As Reliable as Flint: Russia's Largest Silicon Plant to Shut Down Due to Inability to Compete with China

A plant from the Irkutsk city Shelekhov forced to suspend Production began on January 1. As the company's press service explained, the main reason is that China supplies silicon at dumping prices, making it impossible to compete.

The city administration, for which the plant is a key employer, has already been notified. The manufacturer promises to "find optimal solutions to minimize social impacts."

Another enterprise that produces silicon in Chelyabinsk Kamensk-Uralsk, warned of a transition to "partial power".

Both plants are part of the Rusal holding and produce more than 60 thousand tons of silicon per year.

Last year, The Insider published Reported On large-scale supplies of silicon from Taiwan: Russia uses it in microchips for Iskander missiles, S-300 anti-aircraft guns, Pantsir anti-aircraft missile and gun systems, and military fighter jets. 

Last week the authorities Yekaterinburg stated The construction of a factory that was supposed to produce microchips was halted due to funding cuts.

High-tech production in Russia began to decline after the war with Ukraine began. Previously, this was attributed to sanctions and component shortages. Now, more mundane reasons are increasingly being cited: for example, the construction of a nuclear facility in Ulyanovsk. Dimitrovgrad staged a strike due to non-payment of wages. About problems with payments tell and employees of the country's largest machine-building plant, Kingisepp.

Due to sales problems, giants such as AvtoVAZ, Rostselmash, KamAZ, Russian Railways, and Uralvagonzavod are switching to a shortened work week or "staff optimization."