KYIV. April 25 (Interfax-Ukraine) – The volume of construction works in Ukraine in March 2017 increased by 11.5% compared to March 2016, while the increase in February 2017 from February 2016 was 4.8%.
The State Statistics Service said the data are given without taking into account the temporarily occupied territory of Crimea and Sevastopol and part of the anti-terrorist operation zone in the east of Ukraine. Data on Donetsk and Luhansk regions could be adjusted.
According to the service, the volume of construction works carried out in March 2017 from February 2017 increased by 20%, whereas in February 2017 from January 2017 it grew by 2.3%.
According to the report, in March 2017 from March 2016 the growth in the volume of construction work was observed in all the areas of construction. The largest increase in the figure was recorded in construction of non-residential buildings by 19%.
In March 2017 from February 2017 the volume of construction work in construction of residential buildings increased by 36.2%, in construction of non-residential buildings by 20.3%, and in construction of engineering facilities by 8.5%.
In January-March 2017 from January-March 2016 the volume of construction work reduced in nine regions of Ukraine. The largest decrease in the figure for the three months of this year was observed in Mykolaiv (by 41.8%, to UAH 253.6 million) and Vinnytsia regions (24.1%, to UAH 240.8 million).
KYIV. April 24 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Chinese investors are interested in the Ukrainian market, but to get Chinese investment Ukraine must, first of all, ensure the security of such investments, Ambassador of China to Ukraine Du Wei has stated.
“Investors are interested [in the market]… However, this remains only an intention… To implement these investments, it is still necessary to solve a number of issues and to do a lot of work. The most important thing is to ensure the security of investments,” he said at a press conference dedicated to the 25th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between Ukraine and China in Kyiv.
The official said the most attractive sectors for Chinese investors are agriculture, transport, logistics and energy.
“In recent years enterprises and businessmen have invested over $7 billion in Ukraine,” the ambassador said.
“The free trade area is an important measure in the policy of developing relations with other countries… Our experts are studying, analyzing and assessing this cooperation [with Ukraine],” the Chinese ambassador said.
KYIV. April 24 (Interfax-Ukraine) – The Chinese government expresses its readiness to introduce a visa-free regime with Ukraine on the basis of the will of the two countries, Chinese Ambassador to Ukraine Du Wei has said.
“The Chinese side is ready at any time, in accordance with the readiness of the two sides, on the principle of equality and mutual benefit, to take new measures for the exchange of people between our countries, including a visa-free regime,” he said at a press conference on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Ukraine and China in Kyiv on Friday.
The diplomat also said that the Chinese side welcomes the decision of the European Union to liberalize the visa regime with Ukraine.
KYIV. April 24 (Interfax-Ukraine) – DTEK Energo has started reconstruction of unit 10 of Burshtyn thermal power plant (TPP) for UAH 1.1 billion (around $40 million), the company’s press service has reported.
By December 2017 it is planned to replace aggregates and upgrade the unit’s systems, which would allow improving its production and environment friendly characteristics.
A turbine, a boiler drum, a transformer for own needs, turbine generator excitation systems will be replaced and the generator, coal pulverization systems and other equipment will be completely reconstructed. Emission will be reduced thanks to the replacement of the filter.
Reconstruction would allow increasing the capacity of the unit from 195 MW to 210 MW. Its lifespan would be extended to 15 years. Emission will be reduced to 50 mg per cubic meter, which suits European standards.
DTEK said that early June reconstruction of unit 1 of Kryvy Rih TPP will be finished. Reconstruction of unit 10 of Burshtyn TPP will be third project for this plant. Since 2012, DTEK has invested over $180 million in overhaul and upgrade of equipment at the units of this TPP.
KYIV. April 24 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Weidmann Malyn paper factory (MPF, Zhytomyr region), the producer of electrical insulating board for power engineering machines in Ukraine, saw a 4.3-fold rise in net profit in 2016, reaching UAH 36.06 million.
According to a company report, net revenue grew by 23%, to UAH 511.04 million.
The factor saw UAH 107.52 million of gross profit (UAH 98.25 million a year ago), while its operating profit fell by 6.7%, to UAH 63.44 million.
As reported, in 2015 the company saw UAH 8.45 million of net profit compared to UAH 41.13 million of net loss in 2014.
According to the report, in 2016 the factor sold over 4,000 tonnes of paper for UAH 193.63 million and 5,750 tonnes of cardboard for UAH 282.19 million.
Some 30% of electrical insulating paper and crepe paper was sold in Ukraine, 20% in the CIS and 40% in other countries.
The key rivals in production of these types of paper are Russia’s Segezha pulp and paper mill and Energia LLC.
Transformer board was mainly sold in non-CIS countries (50%), as well as in Ukraine (20%) and CIS countries. The key rivals are Russian, Turkish and German companies.
MPF Weidmann is a member of the WICOR international group, the only company in Eastern Europe that can supply almost all kinds of electrical insulating paper and cardboard meeting regional and international standards.
KYIV. April 24 (Interfax-Ukraine) – SCM Group owner Rinat Akhmetov remains the richest Ukrainian in 2016 according to the Focus magazine, with fortune of $2.2 billion.
According to the list, co-owners of the Privat Bank Ihor Kolomoisky and Hennadiy Boholiubov (with $1.2 billion each) are second and third on the list and owner of EastOne Victor Pinchuk with $1.1 billion was fourth, the same as in 2015.
Owner of Kernel Group Andriy Verevsky with $871 million fortune climbed from 10th position to fifth in 2016 and owner of Myronivsky Hliboproduct Yuriy Kosiuk with $738 million who was fifth earlier is not sixth.
Owner of DCH Group Oleksandr Yaroslavsky with $734 million dropped from sixth to seventh position and owner of Ferrexpo Kostiantyn Zhevaho climbed from 18th to eighth with $625 million.
Owner of Group DF Dmytro Firtash with $623 million is still ninth, and Ukrainian President and owner of Roshen Petro Poroshenko declined from eighth to 10th position with $589 million.
New persons placed on the list were co-owner of Inter TV channel Valeriy Khoroshkovsky (20th with $356 million), Board Chairman of MCG Pavlo Fuks (24th with $270), owner and president of Prometey Group Rafael Goroyan (65th with $90 million), co-owner of IMEXBANK Leonid Klimov (71st with $75 million), Oleksandr Tabalov who headed Formula Smaku (74th with $69 million), largest shareholder of NKMZ Heorhiy Skudar (79th with $63 million), head and co-owner of Kriukov Car Building Works Volodymyr Prykhodko (83rd with $62 million).
The new persons were also ex co-owner of Skymall Andriy Adamovsky, owner of Biosphere company Andriy Zdesenko, President of Kovalska Group Oleksandr Pylypenko, Head of Atoll Holding Oleh Boyariv, co-owner of Nemiroff Yakiv Hryb and Anatoliy Kipish, founder of Agrospetsservice Serhiy Tarasov, Head of LNZ Group Dmytro Kravchenko and Head of Rud Petro Rud.
