History of Enterprise
Bourevestnik, Inc. dates back to the year 1959 when following the order of Soviet of People’s Economics of Leningrad Economics Administrative Region, (Order No. 2 of January 3, 1959) it was administered to organize on the base of the Bourevestnik, Inc. a special design office, with an experimental laboratory and production facilities for development of the X-ray equipment.
On May 7, 1959 the first manager of the special design office of X-Ray Equipment commenced its work, and it is the day that is legally considered to be the enterprise’s birthday. The country’s government set a task, to create a powerful science and research centre to produce up-to-date X-ray devices. Best science and research forces in USSR in the area of X-ray equipment were invited to work at this centre. It was the way the task was settled, creating domestic instruments to provide a progress in key areas of science and industrial production.
In 1960s was started a full-scale production of actually all main types of X-ray equipment. In the years 1960-1965 was started the output of the X-ray diffractometer DRON, of the X-ray multi-channel spectrometers, of the X-ray microscopes and was developed the first X-ray pulse instrument IRA. In 1965 the Balakleya Cement Plant was equipped with the first domestic X-ray diffractometer. In 1966 the products of the enterprise got international appraisal, a golden medal at the Leipzig International Fair.
In 1966 started a long-term strategic cooperation with the “Yakutalmaz” Trust, whose legal successor is today’s owner and partner of Bourevestnik, Inc., – Alrosa Co. Ltd. A year later, in 1967, there was created the first world’s industrial model of X-ray luminescent sorter for enrichment of the diamond ore. Two years later, in 1969, the first industrial batch of six sorters LS-20 was produced.
1960s and early 1970s featured further development of the enterprise. In 1969 the MIR-1 and MIR-2 X-ray microscopes were developed, in 1971 was made the KRF-1B quantometer to analyze cement, in 1972 was created the BARS-1 crystal-free analyzer, and the KRF-17 quantometer interfaced with a computing device. In the same year 1972 was completed the manufacturing of sorters LS-20, in amount of 31.
The products of the enterprise gained its fame abroad; in 1967 the specialists of the enterprise were involved in the Montreal World Exhibition, EXPO-67.
The enterprise continued augmenting its production capacity – from 1969 it incorporated the Odessa’s Plant “Krasny Oktyabr”.
The enterprise continued high development speed also in 1970s-1980s.
The sorter series were intensively developed. By the year 1976 a serie of sorters were designed and produced on a batch basis: LS-50А, LS-20М, LS-D-20, LS-4, LS-OD-8, LS-OD-2, that made possible to process sequentially the ore and increase diamond extraction efficiency. In 1973 under the order of the Russian Research Centre “Kurchatov Institute” were produced automatic diffractometers.
Year 1974 became like a landmark: under the order of Minister of Instrument Making Industry, Automation and Control Systems, U.S.S.R., No. 205 of 08.07.1974, was established a Research and Production Association Bourevestnik, Inc. incorporating XRE SDO, the Bourevestnik, Inc. Plant, the “Krasny Oktyabr” Plant, city of Odessa and Nauchpribor , the city Orel. In the same year was completed the construction of a new engineering and laboratory building.
In the middle of the years 70s, Bourevestnik, Ink was entering to the world market. The series of DRON were exported.
The enterprise became one of the few to be entitled for independent international trading in the year 1967.
In 1974-75 was established the Research and Production Complex “Impuls”.
In 1977 an employee of LRPA “Bourevestnik” Dmitry Alexeevich GOGANOV was awarded with the U.S.S.R. State Prize (together with the employees of the Physical Institute, Academy of Sciences of the U.S.S.R., Spectroscopy Institute of AS U.S.S.R.) for the research work “X-Ray Solar Radiation”.
In 1978 the LRPA “Bourevestnik” was incorporated with the All-Union Science Research and Design Institute for Research Instrument Making VNIINAUCHPRIBOR, that brought to the association several new trends for the development of analytical instruments and systems, in particular, those designated for the implementation of electrochemical and heat methods of research for concentration features in different mediums.
In following period of time there were developed and introduced to production a considerable amount of modifications of voltammetric analyzers, osmometers and cryoscopes, widely applied in ecology, medicine, drug and dairy industries, and in other areas.
The association turned into a base enterprise for the ministry in terms of standardization, metrology and official tests, on reliability, patent and invention activities.
In 1978 the U.S.S.R. State Prize is awarded to employees of Bourevestnik, ink Nikolai KOMYAK, Valery KURBATOV, Evgeny PELIKS (jointly with the employees of the Institute for Experimental Physics, city of Arzamas, RPO «Svetlana», Leningrad, Institute for High Current electronics SB RAS, Tomsk), for “the creating of fundamental research series for explosion emission and auto electronic processes initiating and for the development, on that basis, of a new concept for X-ray instruments, management of their batch production and efficiency of their application in national economics”.
In 1980 LPRA “Lenteplopribor” and the “Lenemalier” Plants joined the Bourevestnik, Ink. In the same year the construction of two more new buildings was completed.
By early 1980s Bourevestnik, Inc. had produced over 400 first-generation sorters; they were applied on a large scale at concentration mills within the “Yakutalmaz” Association.
In 1981 several instruments for biological and biotechnological research were designed at Bourevestnik, Inc. On the base of the enterprise’s instruments was created an intersectoral centre for the research of structure of materials and coats.
From 1980 to 1987 the enterprise participated in the most sophisticated job in design, production and implementation of systems of control and management for the “ENERGIYA-BURAN” Project. Many of our experts used to work at that time for long time at the “BAIKONUR” Space Launching Site in Kazakhstan.
In 1986 the State Prize was awarded to the experts of Bourevestnik, Inc. Alexander BARANOV, Anatoly MEZHEVICH, Anatoly LEVITIN (jointly with the experts of other enterprises) for the “creating and implementation of the technology of enrichment of diamond ore and alluvial deposits in Yakutia on the basis of X-ray luminescent separation”.
In 1990 a joint Russian-German enterprise was established for the production of pulse X-ray equipment (now successfully working as an affiliate company of Bourevestnik, Inc, Spectroflash Ltd).
In 1989 the State Prize was awarded to the expert of Bourevestnik, Inс. Igor BRYTOV (jointly with the experts of other enterprises) for the “development of the theory for methodology and instruments for X-ray spectrum research for chemical link”.
From 1992 to 1996 there was a consecutive transformation of LBourevestnik, Inc. first into the State Science and Research Enterprise, after that – to Open-Type Joint-Stock Company Bourevestnik, Inc.
In 1997 there was completed the construction of the concentration mill Mineral Exploration Association Catoca (Angola) – first overseas diamond enrichment mill based on the application of X-ray luminescent sorters of Bourevestnik, Inc.
In February 1999 one-thousandth X-ray luminescent sorter was produced (LS-20-05M, Serial No. 09). In the same year 1999 we mastered the production of another X-ray diffractometer model, DRON-6.
Beginning from the year 2000, the enterprise was regularly awarded with prizes for high quality of the manufactured products. For example, in the years 2000 and 2006 the Quality Prize of the Government of St.Petersburg was awarded; in 2000 – 2007 the award-winner diplomas were received at the All-Russian Competition Program “Russia’s Top 100 Best Goods” . In 2001 the enterprise was awarded with the Symbol of Honor “Public Acknowledgement” for the input in creating high reputation of domestic entrepreneurship. From 2003 to 2007 the enterprise got award-winner diplomas of goods and services competitions, “Made in St.Petersburg”. In 2007 Bourevestnik, Inc was awarded with the prize “The leader in quality».
Beginning from the year 2001 jobs for creating and production of the 4th generation of X-ray luminescent sorters were launched: LS-20-05N, LS-20-05-2N, LS-20-04-3N, LS-OD-50-03N, LS-D-4-03N, LS-D-4-04N, LS-OD-4-04N.
In 2002 the enterprise’s Quality Management System was certified in accordance with international standards, ISO 9001-1996, in 2003 in accordance with ISO 9001-2000.
In 2003 the most modern in equipment and process terms, Mill No. 16 was launched within the Nyurbinsky Mining and Concentration Plant of ALROSA with the installation of X-ray luminescent sorters of Bourevestnik, Inc.
In 2003 was mastered the production of the analyzer ASE-1, which is designed for Sulfur content determination in oil, petrol, kerosene, diesel and jet fuels.
In the same year 2003 the enterprise’s Quality Management System was certified in accordance with GOST R ISO 9001-2001 (ISO 9001:2000).
In 2004 the production of the X-ray diffractometer DRON-7 was mastered.
Since 2005 Bourevestnik, Inc. is an affiliate branch of ALROSA; nowadays the company owns over 90% of Bourevestnik ‘s shares.
In 2005 the production of the BRA-18 X-ray fluorescence analyzer was mastered.
In 2005 the production of the X-ray fluorescent analyzer BRA-18 was mastered.
Year 2005 became the year of completion for a full cycle of jobs, including process and operation tests with the customer, for new sorters LS-D-4-03P.
In the Republic of Angola, in 2005, the construction of 2nd modulof the Concentrate Mining Mill of the Mineral Exploration Association Catoca was completed, as well as a pilot mill with Kamachia-Camagico Mineral Exploration Association, equipped with X-ray luminescent sorters of Bourevestnik, Inc.
In the same year 2005, at the first diamond deposit in Europe, Lomonosovskoye, in the Archangel Region, in Severalmaz, a pilot mill was launched, equipped with X-ray luminescent sorters of Bourevestnik, Inc.
In January 2006 the 1300th X-ray Luminescent sorter was made (LS-OD-50-03N, Serial No.18).
In 2006 the Quality Management System of enterprise was certified for its compliance with national and international standards, ISO 9001 – 2000, the Ecological Management System – for compliance with ISO 14001:2004, Occupational Safety and Health Management System – for compliance with OHSAS 18001:1999. So, Bourevestnik, Inc. was the first in St.Petersburg to own three management system certificates at the same time.
In 2007 a complete cycle of jobs was finished, including process and operation tests of the increased sensitivity and selectivity sorter for final re-treatment of diamond ore, LS-OD-6.
In 2007 the production of the ASE-2 analyzer was mastered, for control of Sulfur contents in oil products.
In 2008 the 1400th X-ray luminescent sorter was made. There are approximately 500 sorters of Bourevestnik, Inc. thet are installed at different diamond-extracting objects in Russian and overseas (Angola).
In 2008, by the Decision of Board of Directors, was approved the enterprise’s Concept of Development until 2015.