''The EBITDA we generate for the company is about 3bn rubles a year''
From biochemical cluster to hydrogen cosmetics. A meeting of Tatneftekhiminvest-holding’s board of directors was held in Kazan
At the meeting of Tatneftekhiminvest-holding's board of directors (TNKI-H), Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov was offered to create the production of bioplastic and bioproteins, told about prospects of cooperation of Tatarstan petrochemists with specialists from SIBUR as well as global trends in cosmetic production. Moreover, Minnikhanov found specialists in some of these areas among local functionaries. Realnoe Vremya tells the details.
SIBUR pays return visit
Yury Kazakov, director of SIBUR-Tomskneftekhim research organisation, gave his speech first at the meeting of TNKI-H. He told about the potential of cooperation ''between SIBUR's science and the Republic of Tatarstan's petrochemistry''.
Kazakov turned out in the republic not accidentally. The case is that Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov was in Tomsk Oblast in November. Particularly he visited Tomskneftekhim where he acquainted with developments of the organisation in chemical technologies. Production of plasticisers that increase plasticity is one of the recent projects of Tomskneftekhim.
Kazakov told how his scientific organisation worked, what tasks SIBUR officials give and what results they manage to get. According to him, Tomskneftekhim annually implements about 100 projects, 30-40 of which are put into operation.
''The EBITDA we generate for the company is about 3bn rubles a year, more or less,'' he said. SIBUR's management expects three things from its R&D: it's a big flow of new ideas, their quality from a perspective of implementation for production capacities and speed of execution of R&D's work. All we do is linked with business tasks, everything is designed to increase the efficiency of production.''
For instance, Tomskneftekhim analyses micro trends in several key sectors for the petrochemical holding: mechanical engineering, medicine, the light industry, transport. Worldwide known scientists are involved in work, Kazakov said.
After the November visit of the Tatarstan delegation to Tomsk Oblast, there was signed an agreement on cooperation in several areas, including it was decided to create a road map for joint production of catalysts and establish an exchange of experience to manufacture polyolefins. Kazakov says SIBUR already created a project team to make the agreement real. It's planned to create a more detailed plan for cooperation in December. Minnikhanov confirmed Tatarstan was interested in it: ''I think it's a highly professional staff''.
Biochemical cluster for Tatarstan
Igor Gunbin, director of the Engineering Department at Himmash-Apparat LTD, was second to deliver a speech. It's an enterprise located in Dubna – a scientific town in Moscow Oblast – already has experience in cooperating with Tatarstan enterprises such as Tatneft and Nizhnekamskneftekhim.
Gunbin told about prospects of construction a biochemical cluster in the republic that would be based on the production of bioplastic and bioproteins. According to Gunbin, it would be possible to make polyhydroxyalcanoates in the cluster. This bioplastic, which is widely used, ''is at the moment used in a big number of sectors''.
An advantage of this product is that it isn't harmful to the environment, even in a humid environment. Bioproteins, as well as bioplastic, are quite widely used in industry and also proved their eco-friendliness, Gunbin said.
According to his words, the market of biochemical materials has shown good dynamics in the last years growing by 7-8% a year on average. Gunbin is convinced that demand for this product will grow, as many countries adopt programmes on use of ecological materials today. In addition, the prime cost of production of biochemical goods will reduce in the future. Minnikhanov noted in turn that Tatarstan should keep up with world tendencies: ''We need to stay tuned and be ready''.
Head of TNKI-H Rafinat Yarullin added further cooperation with Himmash-Apparat would be discussed in January.
Experts are close
Director of HeatLab PLC Konstantin Poletayev told about ideas of his company that specialises in hydrogen power sources for unmanned machinery and robotics. He says a centre manufacturing unmanned vehicles was created in Ulyanovsk at the moment where HeatLab is based.
However, another area of the company's business caused the greatest revival – hydrogen cosmetics. This area has recently been a trend in such countries as Japan or South Korea. Poletayev explained that hydrogen cosmetics has advantages over usual: it penetrates into skin pores better and rejuvenates.
After these words, someone offered Poletayev to present his ideas of his company to Nefis Cosmetics from Tatarstan. However, the Tatarstan president had another idea: ''Talia (Editor's Note: head of the Investment Development Agency) deals with cosmetics. Nefis deals with washing machines, while Talia can assess your cosmetics,'' Minnikhanov joked. Poletayev added his company was ready to localise the production in Tatarstan.