SVETLOGORSK, 29 July (BelTA) – It would be advisable to set up an industrial cluster using the raw materials made by Svetlogorsk Pulp and Board Mill. Prime Minister of Belarus Roman Golovchenko made the statement as he visited the enterprise on 29 July, BelTA has learned.
Roman Golovchenko noted that the products made by the sulfate bleached pulp plant of Svetlogorsk Pulp and Board Mill sell well in Belarus and abroad. “But those are simply raw materials, albeit high-quality ones. Our task is to use these raw materials locally in order to make products with a higher added value. It is important to use our competitive advantage – raw materials – in order to earn money ourselves,” he stressed.
Starting the production of so-called kraft paper out of the pulp seems like a good idea. “It is a popular kind of packaging now. The market is changing rapidly: paper and paper packaging are replacing plastic. Hygienic habits are improving in a number of countries, respectively the demand for sanitary and hygienic products is on the rise. It is important to correctly evaluate and understand this opportunity. We export a lot of paper, which is used to make strong packaging – cement sacks for instance. This is why the company is considering the establishment of a new enterprise at its manufacturing site. The decision has been made already. It is necessary to connect financial and legal aspects now,” Roman Golovchenko said.
The prime minister mentioned the creation of an industrial cluster under the aegis of Svetlogorsk Pulp and Board Mill as a long-term possibility. In his words, it is necessary to surround the manufacturer with smaller private and state-run enterprises. They will make customized products in small and medium-sized batches using the main raw materials – bleached and non-bleached pulp. The products will be sold both on the home market and abroad. “For instance, we should fully satisfy the domestic demand for sanitary and hygienic products. It was physically impossible to set up such enterprises here in the past. Since the company is operating well now and will soon reach the full output capacity, there is no shortage of raw materials,” Roman Golovchenko concluded.
The public joint-stock company (OAO) Svetlogorsk Pulp and Board Mill is one of the largest Belarusian timber industry enterprises. It is part of the Belarusian timber, woodworking, pulp and paper industry concern Bellesbumprom. The state share in the company's charter capital is 97.53%.
