Beer-bottle factory in Uljanovsk

The Trutnov-based company Sklostroj is to supply all the internal equipment for a new factory for packaging glass, the foundation stone of which was laid in the village of Krasnyj Guljaj around 40km from Uljanovsk. The first beer bottle is due to come off the line here in exactly a year, and at full capacity the plant should be producing 249 million bottles, jam and caviar jars and cosmetics flasks a year.

"Sklostroj has already supplied equipment to 24 plants throughout Russia, annually manufacturing 4 billion bottles, which is almost half of total bottle production in Russia," Konstatin Rjabčevskij, a sales representative of Sklostroj in Russia told ČTK. Czech Export Bank provided the credit for the commission worth EUR 40 million, i.e. around CZK 1.14 billion, while the deal was insured by Export Guarantee and Insurance Corporation (EGAP).

The factory buildings are being constructed by a Russian contractor, while private Russian investors are investing even more than the Czech side in the business, Rjabčevskij added. The packaging glass from the plant will be sold not only in the Uljanovsk area. The main customers will be local breweries and soft-drinks manufacturers, while even international companies such as Heineken and Interbrew are interested in the beer bottles. The plant will provide around 500 jobs, Jurij Bokarev, the future director, told ČTK. "In the first phase we will employ around 360 people, while by 2009 and the second phase we want to provide work for up to 500," he added. The Krasnyj Guljaj president Jevgenij Borisov is very happy about this. "There used to be a factory here that employed 1200 people. But it closed 12 years ago and since then at least 600 locals have left to find work elsewhere, some even going to Moscow," he said. Krasnyj Guljaj has around 3000 inhabitants.

Another benefit for the area should be an influx of foreign specialists and the construction of new flats. The plant promises salaries of an equivalent of around CZK 8000, with inhabitants currently earning 5000 or less in the area. The Krasnyj Guljaj glass plant will make use of the unique natural conditions of the area. "There is only comparable quality sand for glass in two places in Russia - here and near Moscow," Bokarev explained. The possibility of bringing in this unique sand from the quarry only seven kilometres away has apparently significantly reduced production costs. The foundation stone of the new plant was laid by Uljanovsk governor Sergej Morozov and the Czech Ambassador in Russia Miroslav Kostelka. "In Russian terms this project has set new speed records. There was only half a year from the signing of the contract to the laying of the project´s foundation stone," the diplomat emphasised.

Orsky Glass Factory is to build a second plant in Russia to produce glass beer bottles. The plant is to be built by Sklostroj of the Czech Republic, and will be near Sengileevsky in the Ulyanovsk district.

Production is due to start on the plant´s first line in 2007, with a second line due to start in 2009. The project represents a 30 million [euro] investment and will be able to produce 240 million bottles/year.

Sklostroj will ago be involved in the construction of another new glass bottle plant in Russia, to be built at Omsk for Klin-Steklotara in a 45M [euro] investment capable of producing 320M bottles/year when it opens in 2008.