High-capacity Rockwool plant launched in SEZ Alabuga

The Rockwool production plant has been launched in the special economic zone Alabuga. The Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov and RF Minister of economic development Elvira Nabiullina, the Danish Minister for trade and investment Pia Olsen Duhr, and President of Rockwool Int. Elko van Heel attended a solemn opening ceremony.

Established in 1909, the Rockwool Company is a world leader in the sphere of rockwool production. The output of mineral-cotton heat-isolating materials using the basaltic rock under the trademark Rockwool started in 1937 in Denmark.

The company now has 26 plants in 17 world countries – Europe, Northern America and Asia. In Russia Rockwool enterprises are located in Zheleznodorozhny town (the Moscow oblast), Vyborg (the Leningrad oblast), and Troitsk (the Chelyabinsk oblast).

OOO “Rockwool-Volga” (the Russian Rockwool branch) obtained the resident status of SEZ Alabuga on October 10, 2007 and became one of the first residents in the special economic zone. Construction of the 27th in the world and the fourth in Russia Rockwool plant started in 2008 in Tatarstan. It is the fifth operating enterprise in SEZ Alabuga today.

The most high-capacity rockwool production line in the world was launched at the plant. The production output is expected to make 110 thousand tons per year. The amount of funds (150 mln US dollars) invested in establishing new manufacturing enterprise is the largest sum in Rockwool history.

Heat-insulating materials made of rockwool for roofs, facades, floors and coverings, flame-resistant and sound-absorbing plates will be produced at the plant. The output will be procured to the Volga region, Ural, Siberia and Kazakhstan.

RF Minister of economic development Elvira Nabiullina addressed guests with welcoming speech. “We are glad that the Rockwool Company launches the fourth plant in Russia in SEZ Alabuga,” she said.

Elvira Nabiullina reminded as well that the Russian leadership announced energy efficiency a priority direction of the country’s economic policy. She believes that without using advanced technologies it will be impossible to reduce energy intensity of GNP for 40 % by 2020. In addition, modern energy-saving technologies must be used in construction of new housing.

The Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov called today’s event an important one for republic and the whole country and thanked Elvira Nabiullina for support in development of SEZ Alabuga.

The Danish Minister for trade and investment Pia Olsen Duhr noted developing trade-economic relations between Denmark and Russia.

President of Rockwool Int. Elko van Heel in turn thanked Rustam Minnikhanov for help in the project realization saying that he had never met such a professional leader of the local administration who puts much emphasis on supporting the business sector.