Guca industrial combine started production of stoves powered by solid fuel - Arina as export brand

Guca industrial combine (IKG) has recently started the production of cast stoves powered by solid fuel. A team of constructors has independently developed the stove and named it Arina after the Hittite sun goddess. The stove is made of gray iron and weighs between 115 and 125 kg, while complete casting models were made independently in the tool room of IKG and represent a solution designed by the experts from Guca.

- In addition to providing the view of the fire in the fire box, the glass on the door is also very safe and it can endure high temperatures of up to 7,000 degrees centigrade and enables quick heat conduction. Beside of the designer solutions that give a unique look to the stove, certain solutions have been applied to put this stove on the very top of similar products because the level of efficiency amounts up to 84%, while the power with the recommended fuel and the regime of use goes up to 10 kW - said Radovan Ilic, the Director General.

The development team paid a special attention to ecology because the new requests of the European Union are rigorous when it comes to the efficiency and the CO2 and dust emission.

- In that way we have "verified" the visa for the export of our products to the finicky markets of developed countries. This has been achieved by the introduction of an additional controlled air that enables post-burning of the unburned products of burning in the fire box. Secondary air is introduced from the back side of the stove so that its presence above the door facilitates additional burning and produces an effect of glass wash, which makes it possible for the glass to remain clean while the stove is in use. The heat is conducted through iron parts and the glass. All cast parts are protected by a heat resistant paint that gives an additional visual effect to the stove - Ilic explained.

Guca has already exported 1,000 stoves to Italy, Netherlands, Poland and Belarus. The company plans to export additional 4,000 stoves by the end of 2010.

Guca Director General pointed out that their aim was not to make cheap stoves but high-quality kitchen ranges. That is why the recommended price of Arina is about 35,000 dinars.

Successful privatization

The owner of Guca industrial combine is Farmakom MB Sabac concern, which has invested 6 million euros in the company over the previous four years, while the implementation of 3.5 million euros worth of investments in the modernization of the unit for final processing of castings, expansion of the smelter's capacities, and installation of a semiautomatic line for the production of steel castings is underway. According to the long-term development plan, Guca industrial combine will be one of the state-of-the-art production companies in Europe by the end of 2012.

- The new gray iron foundry has been installed an put in operation, with the capacity of 250 molds per hour, in the automatic work mode. The product portfolio includes castings for thermal range of products, elements for stoves and fireplaces, castings for the production of bearings, engines, hydraulic fits and automotive industry. In addition to the use in the domestic market, our castings are also in use in the countries of former Yugoslavia, Italy, Germany, Netherlands, Hungary. What has also been modernized is the line for casting floating balls, which, in addition to the 50% increased capacity, ensures about 40% greater work productivity against the old line - said Ilic and added that a contemporary tool room had also been made ready for use.

Ongoing investments

Modernization of the unit for final processing of castings is underway in the foundry in Guca. The workers will soon be replaced by grinding robots. About 3.5 million euros will be invested in the expansion of the smelter's capacities and an induction furnace with the capacity of 8 tons of melted iron per hour will be installed as well. A total of 1.5 million euros will be invested in the semiautomatic line for the production of steel castings.

- In the previous period, the production of over 500 new models has been organized and commenced in the gray iron foundry, while new models of castings for the needs of mining industry have been launched to the market from the steel foundry. The Development and Quality Department is continuously working on the enhancement of quality and organization of the production of new products. Special attention is paid to the improvement of the quality of products, as well as to the safety and protection of workers. We own ISO 9001:2008 and OXAS 18001 certificates, while the certification of ISO 14001 standard is underway.

Business results

- When compared to the previous year, we register 25% larger production in the first nine months of 2010, while the production plan for the last quarter of this year is that the production be increased by 22% against the production in the previous quarters of the year. The projected production plan for year 2011 is 30% bigger than in 2010, while the new investments from mid-2011 will result in the growth of the production capacities by 80% when compared to the current ones.

A total value of the production of Guca foundry in 2010 will amount to about 20 million euros, 25% more than in 2009 and 481% more than in 2006. This year's export will reach the value of 1 million euros, which is twice as much as in 2009. Since the privatization, the company has hired 150 new workers out of total of 400 employees.