Nuklonas (PO Box M-5621) is a former military manufacturer of
integrated circuit
An integrated circuit (IC), also known as a microchip or simply chip, is a set of electronic circuits, consisting of various electronic components (such as transistors, resistors, and capacitors) and their interconnections. These components a ...
s in
Šiauliai
Šiauliai ( ; ) is a city in northern Lithuania, the List of cities in Lithuania, country's fourth largest city and the List of cities in the Baltic states by population, sixth largest city in the Baltic States, with a population of 112 581 in 202 ...
,
Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic
The Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic (Lithuanian SSR; ; ), also known as Soviet Lithuania or simply Lithuania, was ''de facto'' one of the Republics of the Soviet Union, constituent republics of the Soviet Union between 1940–1941 and 1944 ...
.
Soviet times
The factory was established in 1966. According to
Algirdas Brazauskas
Algirdas Mykolas Brazauskas (, 1932 – 2010) was a Lithuanian politician who served as the fourth president of Lithuania from 1993 to 1998. He also served as the prime minister of Lithuania from 2001 to 2006. Brazauskas was the first democr ...
, it was established in Šiauliai because , Minister of Electronic Industry, was elected to the
Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union
The Supreme Soviet of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (SSUSSR) was the highest body of state authority of the Soviet Union (USSR) from 1936 to 1991. Based on the principle of unified power, it was the only branch of government in the So ...
in the city. The factory occupied a territory of ; its buildings had of floor space. At its peak it employed some 4,200 workers. The factory produced modern integrated circuits for the most important civilian and military instruments. When in 1984, United States formed the
Strategic Defense Initiative
The Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) was a proposed missile defense system intended to protect the United States from attack by ballistic nuclear missiles. The program was announced in 1983, by President Ronald Reagan. Reagan called for a ...
to re-ignite an
arms race
An arms race occurs when two or more groups compete in military superiority. It consists of a competition between two or more State (polity), states to have superior armed forces, concerning production of weapons, the growth of a military, and ...
with the Soviet Union, Soviet Ministry of Electronic Industry suggested that the factory be expanded by . Lithuanian communists, including
Petras Griškevičius
Petras Petrovičius Griškevičius (; 19 July 1924 – 14 November 1987) was a Lithuanian communist politician and Nomenklatura in the Lithuanian SSR. He was the First Secretary of the Lithuanian Communist Party (''de facto'' leader of Lithuanian ...
and
Algirdas Brazauskas
Algirdas Mykolas Brazauskas (, 1932 – 2010) was a Lithuanian politician who served as the fourth president of Lithuania from 1993 to 1998. He also served as the prime minister of Lithuania from 2001 to 2006. Brazauskas was the first democr ...
, refused. The episode is cited as an example of local soviet officials defending Lithuanian interest against orders from Moscow. From 1986 on, the factory produced BK 0010 personal computers to be used in high schools.
Post-independence
In 1990–92, alongside its main production, the factory produced
monocrystalline silicon
Monocrystalline silicon, often referred to as single-crystal silicon or simply mono-Si, is a critical material widely used in modern electronics and photovoltaics. As the foundation for silicon-based discrete components and integrated circuits, ...
solar cell
A solar cell, also known as a photovoltaic cell (PV cell), is an electronic device that converts the energy of light directly into electricity by means of the photovoltaic effect.
s. In 1994, the factory was declared
bankrupt
Bankruptcy is a legal process through which people or other entities who cannot repay debts to creditors may seek relief from some or all of their debts. In most jurisdictions, bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the de ...
. In 1995, the factory resumed production, controlled by AB Nuklonas (registered on November 22, 1994). During the first months company had 250 employees and reached the income of . In 1996, the company was obliged to transfer its retreat center worth to the city of Šiauliai. In October 1997, the creditors of AB Nuklonas decided to liquidate the company.
In 1989, the enterprise commissioned artist to produce a
tapestry
Tapestry is a form of Textile arts, textile art which was traditionally Weaving, woven by hand on a loom. Normally it is used to create images rather than patterns. Tapestry is relatively fragile, and difficult to make, so most historical piece ...
for its newly constructed culture house. The work ''Saulėtas miškas'' (Sunny Forest) measures and is recognized by the Lithuanian Records Book as the largest in Lithuania. Due to the Nuklonas bankruptcy, the tapestry was sold back to Simutis. In 1993, the unfinished culture house was transferred to the Catholic Church in hopes that a congregation could re-purpose the building as a church. The church operated there until 2006, when the property was sold to
VP Group
Vilniaus prekyba is the largest Lithuanian group of private companies operating since 1992, with 47,000 employees in six countries.
Vilniaus prekyba is the largest group of companies of the VP Group. VP Group also owns NDX Group, UAB, Galio Gr ...
, which built a shopping mall in its place.
After the liquidation of AB Nuklonas, integrated circuits manufacturing in Šiauliai ceased to exist. The buildings of the factory were split among various companies. Since 1998, the AB Nuklonas administration building has housed the
Šiauliai University
Šiauliai ( ; ) is a city in northern Lithuania, the country's fourth largest city and the sixth largest city in the Baltic States, with a population of 112 581 in 2024. From 1994 to 2010 it was the capital of Šiauliai County.
Names
Šiauliai ...
's Faculty of Social Sciences. The university wanted to establish Šiauliai University Science and Technology Park, but the project failed due to debts and mismanagement.