Business news

MINSK, 6 February (BelTA) - The export of the enterprises affiliated with Bellesbumprom Concern in 2017 amounted to 67.3% of the total output, which is a record high for the concern, head of Bellesbumprom Yuri Nazarov during a meeting with the staff of the V. I. Kozlov Minsk Electrical Plant, BelTA learned from the website of Bellesbumprom.

Bellesbumprom’s exported products to more than 60 countries. In 2017 its exports rose more than 42% and amounted to $427 million.

Thanks to the modernization of the timber companies, the processing volumes increased manifold. The domestic companies processed 5.2 million cubic meters of wood in 2006. The output was 10.5 million cubic meters in 2016 and more than 11 million cubic meters in 2017. Most of the raw materials (about 9 million cubic meters) was used to manufacture chipboards, plywood, joinery and furniture. The wood processing depth rose from 38.5% in 2006 to 80% in 2017. In the near future, with the new pulp and paper mills up and running, the wood processing depth will exceed 90%.

The output of import-substituting goods is expected to grow as soon as the new pulp and paper mills become operational. Svetlogorsk Pulp and Board Mill will reach the design capacity in 2018. Another task for this year is to commission a plant for coated and uncoated cardboard production at Dobrush Paper Factory. The Svetlogorsk-based facility will process around 2.5 million cubic meters of wood a year and produce 400,000 tonnes of sulfated bleached pulp worth $300 million. The plant in Dobrush will manufacture 200,000 tonnes of cardboard a year from Svetlogorsk-made cellulose (worth some $250 million). Most of the products will be bound for export. Bellesbumprom’s exports are expected to grow twofold as a result.

In order to develop the timber industry, Belarus needs to keep advancing the technologies, encourage investors, make new kinds of products, and tap into new markets.