant averaSe or an.
o sa year .y This salt was from East Germany and
Soh nebeok 5 52-01, E:ll-457 Elbe River boat) plus about 130
crowns for Transportation from Soh6nebeok to Neratovice. The greater
part of cellulose for rayon notion came from domeatjo sources; 25X1
Salt and cellulose were the only
raw er a s.supp e to the Spolana Neratovice Plant from abroad.
When production of sulphuric acid begins at the plant, 100,000
tn. of pyrites will be used there yearly, while production of 'super-
phosphate at the will use 50,000 tn. of raw phosphate year l.
However lan t production of these two items was not to start 25X1
in 19,53, because no pyrite or raw phosphate supplies were planned
for Spolana Neratovice for this year. Of the Spolana plant products,
only saccharine,, glue, and rayon staple fiber were exported. (Only
part of the production of each of these items was exported). The
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remaining products of the Spolana plant were used in Czechoslovakia.
' - ___
The rayon staple fiber proved to be of high quay
mainly to the states of Areas II. III. V. and VI
About hal of. the total Czec os ova rayon s ap a er expo
production was produced in the Spolana plant.
6. There were about 2,000 workers and technicians, including a.small
number of construction workers and about 50 administrative employees,
in the plant in the Summer of 1951. Ing. SORELA (fnu) was chief
technician in rayon staple fiber production. He received his train-
ing in rayon sta le fiber production in the I.G. Farben factories
in Wolfen 5 51-40, E 12-17, and Bitterfeld 5 51--37, E 12-12], in.
1940 and 1941. Dr. SVAB (fnu) was General Manager of the plant.
SVAB was formerly deputy general manager of the United Chemical
Works. He was not especially qualified for his job, but he was a
good CP member. There were a plant militia and plant firemen at
the factory. Persons not employed in the plant had to show an entry
permit issued by the Ministry of Chemical Industry when entering
the plant area. Generally speaking, the Spolana Neratovice Factory
was one of the most modern chemical works in Czechoslovakia, and its
products were satisfactory.
7. There was a small old factory at Vranany, which was formerly called
Chemika, bitt which was subordinated to be.Sp.olana National Enter-
prise in Ueratovice in January 1950.; or the location see Encl. C.]
This factory produced various special coatings for building materia s.
A fire damaged the factory in 1948 or 1949; reconstruction began in
1951 and was completed in 1952. The factory was sup lied yearly
with about 300 tn. of sulphur powder (ground sul hur
Ep~ (Czechoslovakia had no sulphur mills, and a1 su r
about 1,200 tn. yearly, had to be imported
There were about 30 employees in the Vranany Factory, w is 'Consist-
ed of a single building. The plant had no spur track. There was
a boiler house in the factory building.
Enclosures:
A. Solana n.p. in Neratovice. Overlay on map: Czechoslovakia
3 53/3E 1: 25.,000.
B. Spolana National Enterprise at Neratovice; Plant Layout.
0. Spolana n.p. Neratovice Vranany Plant. Overlay on maps
Czechoslovakia 3853/3W 1: 25,000.
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Enclosure A
S olana.i4p. in Neratovice,. Overlay on map: Czechoslovakia.
3953/3E. 1 : 25,000
LEGEND
Spolana National Enterprise.
2. Hydroelectric Power Station:
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Enclosure B
Spolana National Enterprise at Neratovice; Plant Layout.
17
15
14
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Enclosure B (Cont'd)
I.
LEGEND
Entrance and gatekeeper's house.
2.
Production of starch and dextrin.
Production of insecticides and herbicides.
4.
Production of vinegar.
5.
Production of glucose.
6.
Production of saccharine..
Laboratories.
Production of rayon staple fiber: the plant administration
o ces were on the first floor.
9.
Production of glue and gelatine.
10.
Salt storage.
11.
Storage of raw materials.
12.
Power stations.
13.
Metal reservoirs: for storing liquid chemicals.
14.
Production of sulphuric acid and superphosphate.
1..1.w.~ w.wal
~~q pl~.Il pl-~A~! IeII .IIP..w
15.
Production of cellophane,
16.
Coalstoraae.
17.
Canteen.
18.
Te=orarybuildings for storage of machine tools and various
materials,
19.
Electrolysis.
20.
Factory area wall.
21.
Spur track.
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Enclosure C
Spolana n.p. Neratovice Vranany Plant. Overlay on map:
Czechoslovakia 3853/3W 1 : 25,000
LEGEND
1. Spolana National Enterprise, Neratovice, Plant in Vranany.
2. Institute for Raising Beet Seeds.
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