Business news from Ukraine

UPEC TO BEGIN FIRST DELIVERIES OF PRODUCTS TO ALBANIA IN H2, 2017

KYIV. May 12 (Interfax-Ukraine) – UPEC Industrial Group, specializing in machine building business, plans to begin the first deliveries of products to Albania in the second half of this year.
According to a press release issued by UPEC, bilateral contracts are currently being prepared with representatives of the country’s business, partner relations with whom were established during the participation of the Ukrainian company in the business forum held in Albania in late April.
The report notes the Albanian market is a new trading platform for UPEC, therefore the business forum became a good opportunity to study the market specifics, the logistics system and establish direct business contacts with foreign entrepreneurs.
“Based on the results of B2B negotiations, our company established partnership relations with three dealer companies,” UPEC director for exports Eduard Chudopalov said.
According to him, Alaska Industriale distributor showed interest in HARP bearing products (produced by Kharkiv Bearing Plant), as well as electric motors, generators, HELZ electric pumps (Kharkov Electrotechnical Plant).

EX-MAYOR OF KYIV CHERNOVETSKY INVESTS IN SOFTCUBE

KYIV. May 12 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Chernovetskyi Investment Group (CIG), founded by the businessman, ex-mayor of Kyiv (2006-2012) Leonid Chernovetsky, has invested a six-digit amount in U.S. dollars in the Ukrainian e-commerce service of personal recommendations Softcube.
“Softcube helps buyers decide on a choice and retailers increase sales. Thus, Softcube uses data about products and analyzes customer history to create personal recommendations for online buyers,” the report says.
The investment company told Interfax-Ukraine Softcube is estimated in a seven-digit amount in U.S. dollars.
According to a press release, the funds raised will be used to strengthen sales and marketing functions, as well as enter the European market.
“At the same time, the project remains Ukrainian. This is a principled position for us as investors,” CIG Managing Partner Volodymyr Kryvko said.
Softcube was founded in 2012 by Oleh Lesov. In 2013 Roman Zakharov joined it. Today Softcube is a Ukrainian product company with an office in the Dnipro. Softcube clients include Yves Rocher, Allo, Foxtrot, leBoutique, Studio Moderna (TopShop, Dormeo brands).
Softcube works with shops in 11 countries of the world, processes more than 500 GB of data per day.
Chernovetskyi Investment Group is one of the largest investment companies in the CIS market. It was founded in 2013 by Leonid Chernovetsky. Its investment potential exceeded $750 million.

BORYSPIL AIRPORT DESIGNS AIR TICKET CHEAPENING PROGRAM

KYIV. May 12 (Interfax-Ukraine) – State-owned enterprise Boryspil International Airport has designed the air ticket cheapening program thanks to discounts to airport charges.
Commercial Director of the airport Maksym Voloshyn said at a press conference on Thursday that the discount system aims at cheapening flights, expanding the route network, increasing the share of transit passengers, boosting transportation and airport’s income and attracting low cost airlines. It is planned to set a discount for new international flights to the take-off and landing fee in the first year in the amount of 80%, second year – 60%, third year – 40% and fourth year – 20%. In addition, the 80% discount is proposed for a transit passenger.
Voloshyn said that the discount to the passenger fee will apply proportionally to growth of passenger flow from 100,000 people.
Boryspil Airport Director General Pavlo Riabikin said that the airport has prepared a new public offer for airlines. He said that one of its requirements will be obligatory display of the discount provided by the airport in the ultimate price of the ticket.
“The Infrastructure Ministry has drawn up a project foreseeing the reduction of charges. We have made our homework,” he said.
Boryspil International Airport is the main airport of Ukraine. The airport has two runways: one with a length of 4,000 meters and a width of 60 meters, and the second with a length of 3,500 meters and a width of 63 meters. Four passenger terminals, postal and cargo complexes are located on the territory of the airport.

CHINESE COMPANY SEEKS TO BUILD INCINERATION PLANT IN LVIV REGION

LVIV. May 12 (Interfax-Ukraine) – China’s Grandblue Environment Co Ltd. seeks to build an incineration plant in Lviv region, Lviv Regional Administration has reported.
The press service of the administration said that representatives of the company gave this information on Thursday at a meeting with Lviv Regional Administration Head Oleh Syniutka.
The Chinese firm intends to build the incineration plant with a daily capacity of 320 tonnes that would generate heat and power in Chervonohrad.
The press service said that it will take about six months to design the blueprints and then they will be approved. The company eventually will start implementing the project.

GOVERNMENT LAUNCHES PILOT SMALL PRIVATIZATION PROJECT VIA PROZORRO.SALES

KYIV. May 12 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Ukraine’s Cabinet of Ministers has approved the launch of a pilot project to sell small facilities being privatized via the ProZorro.Sales platforms.
The decision was made at a government meeting on Thursday.
“Jointly with the State Property Fund and the Economic Development and Trade Ministry worked out a pilot project and proposals for the pilot project to start small privatization using the ProZorro tool and trigger the process at open electronic auctions… If it is success, we will be able to expand it to sale of most of small facilities being privatized,” Minister of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine Vitaliy Sayenko said.
First Deputy Economic Development and Trade Minister Maksym Nefyodov said that amendments to the internal resolutions of the State Property Fund are to be made to launch the pilot project and harmonize the fund’s procedures with the ProZorro procedures.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman said that the launch of the project would allow selling small state-owned enterprises in a transparent way, relaxing the process for buyers, removing corruption and red tape from the process.

SOME LATIN AMERICAN, ASIAN COUNTRIES TO AUTOMATICALLY INTRODUCE VISA FREE TRAVEL FOR UKRAINIANS FOLLOWING EU – PRESIDENT

KYIV. May 12 (Interfax-Ukraine) – After the European Union (EU) introduces a visa free regime for Ukrainian citizens some countries of Latin America and Asia would also introduce the visa free regime for the country, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has said.
“One more pleasant news: over 35 countries of Latin America and Asia that signed visa free agreements with the EU would automatically allow Ukrainians to travel to these regions,” he said in an interview with 1+1 TV channel late on Thursday.
He also recalled that Ukrainians will be able to travel to Norway, Switzerland and Lichtenstein without visas.