The share of imported fireproofing materials decreased from 80% in 2016 to 20% in 2024, Kovlar Group CEO Kostiantyn Kalafat said in an interview withInterfax-Ukraine.
He recalled that when the company was launched in 2015, it aimed to use the experience of American builders to create an affordable domestic material for fire protection of steel structures. The company’s first product was the Ammokote GP-240 plaster mix. The company then invested in organizing its own workshop and warehouses, purchasing the necessary equipment, setting up a research laboratory, and developing and testing new fire protection materials, which currently include more than 20 items.
“The availability of high-quality Ammokote fire protection products in the country has created objective conditions for positive changes in the direction of import substitution. Since Kovlar Group entered the Ukrainian fire protection market, there has been a steady decline in the share of fire protection materials imported to Ukraine, from 80% in 2016 to 20% in 2024,” said Mr. Kalafat.
He emphasized that the company has received support and assistance from Kyiv business on its way to becoming a major player.
“We produced the first batches of fireproof plaster at Ukrvermiculite, and fireproof paints at Kompozit, a leading Ukrainian manufacturer. Our company also fruitfully cooperates with the institutes of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine on scientific research to develop new innovative fire protection products. On a voluntary basis, we help Ukrainian scientists in organizing pilot production and implementing scientific results,” said Kalafat.
Kovlar Group LLC was founded in 2015, its authorized capital is UAH 1.2 million, and its ultimate beneficiaries are Kostiantyn Kalafat (40%), Andriy Ozeychuk (35%), and Liubov Vakhitova (25%). According to the company’s annual reports, in the first three quarters of 2024, the company received UAH 73 million 726.4 thousand in revenue and a net profit of UAH 10 million 228.6 thousand.
The full text of the interview with Konstantin Kalafat will be published on the Interfax-Ukraine website.
