Cooperation with FRG: Tatarstan focuses on small and medium-sized businesses
The republic intends to develop cooperation with small and medium-sized businesses of Germany more actively. Head of the Investment Development Agency Taliya Minullina told Realnoe Vremya's correspondent about it. For this purpose, Tatarstan organised Bavaria – Tatarstan economic forum in Munich where representatives of German companies were invited. The event was on the second day of the Tatarstan delegation's visit to Bavaria. The details are in the report.
''Tatarstan is one of the most innovative Russian regions''
The delegation from Tatarstan began the second day in Munich in the office of Rohde & Schwarz company. Vice-Prime Minister of Tatarstan and Minister of Industry and Trade Albert Karimov, head of the Investment Development Agency Taliya Minullina, Director General of Khimgrad technopark Ayrat Gizzatullin and other representatives of the republic arrived to talk with officials of the German firm.
Rohde & Schwarz was founded in 1933 as a family business. Today the firm is one of the leaders in communications, information and security, the company's annual turnover is €2bn.
Rohde & Schwarz representatives said they recognised that Tatarstan was one of the most innovative Russian regions, it was what attracted them as a high-tech company.
The company has been lastingly cooperating with the republic. For instance, Rohde & Schwarz unmanned vehicles provided security at the 2018 FIFA WC in Kazan. It's planned to place a scanner made by the German firm at the Kazan airport.
As for the scanners, there are only two structures in the world: ''hands up'' – it's Americans, and ''hands down'' – it's we, the hosts joked.
Rohde & Schwarz is interested in expanding the cooperation with Tatarstan. The firm works in TV and radio broadcasting and the multimedia – it manufactures broadcasting, studio and control and measuring equipment for network operators and TV and radio companies, this is why it's offering the republic equipment for TV stations.
''Transition from analogue to digital television is underway across Russia when analogue broadcasting gradually turns off. Now we are providing reception of digital broadcasting, including in Tatarstan, as our local TV channels are also switching to digital broadcasting. We could consider how we could expand your participation within this job,'' said Minister of Industry and Trade Albert Karimov.
In addition, the German company deals with 5G networks and is sure that this area could also be interesting for Tatarstan. The sides agreed to consider the possibility of introducing 5G networks on a test site in Innopolis.
Siemens, Linde AG и Knorr-Bremse AG are top 3 largest Tatarstan's partners
The discussion of cooperation of the regions went on at Bavaria – Tatarstan economic forum in the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy. Germany is one of the biggest trade and economic partners of Tatarstan, the turnover between the republics totalled $1,919m for 9 months 2018, of which $993m are Tatarstan's exports to Germany.
State Secretary of the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy Roland Weigert said they were building an economic bridge between the two countries. They knew Tatarstan was modernising its economy, it had one of the most successful economic zones in Russia named Alabuga and it was actively developing infrastructure.
Siemens, Linde AG и Knorr-Bremse AG are top 3 largest Tatarstan's partners. Siemens closely cooperates with TAIF Group of Companies – an agreement on construction of a power plant for Nizhnekamskneftekhim for €352m was signed in December 2017, and an agreement on cooperation between Siemens and TAIF JSC at the Russian Energy Week was concluded in Moscow in October.
Linde AG has been working in the Tatarstan market for over 10 years. The concern has implemented several projects in enterprises of TAIF Group of Companies, and TAIF GC and Linde signed a memorandum on strategic cooperation at the Petersburg International Economic Forum in June 2017. A framework agreement was separately signed with Nizhnekamskneftekhim to build a complex with a capacity of 600,000 tonnes a year.
Knorr-Bremse AG cooperates with KAMAZ, they have a joint venture in Naberezhnye Chelny.
Germany invested $108,513,4 in Tatarstan for 9 months in 2018
As Tatarstan established close relations with big partners, now the republic is focused on the cooperation with small and medium-sized businesses.
''It's an ocean of opportunities because if we have a look at the structure of the economy, small and medium-sized businesses account for over 60% both in Bavaria and Germany in general. It seems to me quite a successful economic model. To compare, SMEs account for just 20% in Russia,'' commented head of the Investment Development Agency Taliya Minullina for Realnoe Vremya's correspondent.
Relations of Tatarstan and Germany develop in such spheres as the automotive industry, technologies and digitalisation, agriculture. In addition, the republic is interested in developing partnership with German universities and joint research and development. Germany invested $108,513,4 in Tatarstan for 9 months in 2018. And according to Taliya Minullina, this year the republic is ready to provide Germany with all chances to become the first in the rankings of Tatarstan's investor countries.