On the Street Having His Name …

On the 13th of January, no matter the weather, there are always fresh flowers at Vladimir Potanin’s memorial on the street named after him. Colleagues, relatives of Vladimir Petrovich and current generation of plant workers gather together here on the birthday of the legendary director of UMP.

An extraordinary personality, charisma, sharp mind, master's hand, rationality, talented decisions – this is how his contemporaries remember him. A poem by Mikhail Chistyakov, a song by Sergey Chibisov in his honor, a documentary about him, photographs in the Exhibition Center albums, a special issue of the plant newspaper, and book chapters are something that we descendants inherited.

Birthday is a good reason to remember merits, as well as to find out about them for those who did not know...

In 1959, Vladimir Petrovich being a promising leader was transferred from the city of Glazov to Ulba Metallurgical Plant as Deputy Chief Engineering Officer - head of Production and Process Department. In February 1961, he was appointed Director of UMP and held this position for 14 years. Under his leadership the company radically transformed into a diversified plant, which became the only one in the USSR for the production of Tantalum and Beryllium metal, as well as superconducting materials. The workshops transformed into full-cycle operations, construction of new workshops, introduction of modern technological processes started; finished products of high quality appeared.

The USSR State Prize was awarded to a unique and highly effective process for manufacturing of Tantalum using extraction, arc and electron-beam refining of metal. The achievements of the plant staff and its Director for the creation of superconducting materials were also awarded with the same high honor. Plant workers were also awarded the USSR State Prize for the development of technology for producing Beryllium metal and its alloys, and for obtaining products from Beryllium oxide. Vladimir Petrovich was the initiator of fuel pellets manufacturing for nuclear power plants. Modern large-capacity production had been created under his leadership. The work of Ulba staff was noted - the plant's staff was awarded the sign “Winner of the All-Union Socialist Competition”, the order “Badge of Honor” adorned the plant’s banner.

Strong HR policy, education of young specialists who came to work for the company from different parts of the Soviet Union, development of science in integration with production, powerfully developing infrastructure of the plant – there were so many tasks, but the Director together with a team of like-minded fellows vigorously managed everything. The period of Potantin’s management is called the development period of both the plant and the city. The current city infrastructure resulted from the work of caring hands of Vladimir Potanin and Efim Slavsky. In those years, Ust-Kamenogorsk expanded and became more beautiful, a lot of facilities were built, including Central City Concert Hall, comfortable apartments for the employees, hotels, hospital complex, Dolphin swimming pool, Bogatyr gym, kindergartens, Sports Palace, yard children's clubs, hockey boxes, Young Technician's House, music school, Strelka district, recreation facilities, children's camp…

Vladimir Petrovich loved hunting and fishing, collected old weapons, and played badminton in friendly tournaments. In his house there was a good library and a music box with a set of records, he loved listening to Cossack songs and could perform them quite well. He loved life and people, and did a lot for the well-being of the plant workers and citizens.

Potanin passed away in 1981. But a part of his soul remained in Ust-Kamenogorsk forever: in the breeze on the Irtysh embankment, in the reliable aparts houses of Strelka district, in the applause in the Central City Concert Hall and the arena of the Sports Palace... almost in every corner of our cozy city…

Vladimir Potanin’s award was established in 2000 and it is the highest award at Ulba Metallurgical Plant.

Anna Chumina