Documentary - Kremikovtzi, Bulgaria

Kremikovtzi AD (Кремиковци АД) is Bulgaria's largest metalworking company. The construction of its facilities began on 5 November 1960 and the first production capacities were put into operation in 1963 to produce cast iron and coke, with production extending to cover other areas in the 1960s and 1970s. The company was privatized in 1999, 71% of it was acquired by a Bulgarian owned company — Daru Metals (later to change its name to Finmetals Holdings). In 2005 Valentin Zahariev and Kiril Zahariev sold 100% of Finmetals Holdings for US$110 million to Global Steel Holdings Limited (GSHL), owned by Pramod Mittal, brother of the highly successful Lakshmi Mittal. Kremikovtzi is not related to the Arcelor Mittal group. In the "Kremikovtzi - A History" project I show extremely poor conditions of the plant Kremikovtzi, only a couple of days before it was sold. At the same time impressive dimensions of the largest metallurgy factory in Bulgaria is captured. Empty and crumbled over the years, this huge complex used to produce 1/5 of the GDP in Bulgaria. Its building involved a total number of 42,356 people and specialists and 45 new professional positions were created. With its products nominated for international awards and exported in over 12 countries, it used to be a determinant for other world major producers. Nowadays the important manufacturing complex looks sad and it seems to be in tune with the current reality in the country. Project "Kremikovtzi- A History" shows the greatness and power of the largest metallurgy plant, which is unlikely to be built ever again in Bulgaria.