BI Group, the construction leader of Kazakhstan, to open a branch in Tatarstan and plans to work with TAIF
The delegation of top managers of BI Group holding visited the main office of TAIF PSC and met with the management of the group of companies during a working trip to Tatarstan
In early April, a delegation from Kazakhstan visited Kazan with a working trip. Top managers of BI Group, the largest investment and construction holding in the Euro-Asian republic, arrived at the invitation of the president of Tatarstan. Last July, during a visit to Astana, Rustam Minnikhanov offered Kazakhtani builders to try their forces on Tatarstan market. What plans BI Group is building — read in the material of Realnoe Vremya.
We have come to learn more about Tatarstan and how we can be useful here
The Kazakhstani businessmen arrived to the head office of TAIF Group immediately after the meeting with President of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov. A little more than six months since the invitation was received in Astana, Kazakhstani businessmen actively studied the construction market of Tatarstan. The holding, founded in 1998, is now in the top 200 largest construction companies in the world and operates in almost all areas — from the construction of residential buildings to infrastructure and industrial construction. Therefore, BI Group representatives were interested in everything in the new market: housing programmes, development of industrial sites and entire territories.
The Kazakhstani delegation arrived at the meeting with the leadership of TAIF accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister of Tatarstan — Head of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Tatarstan Shamil Gafarov, which particularly emphasizes the readiness of Tatarstan to expand business contacts with Kazakhstan's businesses.
''In a nutshell, we build about 1-1,2 million square metres of housing a year in Kazakhstan. Last year, when your president visited our country, he invited us to work in Tatarstan. Now we are travelling around the republic, getting acquainted with Tatarstan, Kazan — in what projects we could be engaged there. I think that we also can be useful to you,'' Head of the delegation — Chairman of the Board of Directors of BI Group Aydyn Rakhimbayev addressed to Director General of TAIF PSC Albert Shigabutdinov.
He came to TAIF accompanied by members of the Board of Directors of BI Group Bauyrzhan Isabayev and Askhat Omarov, as well as Deputy Chairman of the Board of BI Group for international business development Palik Metin and Deputy Trade Representative of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the Russian Federation, Head of the Department in Kazan Yerken Zhakatayev.
We are used to work quickly
Kazakhstan is well aware of TAIF Group, the scope and scale of its activities. A large share of the Tatarstan products is sold in the former Soviet Union states, including in Kazakhstan, said Aydyn Rakhimbaev. Then the guests were shown a presentation film about the activities of TAIF Group, which the guests watched with interest.
''The film doesn't say everything. Every year we invest more than a billion dollars in construction. Out of these, 80 per cent — in industrial construction. Besides, in social construction: houses, hospitals — all that is necessary for the republic. We are ready and open for cooperation. If you have a turnover of one and a half billion dollars in construction a year — this is a serious volume. We do not have such construction companies in Tatarstan. And they are rare abroad. If you have the desire, we are ready to inform you on any our construction projects for you to consider and decide: whether you are interested, whether you are ready to take an active part in them,'' Albert Shigabutdinov reported, and immediately warned that TAIF builds a lot and requires high quality and no less high speed from contractors, as well as compliance with all requirements of the Russian legislation.
''We are not afraid of tenders: we have a portfolio of 35-40 per cent — state order, and the rest — the market. Nobody gives us presents. We have been working on the market for a long time, and we also have experience in Russia. For the third year, we have been building the BAM — railway facilities. So we are familiar with the legislation. Now we are expanding our presence — we are entering further, to the Zabaykalsky region — bridges, stations. We have mastered it and can move to more serious tasks,'' shared Rakhimbaev.
Since 2016, the holding has been an active participant in the oil and gas construction market. One of the ongoing large-scale projects, which involves specialists and capacities of BI Group, is the project to expand the capacity of the Tengiz oil field — Tengizchevroil.
''Our team is very strong. We have all necessary qualifications. As for high rates, we also often have facilities that need to be implemented in a short time. We are used to work quickly. We are not afraid of difficulties — we love to work,'' said the chairman of the board of directors of BI Group.
TAIF is ready to share the experience of oil refining with Kazakhstan
Albert Shigabutdinov noted that the interaction of the companies can go beyond not only Tatarstan. The experience of TAIF Group can be useful to Kazakhstan, which is now aimed to seriously expand the capabilities of its own oil refining and petrochemical industries.
''First, under the patronage of our first president Mintimer Shaimiev, and today — Rustam Minnikhanov — the negotiations with your oil and gas producers on the expansion of technical production in Kazakhstan are ongoing. I think it's time to create modern production. We are ready to help you in this,'' said the director general of TAIF PSC.
Tatarstan is a comfortable haven for businesses
Immediately after the meeting, Aydyn Rakhimbayev agreed to give a short interview to Realnoe Vremya.
Aydyn Zhumadilovich, what was so interesting about BI Group of Tatarstan and interaction with TAIF Group?
We gladly accepted the invitation of the president of Tatarstan, offered last year in Astana. During the six months prior to this visit, we began to work out some issues and prepared some projects. In particular, we are already participating in the tender for TAIF. In addition, our experts came to Tatarstan — acquainted with the housing programme of Kazan. We have a lot of experience in this area.
We are interested in your market in itself, and we could apply here, on the one hand, our experience in construction, on the other — we are ready to invest in Kazan. In general, we have already probed the Russian market and look positively at the market of Tatarstan. It is a comfortable haven for businesses here: investors and market players are treated positively and kindly. Having compared the conditions in many regions, we are sure that it will be right if we start working in this region.
Last July, just during the visit of Rustam Minnikhanov to Astana, there was information that BI Group company intended to open a branch in Tatarstan.
Yes, this is true. The first steps have already been taken. In the coming months, there will be specifics: figures, people, projects. I think we'll land there. Every sign indicates that we'll start working here.
The management of TAIF Group was ready to provide BI Group with information about the upcoming tenders for construction orders. How much does this openness appeal to you?
It will be very interesting to us. We have won our current position in the market with difficulty — in fierce competition. But we have an important advantage, which is highly appreciated by our partners: we always offer the execution of the assigned work in a short time for less money. Working efficiently and quickly, we have achieved today's position in the market. Demonstrated today by TAIF Group willingness to work together makes us happy. And the opportunity to know in advance about the nature and scope of the upcoming work will provide the opportunity to prepare and offer a competitive price.