Gallery: Estonia's first industrial foundry opens in Kohila
Estonia's first industrial foundry has opened in Kohila, Rapla County, with BLRT Group's subsidiary BLRT Valukoda investing €14 million in the facility. The new plant also has the potential to fulfill orders for the defense industry.
BLRT Group built the most modern cast‑iron foundry in the Nordic region in Kohila after demand increased for heavier cast components. The new plant will help open doors to new clients in the Nordic countries.
"It is possible here to produce large‑scale and significantly heavier cast parts or structures than we used to make. There is particularly strong demand for these, especially among our clients and partners in Scandinavia," said Algerd Andruškevitšus, member of the BLRT Group management board.
The Kohila foundry will allow production volumes to grow to up to 3,000 tons per year.
"This is important for industry and likely for the defense sector in the future as well. So this is a significant investment," Prime Minister Kristen Michal said.
In Kohila, cast‑iron machine‑building blanks will be produced for electric motors, forestry machinery, and boilers.
"We received the usage permit yesterday. That means we will start operations on Monday, but until now we have been setting up equipment, and the first molds have already come off the lines," said BLRT Valukoda managing director Paul Gross, adding that the foundry is currently short ten employees.
The Kohila foundry will eventually employ up to 70 people.
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Editor: Johanna Alvin, Argo Ideon
