Kormotech Group aims to generate more than half of its sales in foreign markets and reach a revenue of EUR 500 million by 2028.
These plans were announced by Yuriy Bykoriz, Managing Director of Kormotech’s Central and Eastern Europe region, in an interview withInterfax Ukraine.
“The Kormotech Group of companies finished 2024 with $162.7 million in turnover, which is 6.5% more than in 2023. Last year, we sold a total of 83 thousand tons of dry and wet diets for cats and dogs, which is almost 7.5% more than in 2023. In terms of total volume for the next five years, we want to grow by an average of about 30-35% per year to achieve our ambition of half a billion euros in revenue in 2028,” Bykoriz said.
At the end of 2024, the ratio in tons of products was 28% export / 72% domestic market.
According to Bykoriz, in the coming years, the growth rate abroad should be significantly higher than in Ukraine.
“By 2028, we want to have more than half of our volumes in foreign markets. We also have a super ambition to change the ratio and have two-thirds abroad and one-third in Ukraine,” he said.
According to Bikoriz, the focus of the coming years is on the markets of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), primarily Romania, Bulgaria, the Baltic States, Poland and Greece.
One of the largest grain market operators in Ukraine, Nibulon JV LLC, reduced water consumption by 34% in 2024 compared to the previous season by switching to modern approaches to plant protection products, in particular, by introducing lower water outflow rates during application, the agricultural holding’s press service reported on Facebook.
According to the agricultural holding, in 2024, Nibulon’s water intake from surface (river) and underground (well) sources amounted to 80,184 cubic meters, which is 34% less than in 2023 (121,210 cubic meters).
This became possible thanks to the use of modern sprayers and mixers of plant protection products (Nibulon uses RZS-28 made by Kobzarenko). The new equipment provides more accurate dosing of water and plant protection products, reduces losses during the preparation of working solutions and minimizes excessive use of water in working solutions,” the experts explained.
“One of the key solutions was the introduction of a low-volume outflow approach, which involves a significant reduction in the amount of water used during crop treatment. This helped to significantly reduce water consumption per hectare: up to 110 liters per hectare in the soil scheme, and 30-50 liters per hectare during insurance treatments. This approach not only reduced the burden on water resources, but also made it possible to ensure the effectiveness of plant protection through precise dosage of products and control of working solution parameters.
In addition, Nibulon has updated the technological maps for the application of crop protection products for the main crops – corn, soybeans, wheat and rapeseed.
Control over the use of water resources has been strengthened at the level of each Nibulon cluster. All processes are accompanied by regular reporting and analysis of the dynamics of use.
Nibulon added that rational use of natural resources is one of the steps towards sustainable development of the agricultural holding.
Nibulon JV LLC was established in 1991. Prior to the Russian military invasion, the grain trader had 27 transshipment terminals and crop reception complexes, a one-time storage capacity of 2.25 million tons of agricultural products, a fleet of 83 vessels (including 23 tugs), and owned the Mykolaiv Shipyard.
“Before the war, Nibulon cultivated 82 thousand hectares of land in 12 regions of Ukraine and exported agricultural products to more than 70 countries. In 2021, the grain trader exported the highest ever 5.64 mln tons of agricultural products and supplied record volumes to foreign markets in August – 0.7 mln tons, in the fourth quarter – 1.88 mln tons, and in the second half of the year – 3.71 mln tons.
Currently, the grain trader is operating at 32% of capacity, has set up a special unit to clear agricultural land of mines and had to move its headquarters from Mykolaiv to Kyiv.
In 2024, Promarmatura PrJSC (Dnipro) reduced its net profit by 3.48 times compared to the previous year to UAH 3.274 million.
According to the company’s annual report in the NSSMC’s information disclosure system, net income for the period decreased by 11.8% to UAH 188.732 million.
The company’s retained earnings as of the end of March amounted to UAH 128.660 million.
As reported earlier, Promarmatura PrJSC earned a net profit of UAH 11.407 million in 2023 against a net loss of UAH 29.995 million in 2022.
Promarmatura was founded in December 1994 and operates in the pipeline fittings market.
According to the fourth quarter of 2024, 50% of the company’s shares are owned by two individuals – Ukrainian citizens Igor Mezhebovsky and Alexander Chelyadin.
The authorized capital of the company is UAH 7.218 million.
TAS-Dniprovagonmash LLC (DVM, Kamianske, Dnipro region), controlled by businessman Sergiy Tigipko’s TAS Financial and Industrial Group, ended January-March 2025 with a loss of UAH 16.87 million, while in January-March 2024, net profit was UAH 7.17 million.
According to the company’s interim reporting, published on Wednesday in the NSSMC’s information disclosure system, net income decreased by almost a quarter to UAH 285.5 million.
The company reduced its gross profit by 4.6 times to UAH 7.49 million, having received UAH 14.5 million in losses from operating activities, compared to UAH 9.31 million in profit for the first quarter of 2024.
According to TAS Dneprovagonmash, in January-March it produced 181 railcars and other products (in 2024, 177 railcars in the same period), with average realized prices of railcars amounting to UAH 2,569.4 thousand. No products were exported.
The main customers are TAS Poltavagon, Agroprogress PE, and Slobozhanshchyna Agro.
“In the first quarter of 2025, the freight base of rail logistics in Ukraine tended to decline, with the total volume of rail transportation decreasing compared to the same period in 2024, which in turn adversely affected the demand for newly built freight cars,” the report says.
Among the reasons for the decline in transportation volumes, the company cites, in particular, the introduction by Ukrzaliznytsia of temporary conventions for the transportation of goods to Hungary and some stations in Poland; an increase in freight tariffs; the abolition of a 30% discount on rail transportation of grain from the frontline areas; a decrease in the number of grain crops for export; and a cyberattack on Ukrzaliznytsia’s information and telecommunications systems in March 2025.
In addition, massive rocket attacks in January-March significantly affected the energy sector, transportation and port infrastructure, which led to a decrease in demand for railcar products.
The share of TAS Dneprovagonmash in the total production of freight cars in Ukraine in January-March 2025 amounted to 25.8%. The main competitors include Kryukiv Carriage Works, Karpaty DMZ, and Ukrzaliznytsia plants.
The value of contracts concluded but not yet fulfilled as of the end of the first quarter of 2025 was UAH 1 billion 161 million (excluding VAT). The expected profit from the execution of these contracts is UAH 6.8 million.
At the beginning of April this year, the company employed 744 people.
The plant notes that the most important strategic goals of the current year are to launch parallel production of railcars, U25 bogies, components and services in the EU market, integrate the Austrian sales department, and develop new and unified products (development of a 3D model and design of a cement hopper car, development of a 3D model of a 105 m3 grain carrier – an analogue of the Duro Dakovic car).
As reported earlier, TAS Dneprovagonmash, which has the capacity to produce 9,000 railcars per year, increased sales of freight cars by 63.7% in 2024 compared to 2023, up to 606 units, and production by 59.2%, up to 602 units.
Last year, the plant increased its net profit by 31.6% to UAH 62.3 million and net income by 61.8% to UAH 1 billion 743.7 million.
On May 1, 2025, Hungary will introduce restrictions on the movement of freight transport throughout the country.
The Embassy of Ukraine in Hungary officially announces that, in connection with the public holiday declared by the Hungarian side, restrictions will be imposed on the movement of trucks and combined transport vehicles with a maximum permissible weight of over 7.5 tons on the territory of Hungary on Thursday, May 1, from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
We recommend that you take this information into account when planning your trips and international transport.
April 30, 2025, marks the 50th anniversary of the withdrawal of US troops from Vietnam.
50 years ago, not only did the Vietnam War (1955-1975), one of the most exhausting and long-lasting wars of the second half of the twentieth century, end, but also Vietnam’s long struggle for independence from colonial rule and foreign interference.
The Vietnamese people not only gained independence and united the country in defense of their land, but also demonstrated to the world the importance of the spirit of national unity and faith in their principles, which allowed them to fight a just struggle to secure the country’s freedom, independence, and sovereignty.
The protracted military conflict, during which about four million Vietnamese died (civilians suffered the greatest losses) and more than 58,000 U.S. military personnel were killed, was put to an end.
April 30, 1975 was a historic event when North and South Vietnam officially united after many years of war to form the unified Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
Currently, Vietnam consistently adheres to the “Four No’s” policy: not to enter into military alliances; not to side with one country against another; not to allow foreign militaries to establish bases in Vietnam or use Vietnam’s territory as leverage against others; and not to use or threaten the use of force in international relations.
Defensive diplomacy has become the mainstay of Vietnamese diplomacy. To date, Vietnam has been actively involved in the United Nations peacekeeping mission, international cooperation in non-traditional security, humanitarian assistance, search and rescue, and post-war mitigation, thus making a great contribution to maintaining international and regional peace, stability, cooperation, and development.
Vietnam and Ukraine have traditional friendly relations. Tens of thousands of Vietnamese have studied and worked in Ukraine. Thousands of Vietnamese have chosen Ukraine as their second home and stayed here after studying and working. In Ukraine
is home to a large Vietnamese diaspora (before the war, it numbered about 10,000 people).
Trade between Vietnam and Ukraine dropped after the outbreak of the war, but has now begun to grow again, and delegations have been exchanged.
Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has met twice with President Zelenskyy at international events.
Minister Dmytro Kuleba also met with the Vietnamese Foreign Minister at an ASEAN meeting.
Andriy Sybiga, Minister of Foreign Affairs, held telephone talks with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam Bui Thanh Son on the potential of bilateral relations and the need to intensify high-level dialogue.
What has happened in the past with Vietnam over the decades provides at least two lessons for the modern world.
First, the independence, sovereignty, and integrity of every nation, large or small, should be respected.
Secondly, the Cold War between the great powers only brings misery to small countries trapped in this competition.
The lessons of history are very relevant and can be useful for establishing peace in Ukraine.
