Business news from Ukraine

ULIE TO WORK WITH ITALIAN CHAMBER FROM ABRUZZO

Italy feels the circumstances of the economic crisis. Therefore, closer cooperation between Italian and Ukrainian industrialists and entrepreneurs and business associations is seen as very promising. It was discussed at a meeting of President of the Ukrainian League of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (ULIE) Anatoliy Kinakh and President of the Italian Chamber for the Balkans and Ukraine Paolo Di Lullo.
The Italian Chamber is known in Ukraine primarily through sincere support of Ukrainian soldiers injured in military operations in the east of the country. Italian businessmen have in particular sponsored prosthetics and rehabilitation treatment of eight Ukrainian soldiers. Anatoly Kinakh thanked the counterparts for their care and support.
“We are a regional structure that brings together 112 entrepreneurs mainly representing small businesses in the region of Abruzzo. However, our goal is to expand business opportunities through cooperation with neighboring countries, so we have opened offices in Kyiv, Minsk, Bucharest and in Morocco,” Paolo Di Lullo said presenting the Chamber.
The parties agreed to work out a specific protocol of intentions and strengthen communication between the organizations.

UKRAINE, LITHUANIA WORK TOGETHER TO BOOST TRADE AND INVESTMENTS

Bilateral trade and economic cooperation between Ukraine and Lithuania could return to the pre-crisis level, which is over $1.5 billion, in the coming years thanks to the activity of the two countries’ business structures, while close cooperation will ensure the accelerated development of certain sectors of the economy of both states. First of all, Ukrainians are interested in the adoption of energy-saving technologies, the development of business infrastructure, the adaptation of production to EU standards and regulations. Lithuanian partners are in dire need for Ukrainian specialists and are ready to invest in the Ukrainian market and place foreign orders on it as outsourcing.
This was discussed at the conference titled “Ukraine and Lithuania: Investment and Business Opportunities,” which was held in Kyiv. The event was a practical continuation of the economic forums held at high levels and traditionally organized by the Ukrainian League of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (ULIE), the Lithuanian Confederation of Industrialists, the Chambers of Commerce and Industry, and other partners. This time the conference touched on practical aspects of work in both countries, opportunities to boost investment, advantages and problems of doing business and other issues.
“Lithuania and Ukraine have not only built a good partnership, but also created an atmosphere of trust and friendship, which will help us achieve concrete results. The countries have reached the unprecedented level of cooperation and are in many ways complementary: Lithuania is now a member of the European Union, it has developed business infrastructure, the IT sector; Western investment is actively injected in our country. In turn, Ukraine has a huge potential in terms of economic development, human resources, the agricultural sector,” Ambassador of Lithuania to Ukraine Marius Janukonis said.
ULIE President Anatoliy Kinakh drew attention to the need for further implementation of reforms in Ukraine that would be conductive to a favorable business and investment climate. They include further currency liberalization, land market regulations, an improvement in taxation and other issues.

VOLWEST GROUP OPENS FIRST SPAR SUPERMARKET IN UKRAINE

KYIV. May 4 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Spar Ukraine Corp. LLC, part of VolWest Group investment group (Lutsk), has opened the first grocery store of the SPAR international brand with an area of 250 square meters in Ukraine in Rivne.
According to a company press release, 90% of the products in the new store are of Ukrainian origin, as well as Private Label products of international and Ukrainian companies.
In addition, the company plans in the near future to open another store in the new SPAR Express format in Ternopil.
As reported, on January 24, 2017 Spar Ukraine Corp. signed a cooperation agreement with Spar International, which provides for the development of the Spar network in the Ukrainian market by opening its own and franchised stores.
The company intends by the end of 2017 to open 15 Spar stores in Ukraine and within three years – 50 retail outlets.
Spar in Ukraine will be developed in four retail formats: Spar Express (convenience stores of up to 200 sq m), Spar (supermarkets of 200-800 sq m), EuroSpar (supermarkets of 800-3,000 sq m), and InterSpar (hypermarkets of more than 3,000 sq m).
Spar Ukraine Corp. LLC was established in 2017.

ODESA CONTAINER TERMINAL WILL START SERVICING THREE WORLD SHIPPING COMPANIES IN MAY

KYIV. May 4 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Odesa Container Terminal, a subsidiary of Germany’s HHLA International GmbH, in May 2017 will start servicing three international shipping companies, the company’s press service has told Interfax-Ukraine.
“According to information received from the executive director for commerce of Odesa Container Terminal, Ihor Yarovenko, this month the enterprise confirms the opening and servicing by the terminal of two new regular linear services of Hapag Lloyd and Yang Ming Line international shipping lines, which will positively influence the volumes of container handling,” the press service said.
The container terminal in late May expects the first call of a new regular direct service of Maersk, which opens up wider opportunities for container freight traffic for the clients of Odesa Container Terminal.
Hapag-Lloyd is a German transport company. It is the fifth largest container carrier in the world in terms of tonnage of vessels.
China-based Yang Ming Marine Transport Corporation is one of the leading companies in the world that carries out sea container transportation.
Maersk is a Danish company operating in various sectors of the economy, for the most part known by port and cargo shipping business.

GERMANY’S BENTEC WINS UKRGAZVYDOBUVANNIA’S TENDER TO SUPPLY FIVE DRILLING RIGS – MEDIA REPORTS

KYIV. May 4 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Germany’s Bentec has won a tender of public joint-stock company Ukrgazvydobuvannia to supply five drilling rigs with a carrying capacity of 450 tonnes, Nefterynok publication has reported, referring to Bentec Head Dirk Schulze.
“Bentec offered the lowest price, having competitive advantage compared to NOV (the United States and Canada) and DrillMec (Italy),” the publication said.
Bentec managed to offer better conditions thanks to localization of some production in Ukraine.
“Some spare parts will be made in Ukraine – by Dicovery (Srtyi, Lviv region),” Nefterynok said, citing Schulze as saying.
The press service of Ukrgazvydobuvannia told Interfax-Ukraine that Bentec really offered the best price for the drilling rigs, while the tender procedure has not yet been finished and the contract has not yet been signed.
The expected cost of the drilling rigs was UAH 3.549 billion.
Ukrgazvydobuvannia, which is wholly owned by Naftogaz Ukrainy, is Ukraine’s biggest gas producer, accounting for about 75% of natural gas production.