Lyalya: Timber Industry Technologies and Innovations at the beginning of the XX century

Abstract

In the Russian Empire, the course of modernization processes was closely connected with the penetration of new technologies. In particular, this concerned the timber industry, which has been actively developing since the second half of the XIX century. On the example of the joint-stock company of the Nicolae-Pavdinsky Mountain District (Northern Urals) – one of the largest timber companies of the Russian Empire at the beginning of the XX century – it is shown how technology was borrowed. Materials from regional and central archives have been put into circulation: contracts, correspondence with machine-building firms, trading houses; letters and reports from engineers, management of the administration of the Nicolae-Pavdinsky Mountain District. It was revealed that the management board of the joint-stock company was interested in the implementation of integrated forest management, the development of deep processing of wood. A large project was a paper mill at the Lyalya station. The involvement of reputable experts in the field of pulp and paper production, production of charcoal contributed to the development of domestic innovations, the dissemination of knowledge about certain aspects of forestry activities. The stimulating role was played by the First World War, the loss by the Russian Empire of part of the western territories where pulp and paper enterprises were located. Extensive correspondence with machine-building plants, trading houses testifies to the desire of the board of the joint-stock company, engineers to establish long-term cooperation with enterprises to obtain the necessary equipment. This was especially evident when ordering paper machines and additional equipment for them. An important role was played by foreign business trips of specialists. It was not possible to implement all the projects due to the revolutionary events and the sharp deterioration of the economic and political situation in the country at the end of 1917. Copyright © 2023 by Cherkas Global University.