INTERPLAST -- THOMPSON/GORDON GROUP 

This small Russian engineering firm (in co-operation with the Canadian firm "Thompson/Gordon Group") is looking for an engineering student or a recent graduate to have the unique opportunity to participate from start to finish in a major project. The intern will be involved in all aspects, from manufacturing to instillation.

The first point to make is that the firm does not have an open "requirement" for a person. Interplast is making provision for an intern with the understanding that in providing an opportunity to work in a small but well run Russian manufacturing business, this person can learn something useful about the ways of an evolving class of small business in a relatively high tech field. At the same time a good student should be in a position to make a useful contribution. The sophistication of small Interplast compared with its Russian giant co-owner is immediately apparent. The potential for the small firm to do the things it is successful in doing is a result of its size, it's western component and it's freedom from the stifling bureaucracy of the typical large firm. 

The workshop and office premises are unusually clean and modern. Interplast lives like a hermit crab in the shell of a very large Saint Petersburg industry employing many thousands of workers. 

The technical mentor to Interplast is Dr. Sotnikov, Chief Hydraulic Engineer for LMZ. The opportunity to work or interface with this great and kind man is something any engineer should be prepared to give much for. Sotnikov is fluent in English and one of the two architects of the venture. He is justifiably proud of its success.  

Potashev, who manages Interplast is an honest and very energetic technical specialist. His English is poor but passable. He is hard working, has embraced the thrill of private business and is enjoying building this business. He has hired good people; most of them from the LMZ parent. 

The Canadian partnership is represented by Mr. Vladimir  Zviagintsev. Vladimir is a mechanical engineer and manager of Thordon's interests in Russia. Mr. Zviagintsev manages three firms, Thordon International Inc., Thomson Shipping Inc. and the Canadian side of Interplast. 

LMZ is the largest turbine maker in Eastern Europe. Originally Siemens before the 1917 revolution, this firm is once again at least partly in the hands of the Germans. They are the largest supplier and own about 20% of the equity. 

Interplast make bearings for hydroturbines and LMZ are their largest customer. Some raw materials come from Thordon in Canada and others from LMZ. Interplast is free to sell its products anywhere it wishes and the firm has displayed some impressive entrepreneurial initiative in trade shows and selling trips. This area of promotion is weak however compared with what is possible. 

Orders tend to be associated with large projects and a current project on the shop is Narvskaya Hydro. The execution of the order LMZ have placed on Interplast involves translating the rough bearing drawings into working drawings and procedures for the shop. The biggest bearing of this project is what is referred to as the main guide bearing. This one is 1300 mm in diameter and it represents the largest MGB Interplast have made. 


Calculations are required based on design data from Thordon in Canada. There is a role for the intern in interpreting the Canadian design parameters and applying them to this project. 

As the bearings are manufactured, there is a supervisory role in the shop, following the project through as it is manufactured. Then, the intern would follow the project to the remote site for installation and stand by as it is integrated into the construction of the new turbine. 

There is also the intention to have the intern involved with a project analyzing the previous projects completed perhaps to be used in a marketing project to promote the capabilities of the firm to other possible customers. 

The intern should be an engineer or at least have a well developed sense of mechanical comprehension. Sales and marketing experience or talent would be an asset and could lead to other opportunities. 

Contribution towards salary would be the decision of Mr. Potashev and would in that case be in terms of Russian expectations rather  than Canadian. Contribution may be variable, based on assessment of the company of the intern's value added during his term of work. 

The degree of Russian language needed could vary from minimal to fluent and in all cases I believe there could be a two-way contribution. However, the more fluent the intern, the greater the exchange of knowledge both ways will be. 

They are not in a position to comment on the time of the internship but if 6 months gives a benefit in terms of sponsorship, then they  would argue that this time be considered favorably. 

Finally, I would again like to stress the high quality of the people the intern would be working with, the clean and modern surroundings, the high level of energy and productivity obvious. All of these environmental factors flow from the small size and newness of the enterprise. While there are likely several examples of good joint ventures in the hospitality and retail side as well as in the consulting and professional fields, I believe there are still few in pure manufacturing, and that is what we offer with the Interplast intern opportunity.