Business news from Ukraine

Business news from Ukraine

UKRAVTODOR TO START REPLACING ROAD SURFACING TO CEMENT TOPPING AT THREE ROADS

KYIV. Nov 17 (Interfax-Ukraine) – The Infrastructure Ministry of Ukraine plans to start three reconstruction projects for 232 km of roads with cement surfacing in 2018. The project would cost around UAH 8 billion.
An Interfax-Ukraine correspondent has reported that the project was discussed at a meeting of the parliamentary transport committee.
The first project is reconstruction of the northern orbital road around Zhytomyr in Kyiv-Chop M-06 highway (22.3 km).
“It is planned to upgrade the road category to 1b [the extension of the road from two to four lanes, the estimated traffic intensity is 14,000 vehicles]. Land has already been allocated,” Director of the department for strategic development of the road market and road transport of the Infrastructure Ministry Viktor Sasin said.
According to the representative of the State Automobile Roads Agency of Ukraine (Ukravtodor) Andriy Chabanovsky, the cost of reconstruction will be UAH 1 billion. The project is financed from the loan provided by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).
In addition, the investment project for reconstruction of the Dnipro-Reshetylivka N-31 highway provides for the expansion of the road from two to four lanes, as well as the coating in cement concrete (137 km), Sasin said. The cost of the project, according to Ukravtodor, is UAH 5.4 billion.
It is planned to carry out major repairs of the Kropyvnytsky-Mykolaiv N-11 highway, within the borders of Mykolaiv region (73 km), Chabanovsky said. Road coverage, according to the prepared project, is cement concrete. The project cost is UAH 1.6 billion, the works will begin in 2018.

Smart Energy owner Novinsky regards searches in company as pressure on opposition

KYIV. Oct 16 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Searches at the offices of Smart Energy and at the place of residence of its managers are conducted for far-fetched reasons with the aim of once again pressing on the opposition, the owner of the Smart-Holding, deputy from the Opposition Bloc, Vadim Novinsky, has stated.
“This way they are trying to influence me as a politician in some way. In addition, this is pressure on the opposition. This is another way to arrange economic raiding at the enterprises in which I am a shareholder,” he said on the sidelines of the parliament.
He stated that all his companies observe the law and are transparent, therefore “there is nothing to be afraid of.”
According to him, representatives of the tax police are in the offices of Smart Energy for “absolutely far-fetched reasons.” Novinsky added that his other companies are also subject to “huge repressive pressure” from other law enforcement agencies: the Security Service, the Prosecutor General’s Office and the Interior Ministry.
Smart Energy is a managing company in the Smart-Holding Group of Vadim Novinsky. It is responsible for the development of projects in the field of hydrocarbon production and alternative energy.

GRAIN ALLIANCE TO INVEST ABOUT $2 MLN IN FLOUR MILL IN KYIV REGION

KYIV. Nov 16 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Grain Alliance (Stockholm, Sweden) with assets in Ukraine plans to invest about $2 million in the launch of a flour mill in Yahotyn (Kyiv region) in April-May 2018.
“Now we are working, we’ve already brought equipment for wheat processing into flour. We plan to start it in April-May,” Grain Alliance CEO Yevhen Radoveniuk said on the sidelines of the Ukrainian Agribusiness Forum in Kyiv.
According to him, investment in the plant will amount to about $2 million.
In addition, the company is developing two projects to create added value: production of seeds of soybeans, wheat, oats, rye, and production of liquid micro fertilizers.
“In the next year or two investment in seed production could reach $1-1.5 million, flour production about $2 million, and mineral fertilizers about $1 million,” the expert said.
As reported, Grain Alliance plans until 2020 to double elevator capacity, to 400,000 tonnes. Over this period, it plans to expand its land bank to 100,000 hectares, reach grain sales of 1 million tonnes.
Grain Alliance cultivates 53,000 hectares of agricultural land in Ukraine: in Kyiv, Cherkasy, Poltava, and Chernihiv regions.

ARCELORMITTAL KRYVYI RIH GETS TWO PRESTIGIOUS BES 6001 CERTIFICATES TO IMPROVE COMPETITIVENESS

KYIV. Nov 16 (Interfax-Ukraine) – PJSC ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih (Dnipropetrovsk region) has become the world’s first full-scale mining and metallurgical enterprise that holds two certificates: compliance with the sustainable development management system and the responsible sourcing system in accordance with the BES 6001 standard.
According to a company press release, the availability of these certificates will be an additional advantage of the company over competitors in the construction segment, when choosing suppliers of metal products for the most responsible construction projects around the world.
“Our enterprise has successfully passed two stages of the CARES certification audit, which was a significant moment for all of us. ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih has once again confirmed the high quality of its metal products and compliance with the most stringent standards. Due to the well-coordinated work of our entire team, we can be proud of this achievement. The availability of these certificates will significantly improve our competitiveness and strengthen the company’s position in the world markets of metal goods,” Deputy CEO for Marketing and Sales at ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih Anastasia Tatarulyeva said.
It is explained that the BES 6001 international standard is developed in the UK in order to assess the responsible selection of resources in the supply chain and in order to evaluate the company’s product strategy by the criteria of social, economic and environmental sustainability.

GRAIN ALLIANCE INVESTS UAH 75 MLN IN LAUNCH OF ELEVATOR IN CHERNIHIV REGION

KYIV. Nov 16 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Grain Alliance (Stockholm, Sweden) with assets in Ukraine has invested UAH 75 million in the launch of a grain elevator in Nizhyn (Chernihiv region) in November 2017.
“We have launched the first phase of the grain elevator in Nizhyn in Chernihiv region with a storage capacity of 24,000 tonnes. Investment totals UAH 75 million. In general, its capacity would reach 72,000 tonnes. We plan to finish the project in coming two or three years,” Grain Alliance CEO Yevhen Radoveniuk said on the sidelines of the Ukrainian Agribusiness Forum in Kyiv.
The company also increased storage capacities of the elevator in Pyriatyn (Poltava region), to 100,000 tonnes.
“In Pyriatyn we finished the third phase and installed one more dryer. Last year we added 36,000 tonnes at this elevator and this year – 12,000 more tonnes,” Radoveniuk said.
He said that the total grain and oilseeds storage capacities of Grain Alliance are estimated at 250,000 tonnes.
“We do not plan to expand in the coming year. Additional investment will be injected in development of logistics near elevators,” he said.
As reported, Grain Alliance plans until 2020 to double elevator capacity, to 400,000 tonnes. Over this period, it plans to expand its land bank to 100,000 hectares, reach grain sales of 1 million tonnes.
Grain Alliance cultivates 53,000 hectares of agricultural land in Ukraine: in Kyiv, Cherkasy, Poltava, and Chernihiv regions.

SMART ENERGY INVESTS ALMOST UAH 250 MLN IN NEW PROJECTS IN JAN-SEPT

KYIV. Nov 15 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Smart Energy invested UAH 247 million in January-September 2017, which is more than total investment in 2016 (UAH 242 million), Smart Energy CEO Serhiy Hlazunov said at a press conference in Kyiv on Tuesday.
He said that since 2011, investment in development of fields have reached UAH 1.7 billion.
Mining companies of Smart Energy produced 1.19 million barrels of oil equivalent (boe) in January-September 2017, including 163.4 million cubic meters of gas, 13,200 tonnes of gas condensate and 3,200 tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). Last year the company produced 1.57 million boe, including 208.4 million cubic meters of gas, 16,900 tonnes of condensate and 9,600 tonnes of LPG.
Since 2011, production reached 9.334 million boe, including 1.27 billion cubic meters of gas, 109,000 tonnes of condensate and 24,000 tonnes of LPG.
Smart Energy’s companies paid UAH 580 million of taxes in January-September 2017 (UAH 738 million in 2016).