This year, the Suprun family of Zaporizhcoke was awarded the honorary title of "Metinvest's Golden Dynasty".
Suprun dynasty of Zaporizhzhia's coke chemists dates back to 1934, when Zaporizhcoke was founded. The founder of the dynasty, Mykhailo Vikentovych Patskevych, took part in the construction of Zaporizhia Coke Plant No. 27 (later Zaporizhcoke).
A unique facility at the time, it was built exclusively with domestic resources: without involving foreign specialists, which was a rarity at the time, according to its own design, using only Ukrainian materials.
In after years, Mykhailo Vikentovych worked at the enterprise as the head of the labour organization department until 1937.
In 1939, construction of the plant was completed, including four coke oven batteries with over 60 furnace chambers, and a design capacity of 1.3 million tonnes of gross coke per year was achieved.
The founder's life-work was continued by his wife, Stefanida Hnativna Kudriavtseva, and their son, Ihor.
The enterprise went through hardship that befell almost all industries in Ukraine, including evacuation, total destruction during the war, and rapid revival in 1943, immediately after the liberation of the city.
In 1947, the first coke was produced in the post-war period, and in 1951 the plant was fully restored for further operation. Once again, the history of the enterprise got closely mixed up with the Zaporizhzhia family. At the restored plant, the dynasty was continued by the children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren of Mykhailo Patskevych.
Halyna Patskevych, Mykhailo's daughter, worked in the railway department of the enterprise. Her husband, Mykola Antonovych Zhalo, worked here with her. Later, their daughter Tetiana Mykolaivna Suprun was also employed by Zaporizhcoke as the head of the machine tabulation station She worked at the enterprise for 24 years.
Now her son, Vadym, continues the dynasty. Vadym Suprun joined Zaporizhcoke in 1992 as a neutralisation operator. Later, he became a production foreman, then deputy head of the desulphurisation shop, and since 2005, the head of the shop.
"Our dynasty began in the early days of the founding of the enterprise" Our family – my parents and grandparents – raised many worthy generations of coke chemists who worked at the enterprise. All members of the dynasty are distinguished by a responsible attitude to their work, professional behaviour, hard work and diligence. For 145 years, they have been devoted to their beloved plant and their life-work. I believe that our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren will be proud of our family life-work. Years have no power over something that is respected at all times," said Vadym SUPRUN.
In the difficult times of establishment of Ukraine's independence, the enterprise introduced technologies unique to the industry. In the 2000s, the reconstruction of the coke oven gas desulphurisation shop, a major environmental facility, began. Vadym Suprun was involved in the desulphurisation shop's major reconstruction and commissioning of gas holders, which significantly reduced coke oven gas emissions into the environment.
In 2018, Vadym Suprun received the Order of Merit III degree from the President of Ukraine.
The coke chemist not only works selflessly, but also always finds time and opportunities to support his co-workers on the front line.
This year, on the occasion of the Steel Workers' and Miners' Day, the Supruns, which have 145 years of combined work experience, were awarded the title of "Metinvest's Golden Dynasty" The award was personally presented to the coke chemist by Yuriy Ryzhenkov, CEO of the company.
