Business news

MINSK, 4 April (BelTA) – The Gomel-based glass manufacturer OAO Gomelglass and the German company Schollglas GmbH have signed a glass export contract, BelTA has learned. Gomelglass Director General Ivan Proturo and Schollglas owner Gunter Weidemann signed the document. Deputy Prime Minister of Belarus Anatoly Kalinin attended the ceremony.

In line with the contract 8.5 million m2 of Gomelglass-made glass will be exported to Poland and Germany.

According to Anatoly Kalinin, the document represents the beginning of large-scale cooperation between the Belarusian enterprise and the German company. “I think in the near future we will find a number of joint mutually beneficial proposals in order to more tightly integrate our manufacturing with this company. We are ready to discuss these matters if the relevant proposals are put forth,” he said.

The Deputy Prime Minister underlined that Belarus has a lot of experience in manufacturing float glass, demand for which is on the rise. Acting together with the German partner, the Belarusian company will be able to double its positions and expand its presence on the European and Asian markets, Anatoly Kalinin was convinced.

According to the source, the Belarusian Agriculture and Food Ministry has been authorized to negotiate tighter integration for the sake of industrial processing of glass. “We will be able to discuss these matters depending on how fast you can move on, make decisions, including on setting up a joint venture or buying some of the shares,” continued Anatoly Kalinin.

In turn, Gunter Weidemann said he was confident that the two companies have a great potential and opportunities to make their partnership stronger. “Many reserves are available. We strongly believe that today’s trade turnover level can be raised. If everything goes according to plan, we will exceed €17 million this year. If new kinds of glass are manufactured, we will exceed €20 million and even that figure is not the limit,” he said.

Talking to mass media, Gunter Weidemann explained that an exclusive contract on shipping sheet glass to Germany and Poland was signed on 4 April. “We hope that by signing this contract we will be able to develop the markets where sheet glass is sold and do some groundwork for selling other products. Belarusian glass is now mainly used to make insulating glass units and furniture glass. We are now looking for ways for Gomelglass to make refined products and develop manufacturing business,” he stated.