Metafrax takes the 18th position in the TOP-200 list of Prikamye business

Perm regional business newspaper «Business-class» has published the rating of the TOP-200 largest companies. JSC Metafrax takes the 18th position in this list.

Prikamye business rating 2007 has been elaborated considering the following the most important companies performance parameters as: revenues from goods and services sales, profit before tax, company's assets, working assets, total capital and reserves. Official annual accounting reports submitted by the companies to the Perm Territorial Department of Federal State Statistics Service have been taken as a source material.

Generally, industrial companies make up 83% of TOP-200 participants.

Over half of the consolidated revenues (54%) made by the TOP-200 companies is represented by four industries: petrochemical industry, retail business, power and chemical industries. Chemical industry takes the 4th place in this rating with 11% of consolidated revenues received by the companies included to the rating.

The current condition and the future of the chemical industry are observed by Аrmen Garslyan, the Chairman of Metafrax Board of Directors.

Chemical industry in 2008 shows slowing down of growth if compare with the previous year. What is the reason as you think?

I would hardly call it slowing down. There is some reduction of budget figures. However, the Perm chemistry development is quite stable. This year ammonia producers are in the most favorable position, because prices for their products have become almost twice as many for the last six months. Speaking about Metafrax it should be noted that as of this day we have gained such amount of income which was planned for the whole year with due account for the growth of raw materials prices.

In spite of the existing problems the official statistics reflect constant growth of fixed capital investments in the chemical industry.

In my opinion, almost every chemical company of the region has good enough opportunities and possibilities of growth. The market is enhancing, the new players come to the regional market, for example "Akron", "Evrokhim". Good perspectives are ahead of Azot from Berezniki - it is connected with the current pricing policy - and ahead of Mineral Fertilizers.

What are the major problems of the industry? What problems has the company faced this year?

If we take gas chemistry then the only problem is the gas supply stability. It was and it is. In the first half of the year Metafrax has survived the price jump for carbamide which is widely consumed by our productions. And this growth still exists, although we managed to account for this factor when the company's annual budget had been elaborated.

Therefore we have the only way out - to construct the own carbamide and ammonia plant. It is our serious intention. Presently, together with the government we work at the request for additional gas supply in the amount of 500 mln. cub. meters annually for the new Metafrax production.