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ThyssenKrupp AG approves ETANA deal in Kabardino-Balkaria

Its total cost is 15.7 billion roubles, the annual capacity is 486 million tonnes of terephthalate

NALCHIK, December 13 (Itar-Tass) — The world’s leading companies have started the construction of Europe’s largest pure polymers plant ETANA in Kabardino-Balkaria. One of the world’s largest industrial companies ThyssenKrupp AG has given permission for the construction of a new plant of its subsidiary Uhde Inventa-Fischer AG, acting as the general contractor and working in technological conjunction with Buhler AG (Switzerland), ETANA plant’s Director General Sergei Ashin told Itar-Tass in an interview on Tuesday.

According to him, the deal became possible after the adoption at the federal and regional levels of mechanisms for a significant reduction of overall risk. The Russian government and the leadership of the Kabardino-Balkaria Republic took unprecedented steps to support investment projects implemented in the South of Russia. In addition, the “absolute investment attractiveness” of the republic with “perfect investment laws and a growing economy” promotes this, and its extensive transport infrastructure, proximity to the Black Sea ports and the maximum demand for the products in the regional economy create high competitive advantages, Ashin said quoting the foreign partners.

Member of the Board of Directors of ThyssenKrupp Alfred Hoffmann, who arrived in Nalchik to sign a general agreement among the project participants, said: “Over the years my work I came to the conclusion that large-scale investment projects, which include the construction of this plant, require lengthy negotiations and their implementation is impossible without the support from the authorities.”

“ETANA brings together all the best world achievements in the production of polymers, it allows to save up to 12 percent of the used raw materials and 60 percent of energy, and at the same time its environmental friendliness level two times surpasses the world analogues, and the ecological load on the territory is ··200 times below the maximum permissible concentrations level adopted in the Russian Federation,” Ashin said stressing uniqueness of the project.

Its total cost is 15.7 billion roubles, of which 12 billion go to the construction and technological components, the remaining 3.7 billion roubles are working capital required to start the production, the annual capacity is 486 million tonnes of Polyethylene terephthalate (PETE) used in the production of packaging materials and packing for drinking and mineral water, juices and beverages, dairy and canned goods, baby food and food products, films for greenhouses, various plastic containers, as well as fibres and threads for the textile industry. Polyethylene terephthalate (sometimes written poly(ethylene terephthalate)), commonly abbreviated PETE, is a thermoplastic polymer resin of the polyester family and is used in synthetic fibres; beverage, food and other liquid containers; thermoforming applications; and engineering resins often in combination with glass fibre. The term polyethylene terephthalate is a source of confusion because this substance, PET, does not contain polyethylene. Thus, the alternate form, poly(ethylene terephthalate), is often used in scholarly journals for the sake of accuracy and clarity.

Part of the final products will be manufactures at ETANA where 2.5 thousand people will be employed. Another part will be made by external partners - small and medium-sized businesses. Accessibility of modern packaging and raw materials will give an impetus to the development of the traditional and historically formed industries in the region: animal breeding, vegetable and fruit growing, the production of textiles, Ashin stressed.

The ETANA project is implemented within the framework of the Russian government’s strategy for socio-economic development of the North Caucasus Federal District until 2025. Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin praised it at a meeting of the United Russia party in Kislovodsk in July 2010.

Uhde Inventa-Fischer is a forward-thinking, innovative engineering company, according to its website. Its core competence is the design and construction of state-of-the-art polymerisation plants for polyesters and polyamides. It offers sustainable technologies that combine engineering expertise, specialist know-how of polymers and applied experience in a wide range of industrial applications worldwide. Uhde Inventa-Fischer is located at two sites: Berlin in Germany and Domat/Ems in Switzerland. Its team of around 200 employees is made up of engineers, chemists, scientists, planners, CAD experts and specialists in commerce and finance. The structure of its organisation coupled with a competent management team allows the company to react quickly and flexibly when attending to and satisfying its clients’ requirements. It has been a subsidiary of Uhde GmbH in Dortmund, Germany since 2004. Uhde is one of the leading engineering companies for chemical and industrial plants for a variety of technologies and is part of ThyssenKrupp. Uhde’s experience and global network create valuable synergies in combination with its own know-how. These enable the company to cooperate globally and efficiently within the Uhde group and allow it to offer specific and bespoke services to its customers.