MINSK, 18 February (BelTA) - The companies affiliated with the Belarusian timber, woodworking, pulp and paper industry concern Bellesbumprom plan to increase exports by at least 6.5% in 2021, Chairman of Bellesbumprom Mikhail Kasko said at the board meeting, BelTA has learned.
"In 2021 the Bellesbumprom companies will continue working to increase exports. The target is at least 6.5% over 2020. The output is projected to grow by at least 5%. We expect the highest growth in n the pulp, paper and furniture industries - approximately 16% and 6% respectively," Mikhail Kasko said.
The production of import substituting goods is forecast to go up by at least 10%. According to him, a lot of work has been done in recent years to develop the woodworking and pulp and paper industries. "We need to work to reduce the import intensity of production and production costs in general. The overall cost saving target is 20.7%, or Br418 million,” he said.
“We started the current year with good results. According to operational data, industrial output in January increased by 4% compared to January 2020, which was 3.4% above the projections in the business plans. Exports rose 12.2% in January. Our task is to keep the pace, to do everything possible to get a greater return on production activities. Bellesbumprom's enterprises should become growth drivers in the industry in 2021, and we have all the resources for this: our own raw materials - forests, processing facilities, modernized enterprises, markets, high quality products and professional staff. I am sure we will fulfill the task,” Mikhail Kasko said.
A number of new facilities are planned for commissioning in 2021. They include a plant to produce laminated cardboard at the Dobrush Paper Mill Hero of Labor and a new facility to make wood fuel (pellets) in Vitebsk. Construction of two more pellet production facilities will begin at two sites in Vitebsk Oblast. In addition, Svetlogorsk Pull and Paper Mill launched a project to set up a production of packaging paper from sulfate bleached pulp. The Belarusian Wallpaper Holding Company is mulling over further development of polygraphic production.
