Kamensk-Uralsky Metallurgical Works
A Russian aerospace-oriented producer of aluminum and magnesium alloy semi-finished products.
Last updated August 24, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
Kamensk-Uralsky Metallurgical Works, commonly abbreviated KUMZ, is a large metallurgical enterprise in Kamensk-Uralsky, Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia. The plant is one of the city’s principal industrial employers and was established during the Soviet industrialization period to supply aerospace manufacturing with semi-finished products made from aluminum and magnesium alloys. Its product portfolio now spans cast billets, ingots and slabs; rolled sheet and plate; extruded bars, rods, tubes and profiles; forgings and rings; lightweight drill pipes; roll-bond heat exchangers; and specialized materials such as aluminum-lithium alloys and closed-cell aluminum foam. The works originated in a Soviet government decision issued in 1939 to build Works No. 268 for magnesium-alloy production. Construction began in May 1940, and equipment evacuated from the Stupino Metallurgical Works during the Second World War helped establish casting and rolling capacity. KUMZ produced its first aluminum-alloy slabs in February 1942 and its first forged and extruded products in autumn 1943. The plant’s public launch was reported in May 1944, a date subsequently treated as the enterprise’s birthday. During the postwar decades, KUMZ expanded its workshops, technologies and customer base, adding major forging, extrusion, casting and rolling capabilities. It also began exports in 1958 and diversified into magnesium rolled products and consumer aluminum cookware. KUMZ’s industrial model is vertically integrated. Its casting operations prepare alloy billets and slabs from primary aluminum, alloying elements and scrap for use by the plant’s downstream departments. Rolling facilities make conventional and patterned products, including tread plate and aluminum-lithium sheet and plate. Extrusion operations manufacture a broad range of profiles, bars, rods and tubes using numerous hydraulic presses and in-house tooling. Forging operations produce aircraft components, die forgings and rings in a wide range of sizes. The company also operates heat-exchanger, plate-treatment, research and testing facilities, allowing it to verify chemical composition, strength, ductility, fracture toughness, hardness, conductivity and material structure. The enterprise has historically served Russian aircraft design organizations and broader transportation, industrial, construction and energy markets. Its aerospace orientation connects it with programs ranging from Soviet and Russian spacecraft to international projects, including the International Space Station and Sea Launch. Export products have been marketed to customers in dozens of countries, and the works has held or pursued quality and sector certifications associated with aerospace, environmental management, occupational safety, rail transport, marine classification and nondestructive testing. Reference material also identifies aerospace customers such as Boeing and Bombardier for certain specialized plate products, although the scope and continuity of individual customer relationships may change over time. KUMZ is also closely tied to the social and physical development of Kamensk-Uralsky. Housing, a neighborhood, schools, health facilities, sports venues, cultural institutions and recreation facilities were developed in connection with the workforce and the surrounding community. As with other large metallurgical plants, its operations have environmental impacts. Available reference material describes the plant’s contribution to regional air pollution as comparatively limited in 2014 while reporting that it accounted for 11.6 percent of sewage discharge into the Iset River in the town, placing it third locally at that time. Current ownership, financial condition, executive leadership and website information are not established in the supplied references.
History
KUMZ’s history began with Soviet Government Decision No. 513-99C of June 3, 1939, which authorized construction of Works No. 268 for magnesium-alloy products. Building work began in May 1940. During the Second World War, production equipment from the Stupino Metallurgical Works in the Moscow region was evacuated to the site, helping the new enterprise establish casting and rolling operations. The first aluminum-alloy slabs were made in February 1942, followed by the first forged and extruded products in autumn 1943. A report published in Pravda on May 5, 1944 announced the plant’s launch; KUMZ subsequently treated that date as its founding anniversary. Postwar investment broadened the enterprise’s technological base. New forging and extrusion facilities were added in 1951, a casting shop in 1958 and an extrusion shop in 1959. The plant made its first recorded export shipment in 1958, sending 2,952 metric tons of rolled aluminum-alloy products abroad, and produced magnesium rolled products for the first time that year. Aluminum-alloy lightweight drill-pipe production began in the 1950s and received a dedicated workshop in 1972. In March 1966, KUMZ commissioned a mechanized roll-bond heat-exchanger line, supporting refrigerator manufacturing and later other thermal applications. The Soviet authorities awarded the enterprise the Order of the Red Banner of Labour on July 8, 1978, recognizing production development and the introduction of new technologies. The works diversified its community role alongside industrial growth. Housing construction near the plant contributed to the development of the Chkalov neighborhood. Facilities established or expanded during the Soviet period included sports, medical, cultural, educational and recreational institutions. These included the Metallurgist sports house, employee and children’s clinics, a boating station on the Iset River, the Metallurgist Palace of Culture, a therapeutic building and later recreation facilities. The plant also supported schools, kindergartens and organized sporting activities for employees and residents. KUMZ was reorganized as a joint-stock company on November 30, 1992. In the following decades it continued to modernize and extend its product range. A greenfield plate heat-treatment project was launched in December 2007. In December 2011, the company entered contracts for a new rolling-mill complex incorporating hot rolling, cold rolling and sheet heat treatment; the stated investment estimate was 550 million euros, but the supplied material does not establish the final cost or completion status. A major 300-meganewton vertical forging press was commissioned after modernization in May 2012. The modern works is organized around casting, rolling, extrusion, forging, heat-exchanger and plate-treatment operations, supported by tooling and research facilities. Its casting department produces billets, ingots and slabs in many Russian-standard alloys as well as alloys meeting international standards and proprietary aluminum-lithium formulations. Rolling operations include hot and cold mills, patterned sheet production and water-jet cutting for shaped blanks. Extrusion operations use numerous hydraulic presses and in-house tooling to produce extensive families of profiles, bars, rods and tubes. Forging equipment serves aircraft and other industrial programs, while special production includes aluminum foam panels for energy and acoustic absorption. The company has participated in Soviet, Russian and international space programs and has supplied materials for aerospace, transport, construction, refrigeration, solar-thermal and other applications. Environmental impacts remain a consideration for the site, as for other large metallurgical enterprises; the supplied reference reports a 2014 local sewage-discharge share of 11.6 percent and does not provide a current environmental assessment.
- 2012
Large forging press modernization
[1]A 300-meganewton vertical forging press was launched after modernization in May.
- 2011
Rolling-mill complex contracts
[1]KUMZ entered contracts for a rolling complex covering hot rolling, cold rolling and sheet heat treatment.
- 2007
Plate heat-treatment project
[1]A greenfield project for plate heat treatment was launched in December.
- 1992
Joint-stock reorganization
[1]KUMZ was reorganized as a joint-stock company on November 30.
- 1978
State labor award
[1]The enterprise received the Order of the Red Banner of Labour for production development and technological improvements.
- 1966
Roll-bond heat-exchanger line
[1]A mechanized production line for roll-bond heat exchangers entered service.
- 1958
First export delivery
[1]KUMZ exported its first recorded shipment, comprising 2,952 metric tons of rolled aluminum-alloy products, and also began magnesium rolling.
- 1944
Plant launch recognized
[1]A May 5 report in Pravda announced the plant’s launch; the date became KUMZ’s recognized birthday.
- 1943
Forging and extrusion start
[1]KUMZ produced its first forged and extruded products in autumn.
- 1942
First aluminum-alloy slabs
[1]The plant produced its first aluminum-alloy slabs in February.
Products and positioning
A vertically integrated Russian producer of specialty aluminum and magnesium alloy semi-finished products, with a historic focus on aerospace and other demanding transport and industrial applications.
Casting products · 1942
Aluminum alloy billets, ingots and slabs
KUMZ casts aluminum alloys from primary aluminum, alloying elements and scrap. Its casting operations supply downstream rolling, extrusion and forging departments with wrought-alloy billets, ingots and slabs, including formulations made to Russian and international standards and selected aluminum-lithium compositions.
Rolled aluminum products
Rolled sheet and plate
The rolling division produces aluminum sheet and plate for aerospace and industrial customers. Products include flat sheet, plate, tread plate and diamond-pattern surfaces used in vehicles, rail equipment, drilling structures and other applications. Water-jet cutting allows plates to be converted into shaped blanks.
Specialty aluminum alloys
Aluminum-lithium alloys
KUMZ is identified as one of the relatively few producers of aluminum-lithium sheet and plate. These lightweight materials are associated primarily with aerospace applications, where reduced mass and specialized mechanical performance are important.
Extruded products · 1951
Extruded profiles, bars, rods and tubes
The extrusion division uses hydraulic presses and in-house tooling to make extensive ranges of aluminum profiles, bars, rods and tubes. These products serve aircraft, transportation, construction and general industrial uses, with tooling capabilities supporting many cross-sections and dimensions.
Forged products · 1943
Forgings and rolled rings
KUMZ manufactures die forgings, open forgings and rolled rings using large hydraulic and ring-forging equipment. The products support aircraft design bureaus and other demanding engineering sectors, with sizes ranging from small components to heavy industrial parts.
Thermal-management products · 1966
Roll-bond heat exchangers
The company produces roll-bond aluminum heat exchangers. The line was introduced in the 1960s and originally supported household refrigerator production; the technology is also associated with flat-plate solar thermal collectors and related heat-transfer applications.
Industrial tubular products
Aluminum-alloy drill pipes
KUMZ makes lightweight drill pipes from aluminum alloys. The product line originated in the 1950s and was later supported by a dedicated workshop, reflecting the plant’s broader use of aluminum semi-finished products in specialized industrial equipment.
Specialty materials
Closed-cell aluminum foam plates
Closed-cell aluminum foam plates are produced as lightweight energy- and sound-absorbing materials. Reference material identifies applications in automobiles, buildings and interiors, aerospace, shipbuilding and rail transport.
Brand decisions
2012
Modernization of a 300-meganewton forging pressGeneration changeBackground
Large forging capacity was important to KUMZ’s aerospace and heavy-engineering product portfolio.
Action taken
A unique vertical 300-meganewton forging press was launched after modernization.
Aftermath
The press expanded or renewed the plant’s capability for large forged products; further operating details are not provided.
2011
Contracts for a new rolling-mill complexStrategyBackground
KUMZ planned to strengthen its rolling platform for aluminum sheet and plate production.
Action taken
The company entered contracts covering a cold-rolling mill, hot-rolling mill and sheet heat-treatment facilities.
Aftermath
The announced investment estimate was 550 million euros; the supplied material does not confirm final expenditure or completion.
Estimated investment. 550 million euros (December 2011 announcement)
2007
Launch of a greenfield plate heat-treatment projectStrategyBackground
The plant sought to expand and modernize its capabilities for treating aluminum plate.
Action taken
KUMZ launched a new greenfield project for plate heat treatment.
Aftermath
The supplied reference does not establish the project’s final capacity, cost or operating outcome.
Sources1 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/kamensk-uralsky-metallurgical-works · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled