Rustam Minnikhanov: ‘The foundation we laid will allow to be competitive in the future’
Petrochemists predicted the status of the growth point of the economy of Tatarstan for many years to come
Medals, titles, commendations, flowers, sounds of parade march and many other things traditionally accompanying a big event. On 24 May, Neftekhim-Arena Ice Palace of Nizhnekamsk welcomed 4,000 guests from all Tatarstan. The reason is quite important – celebration of Day of Workers of Chemical and Petrochemical Industries. Corresponding to its status of a 'petrochemical capital', Nizhnekamsk and its backbone Nizhnekamskneftekhim have been the organisers of the event for the fourth time. The fact that Chemist's Day is always held with the participation of President of Tatarstan puts a premium on the event. A correspondent of Realnoe Vremya visited the festivity.
Festivity in the petrochemical capital of Russia
President Rustam Minnikhanov was the person who offered to celebrate Chemist's Day together with the whole republic in 2013. Since then the city welcomes thousands of guests on the eve of last Sunday of May – in the Russian calendar, this date is marked as Day of Workers of Chemical and Petrochemical Industries.
Despite hot weather, the entrance to the Ice Palace of Nizhnekamskneftekhim was crowded. A similar number of people can be seen only when Neftekhimik local hockey team plays.
However, this time the ice rink hosted not only the representatives of petrochemical enterprises from the whole republic – Kazan, Mendeleyevsk and Nizhnekamsk, of course, – but also students of relevant universities and schools. Today there are over 20 large small and medium enterprises working in petrochemistry and oil refinery in the republic. The 'army' of petrochemists already exceeds 50,000 people and consistently grows due to the implementation of modern factories.
As Minister of Industry and Trade of Tatarstan Albert Karimov stressed, in Tatarstan, petrochemistry has being supposed to be a landmark of Tatarstan and the most important petrochemical centre of Russia for many years. Last year, the enterprises of the sectors produced goods at almost 700bn rubles (this figure was equal to 500bn rubles one year ago). And the volume of the industrial production of the whole republic in 2015 has been 1,9tr rubles.
'We are rightly proud of the leaders of the sector. TAIF and Tatneft here, on the land of Nizhnekamsk, fulfil important projects: modern factories based on up-to-date technologies are built here. TANECO and TAIF-NK continue deepening oil refinery,' the head of the Ministry noted.
'We still need to do more than we've done until today'
The fourth stage of haolobutyl rubber production was put into operation, production of triisobutylaluminium started, the plant producing linear alpha-olefines was reconstructed and modernized in Nizhnekamskneftekhim together with the fulfilment of important investment project by the enterprises of TAIF GC – mastering the production of industrial of Euro 5 eco gasoline with a capacity of 530,000 tonnes per year in TAIF-NK.
Today TAIF GC is meant to be the largest company of the sector: it includes 54 enterprises where over 43,000 people are working. Their contribution to the development of the republic and the Russian Federation has totalled 1,4tr rubles of investments in the form of taxes, salaries, social and ecological programmes, etc. What is more, 415bn rubles have been expended on the fulfilment of investment projects of the companies of the Group, about 40 modern technological units have been built. The enterprises of TAIF Group of Companies produce over 40% of ethylene made in Russia, over 70% of all rubbers in Russia.
Head of TAIF Albert Shigabutdinov emphasized in his speech: 'We've gone through an uneasy and difficult way of formation. And today leading companies of the world highly estimate our labour, creative mastery and self-improvement. You are the best! Many things have been made, but, as our President says, it is not enough. I agree with it. We need to do more than we've done until today because the people of our republic, residents of our cities and villages should live better'.
The enterprises have achieved many results. The last year was marked with new record indicators on both production of goods and the revenue for three large companies. For instance, the revenue of NKNKH was 150,5bn rubles, more than 16bn rubles were expended to all budgetary levels.
Nizhnekamskeftekhim is demonstrating a tendency for growth this year too: based on January and March, the net profit of the companies has increased almost twofold in comparison with the first quarter of 2015, the revenue has exceeded 38,5bn rubles. Augmentation of production volumes and sale of products favours the growth of the indicators.
According to the data of Tatneftekhiminvest-holding, NKNKH has increased its production by 1,7% in the first quarter. Plastic production volumes has maintained at last year's level and made 182,000 tonnes, production of synthetic rubber also has geown by 4% to 166,000 tonnes.
Its neighbouring enterprise TAIF-NK, despite a difficult economic and geopolitical situation and a number of other factors in 2015, refined a record 8,44m tonnes of oil and natural-gas condensate, its incomes have increased by 8% and assets – by 57%. Moreover, the company is finishing the fulfilment of the largest investment project on the construction of Heavy Residue Conversion Complex. The erection of the complex has entered its final stretch. A unique concerning all characteristics production is expected to put into operation this autumn.
As for Kazanorgsintez, one of the largest plastic producers sold products at 68,6bn rubles in 2015 and exceeded the level of 2014 by 26%. The profit of the company has been 3,2 times higher to 19,3bn rubles. Continuing the modernization programme, the enterprise launched new high-selectivity ethane pyrolysis furnaces instead of old and worn out ones. The project on the renewal of Ethylene Plant is in the process this year too.
'Growth points of the republic for the years to come'
By the way, the latest innovative elaborations and achievements of petrochemists of Tatarstan were exhibited in the foyer of the Ice Palace. Rustam Minnikhanov visited every stand, enquired about novelties and as a tradition took a selfie with the participants of the exhibition.
This year the celebration of Chemist's Day took place under the aegis of the 50 th anniversary of Nizhnekamsk, which will be celebrated in August 2016. In fact, the professional festivity of petrochemists became a common event for the whole city: almost every family of the city is connected with Nizhnekamskneftekhim, TAIF-NK, tyre complex and other enterprises of the sectors to a certain degree.
According to Mayor of Nizhnekamsk Aydar Metshin, 'this big chemistry gave a powerful impetus to the development of our city. A small settlement grew into a large industrial centre of the country within 50 years and bears the name of the petrochemical and oil refining industry of Tatarstan'.
Head of Tatneftekhiminvest-holding Rafinat Yarullin stressed in an interview with journalists: 'The petrochemists who are working in Nizhnekamsk made a right choice. Even in a crisis when oil prices are not stable, prices for petrochemical products, on the contrary, are. This is why it is necessary to develop petrochemistry because absolutely different types of motor fuel, Tesla and electrocars started to appear, and the task to convert straight-run gasoline, kerosene fraction, diesel fraction into petrochemical products will be a correct choice. Attention is to be paid to the increase of the next processing. Science and rivals move forward'.
Congratulatory speeches on behalf of the government, administration of the companies, many words of gratitude to the workers of petrochemical enterprises in that evening were accompanied by a concert and, undoubtedly, an award ceremony. Honorary titles, Medals for Valorous Labour, commendation and valuable gifts were given to 50 workers during the event – from locksmiths, operators, scientists, lab assistants to company heads.
16 schoolchildren who not only like chemistry but also see it as their future profession were among the awardees. They all are winners and awardees of Chemistry Olympiads from the regional to Russian and international levels.
The festivity ended with President's words. First of all, he expressed his gratitude to the organisers of 'such a beautiful event'. 'We always come here with a great pleasure,' he told. Minnikhanov also thanked the veterans who 'laid the foundation of petrochemistry of our republic'. The largest petrochemical complex of Europe has being created today thanks to them.
'Nowadays Nizhnekamsk, Kazan, Mendeleyevsk does not represent petrochemistry of the republic only. They are the largest complexes of the Russian Federation. I'm convinced the foundation we laid – the fourth development programme of the petrochemical complex of the republic – will allow us to be competitive in the future. And everything we do is both well-being of our republic and well-being of our country.'
Reference
Chemist's Day is a professional festivity of workers of chemical and petrochemical industries. Chemist's Day was established by the Decree of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR as from 1 October 1980 on Festive and Memorable Days. It is annually celebrated on last Sunday in May. Every year Chemist's Day is held under a symbol of a new element of the periodic table, and the first festivity was given No.1 – hydrogen.