THE RISE AND FALL OF OGRE CARDBOARD FACTORY
The oldest industrial enterprise in the Ogre area was a cardboard factory, established in 1897. In connection with this production facility, in Ogre in the 20th century 70. century, a residential area was built, which the city residents call Kartonfabrika or colloquially Kartonka. Every Ogre resident knows which part of the city is being referred […]
The oldest industrial enterprise in the Ogre area was a cardboard factory, established in 1897. In connection with this production facility, in Ogre in the 20th century 70. century, a residential area was built, which the city residents call Kartonfabrika or colloquially Kartonka. Every Ogre resident knows which part of the city is being referred to. Can the same be said about the cardboard produced in Ogre? And does everyone know where it was used?
BEGINNINGS
Archival documents state that in January 1897, the Governor of Vidzeme issued a permit to E. K. Dragengauer, owner of Gešeļi Mill on Sprēstiņi Manor in Riga District, to open a paper-cardboard factory in the former watermills. They were leased to Cēzars Geišenfelds, who quickly set up a factory where he began producing cardboard from rags and paper scraps. Two 140-horsepower turbines were installed as water engines, and two cardboard machines, a rag shredder, a hydraulic press, two boiling vats, and a steam boiler were used.
In 1906, a decision was made to reconstruct the factory to start producing cardboard from wood. The reconstruction took place in 1907–1908, and machines for wood pulp and cardboard production were installed.
In 1908, a new steam boiler was installed in place of the old one, as well as one “Francis” turbine with 170 horsepower. With two water engines operating, 19,000 poods of rag grey cardboard and 900 poods of wood white cardboard were produced, totaling 34 thousand rubles. The factory employed 38 people – 27 men and 11 women. Production volume increased each year – in 1910, products worth 43,500 rubles were already produced, and the factory employed about 50 workers.
FACTORY ACQUISITION
1929. the cardboard factory was purchased by Gutman Himmelhoch.
In “Valdības Vēstnesis” (Government Herald) on September 3, 1935, an announcement was published about the establishment of a new enterprise – “Gutmanis Himmelhochs Heirs Ogre Wood Grinding Mill, Cardboard Factory, Wool Carding Mill and Spinning Mill,” owned by Malke Himmelhohs. Documents state that this enterprise operated a wood grinding mill and a cardboard factory, which began operations in 1909, as well as a wool carding mill, spinning mill, and weaving mill, which opened in 1923.
When floating logs, it was necessary to adapt to flood season. 1937. In November of [year], “Ogres Ziņas” (Ogre News) stated: “To ensure logs are carried to the Daugava River during floods, the maritime department this year completed the construction of three concrete supports for log booms upstream from the Ogre cardboard factory.” Logs had to be transported down the river to the factory premises in the morning hours so as not to disturb vacationers relaxing by the water.
In 1938, a publication appeared about dirty oily water in swimming areas, as well as soot particles from the cardboard factory disturbing vacationers.
NATIONALIZATION OF THE ENTERPRISE
The factory was nationalized on July 27, 1940, and its name “Gūtmanis Himmelhochs Heirs Ogre Wood Grinding Mill and Cardboard Factory” was changed to Ogre Cardboard Factory.
In 1949, a decision was made to reduce the land owned by the factory and transfer 29.6 hectares to the city of Ogre, where construction began in later years, and this part of the city gradually took on its current appearance. Decisions were made to liquidate auxiliary farms, and residents living on the expropriated land had to surrender their livestock to the slaughterhouse.
1949. July 1, In April, the factory began producing cardboard suitcases and other new products. The plant operated in three shifts.
In 1958, Ogre experienced a historically significant moment when the construction of the dam across the river was completed.
CHILDHOOD MEMORIES OF OGRE RESIDENT JĀNIS KUŠĶIS
The Ogre cardboard factory in the 20th century 60. century is vividly remembered by Ogre resident Jānis Kušķis, whose father was the factory driver and grandfather was the accountant. His family lived on the factory grounds, which looked completely different at the time due to its buildings and layout. As a boy, Jānis was frightened by a large hole, almost three meters in diameter, where a wood chipper, driven by the steam boiler’s turbines, tirelessly operated like giant, bumpy earthworm claws. On the territory, there were giant thujas, a tarnished fountain that no longer worked, and a long wooden shed for employees with rooms for each household. Employees did not have their own houses, but rather separate rooms that were used for living. On the second floor of one building, typist secretaries worked, there was the director’s office, and various utility rooms.
A huge tree grew by the factory gates, which could only be embraced by 5–6 people. There was also a grocery store, to which bread was transported from the Ogre bakery by horse-drawn carts. Across the road, there was a huge wooden shed where Jānis and his friends snuck in and felt like they were in a real treasure trove, as there were piles of German and Russian money, old books, a carriage, and many other valuable items, many different papers that had been stored separately to protect them from potential fire hazards. Jānis and his friends occasionally pilfered some banknotes, which they exchanged for desired items.
The most vivid moments for Jānis Kušķis in his boyhood were when salmon ran in the Ogre River, and the river moved with their backs, huge, powerful bodies swimming against the current.
During flood seasons, there were big problems with the dam, as the sluice gates sometimes got damaged. Often, men without any equipment, half-naked in the cold water, repaired the damage.
SUBSEQUENT TURNING POINTS
1968. In [year], the factory produced 12 tons of various types of cardboard daily. It was mainly intended for packaging food and industrial goods. The cardboard produced at the Ogre factory was used for packaging cakes, bread, perfumes, shoes, knitwear, and other products.
“When buying a cake or a perfume bottle, only a few know that their packaging – the boxes – were made at the Ogre cardboard factory, which supplies such products to our food industry. However, it’s a long journey to the consumers until the yellowish-grey mass, pressed, washed, dried, ironed, and cut into strips, becomes cardboard. Currently, the team produces seventeen tons of cardboard per day.” [“Cīņa” (The Struggle), January 6, 1977.]
1979. In [year], a grocery store was opened across the street from the factory. 20. century 70. In the [year]s, extensive construction of apartment buildings took place for both factory workers and other residents of Ogre, reducing the land owned by the cardboard factory.
1983. In [year], it was decided to improve technical equipment to increase capacity, and the Ogre cardboard factory produced approximately 4300 tons of cardboard, which “Somdaris,” “Rīgas adītājs,” the Ogre knitwear factory, and other enterprises used for packaging and box making. More than 150 people worked at the factory.
ADHESIVE TAPE PRODUCTION
Since September 1985, the plant no longer produced cardboard. From April 1986, this enterprise only manufactured adhesive tape for the automotive industry, as well as heat-resistant and moisture-resistant adhesive tape for the furniture industry. Even in 1988, when the company had almost no connection to cardboard for three years, the name remained the old one – Ogre Cardboard Factory.
At the end of the 20th 80. century, the ecological issue became acute with the use of new adhesive tape production equipment. 1988. In [year], the newspaper “Padomju Ceļš” (Soviet Path) mentioned that “highly potent substances are used in the technological process for product manufacturing, affecting the environment. The project envisages discharging 5% of chemical substances into the environment during the production process.” The Latvian Nature Protection Society also reported that “there can be no talk of expanding production. The only option is to reduce it or even close it completely.”
The purchased equipment was partially idle due to a lack of raw materials caused by expensive imports, and the final product also did not meet demand. Factory director H. Trinkuns, commenting on the liquidation of the cardboard factory and the failures in adhesive tape production, dared to tell the newspaper “Cīņa” (The Struggle): “Our factory is a product of adventurism, mismanagement, and lack of education on a national scale.” [“Cīņa” (The Struggle), November 1, 1989.]
20th century 90. The [year]s are remembered in history not only for the restoration of independence but also as a time of turmoil with the squandering, repurchasing, and reselling of property and many enterprises. The factory equipment was sold at auction, most likely to be scrapped, without realizing its true historical value.
The original Ogre Cardboard Factory, later named “Ogre Adhesive Tape Factory,” according to “Lursoft” data, was officially liquidated in 2001 July 10, 1982, September.
Only memories and good reviews about the quality of cardboard remain of our city’s oldest production facility: “The Ogre cardboard factory once produced high-quality cardboard that could be used for book covers; now no paper factory in the republic produces such.” [“Rīgas Balss” (Riga Voice), February 26, 1990.]
Today, walking around the territory, the former grandeur and bustle of the industrial and repeatedly altered factory are only faintly discernible. Among the semi-ruined buildings and around the tall chimney, grass grows green, and dandelions bloom in spring.
“OGRE KANGARI” HIKING TRAIL
We invite you to explore the hiking trail to better discover the hills of Ogre. View the photo gallery and read the story on the museum's website or Facebook page. By looking at historical images, you can compare how the city has changed over time. We have marked the route in the "BalticMaps" map browser. The “GPX” file is convenient to use with the LVM GEO mobile app. The total length of the hiking trail marked on the map is 14 kilometers (7 kilometers in Pārogre and 7 kilometers in Ogre center and Jaunogre). The hiking trail winds through both the urban part of the city (with asphalt, cobblestone, and gravel surfaces) and green areas (park paths and pedestrian-trodden forest trails without special amenities).
