Business news from Ukraine

Epicenter Agro Holding has started construction of fertilizer plant

In 2023, Epicenter Agro Holding, a member of the Epicenter K group of companies, began construction of a plant for the production of urea-ammonia mixture (UAN) and liquid complex fertilizers (LCF) in Vinnytsia region, according to the official website of the agricultural holding.

According to the report, the fertilizers are to be used during the 2024 sowing campaign.

“We have very ambitious goals for 2024. Changing the sowing structure, further testing of the No-till system, our own fertilizer production, and a number of other projects are just a small part of the challenges we have set for ourselves. In addition, we are confidently moving towards the introduction of processing of our products. This means that we firmly believe in ourselves as a team of professionals, our company Epicenter Agro, and the peaceful future of Ukraine,” said Svitlana Nikitiuk, Head of the Central Office of the Agricultural Department of Epicenter Agro.

Epicenter K LLC was established in 2003 and opened its first hypermarket in Kyiv in December of the same year. It has a network of shopping centers of the same name in Ukraine. It has also been developing its agricultural business since 2016. It cultivates more than 160 thousand hectares in Vinnytsia, Khmelnytsky, Ternopil, Zhytomyr, Cherkasy and Kyiv regions. The group includes 20 livestock farms and 15 elevator complexes with a total storage capacity of 1.5 million tons.

According to the Unified State Register of Legal Entities and Individual Entrepreneurs, the shareholders of Epicenter K LLC are Oleksandr Gerega (51.3%), Galyna Gerega (47.97%) and Tetiana Surzhyk (0.73%).

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EPICENTER K PLANS TO OPEN FIVE NEW CERAMICS CENTERS BY LATE 2020

Epicenter K LLC (Kyiv) is introducing a new format of tile and sanitary ware salons in its shopping centers in Ukraine and by the end of 2020 it plans to open five new Ceramics Centers.
According to the press service of the company, the company has already opened seven Ceramics Center stores in the shop-in-shop format on the site of the former tile and sanitary ware salons in the reconstructed and recently built shopping centers Epicenter.
“The scaling of the new format continues: in August the eighth store Ceramics Center will open in Vinnytsia, and by the end of the year their number will increase to 12. Retail space in Lviv, Khmelnytsky and Kropyvnytsky is in the process of re-equipment,” the press release reads.
It is noted that about 80% of the tiles and sanitary ware of Ceramics Centers are of European brands imported by Epicenter K and their own brands, there are also ceramic tiles of Ukrainian production.
“It is sometimes difficult for buyers to imagine a complete picture of the future interior according to a single sample, therefore we present expositions in Ceramics Centers in almost the same way as at international exhibitions. For example, we glue large mosaics and tiles (60×60, 60×120, 1,200×2,400), the popularity of is which is growing rapidly, in bulk and demonstrate it on a larger area,” Yulia Korsun, the head of the Ceramic Tile department, said.

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EPICENTER RECEIVES EUR 5.3 MLN LOAN FROM AUSTRIAN BANK

The Epicenter K company (Kyiv), which is developing a network of shopping centers of the same name and agricultural direction in Ukraine, has received a loan in the Austrian Raiffeisen Bank International AG in the amount of EUR 5.3 million for the development of e-commerce, in particular, the opening of a fulfillment center, the press service of the company said.
“The Austrian bank Raiffeisen Bank International AG will finance the purchase of equipment for the Epicenter K fulfillment center from the Dutch manufacturer Vanderlande Industries B.V.,” the statement reads.
The opening of an innovative fulfillment center will provide a high level of service to online buyers, according to the company.
According to it, the credit line in the amount of EUR 5.309 million is open for five years, the interest rate is set at the six-month rate of EURIBOR plus margin. Insurance coverage is provided by the Dutch government guarantee issued by Atradius Dutch State Business N.V.
The authorized capital of Epicenter K LLC is UAH 158.6 million.
Epicenter K LLC was established in 2003. According to the unified public register of legal entities and private entrepreneurs, the participants in Epicenter K LLC are Oleksandr Hereha (51.3%), Halyna Hereha (47.9%) and Tetiana Surzhyk (0.73%).

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EPICENTER K PLANS TO BOOST LAND BANK IN UKRAINE TO 160,000 HA

EPICENTER KThe Epicenter K Group, developing the agricultural business since 2016, after the acquisition of Khmelnytsk-Agro from Svarog West Group will boost its total land bank by 40,000 ha, to 160,000 ha. According to the company’s press release issued on Wednesday, the process is currently underway. Khmelnytsk-Agro develops the crop and livestock segments in Khmelnytsky region. It consists of a granary and a seed plant.
Epicenter K plans to create two more clusters in its structure, on the lands of which will be grown both traditional crops – wheat, sunflower, corn and rapeseed, as well as niche crops – bare pumpkin, and organic crops and seeds for irrigation will also be planted.
Epicenter K seeks to renegotiate land lease contracts with shareholders of Khmelnytsk-Agro LLC under the best conditions, after which they will receive social guarantees from Epicenter K.
As reported, the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine granted permission to acquire the company on February 6.

EPICENTER K WANTS TO OPEN 15 NEW FURNITURE CENTERS IN 2020

Epicenter K LLC (Kyiv), which is developing a network of eponymous shopping centers in Ukraine, plans to open 15 new Furniture Centers (Tsentr Mebliv) in its shopping centers in 2020, begin entering external sites and strengthen online sales. “The goal of the company is to increase its stake to 40% by the end of 2020. These plans are related to the new concept for the development of Furniture Centers. Thus, the Epicenter furniture business will significantly expand its assortment, improve client services, and will focus on turnkey solutions, in particular customers will be offered design interiors in different styles and budgets,” the company’s press service said.
According to the report, in 2019 the share of Furniture Centers in the Ukrainian market grew to 25%. During this time, ten new concept stores were opened in the Epicenter chain.
“In the new concept, much attention will be paid to inexpensive functional furniture of modern design that are interesting to young people,” Oleksandr Lukyanchenko, the director of the Tsentr Mebliv direction, said.
According to him, the company also relies on online sales.
“I’m sure that in the future online will be another growth point for us, because there we can present a much wider assortment, not limited by the length of the shelf in an offline store,” he said.
In particular, in 2019, the share of online furniture sales in the Epicenter network was 10%, the largest demand in online sales was recorded for kitchens.

EPICENTER K NEGOTIATING EUR 100 MLN LOAN WITH EIB TO EXPAND AGRICULTURAL EQUIPMENT FLEET

Epicenter K LLC (Kyiv) is negotiating the financing of a project to expand grain storage infrastructure, purchase of agricultural machinery and grain hoppers for the amount of over EUR 100 million with the European Investment Bank (EIB).
“The Epicenter K company is in the negotiation process with the European Investment Bank regarding obtaining a loan of more than EUR 100 million, but the company has not yet made a final decision on obtaining it,” the company said.
As reported, the EIB board of director on November 14, 2019 approved a project to provide financing for the expansion of grain storage infrastructure, the acquisition of new agricultural machinery and equipment, as well as railway cars for grain transportation.
The bank expects that, thanks to the project, 1,100 additional permanent jobs will be created for new operations, 300 workers will be hired for the construction period and 15-20 local subcontracting small and medium-sized enterprises will be involved.
The EIB also indicates that this operation is covered by the political risk guarantee of the European Union for EIB loans outside the EU.
Epicenter K has been developing the agricultural business since 2016. The agricultural division of the Epicenter K group of companies cultivates over 120,000 hectares of land in Vinnytsia, Khmelnytsky, Ternopil, Cherkasy, and Kyiv regions. The group also includes 20 livestock farms and six silos. Epicenter K plans to reach one million tonnes of grain storage capacity.

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