Eastern Europe's biggest manufacturer of construction materials of Polish Grupa Atlas are putting down roots into the Belarusian economy. Launching this spring a second plant near Minsk, the holding company plans to build a third production.
The Atlas Corporation is owned by Andrzej Walczak and Grzegorz Gzhelok, who are included in the first hundred of the richest Poles according to Wprost.
They made their first investment in Belarus in 2009. Shareholders of Atlas purchased from Belarusian businessman Romuald Matyukevich a controlling stake of Grodno producer of dry mix “Typhoon” at the price of about $ 4 million.
In 2011 by investing in its modernization and expansion the production was restarted. In 2013 the company “Typhoon isolation” was registered in order to construct one more plant in the free economic zone “Minsk”.
In the spring of this year the production has been put into use.
“This year we have launched a new production facility in Belarus – a plant producing expanded perlite. In Poland we are also a manufacturer of expanded perlite ”, — as reported inwestor.newseria.pl Vice President for Business Development of Grupa Atlas Jacek Michalak.
As noted the launch of the plant allows refusing delivery of this material from Russia. Now the production needs of the holding in Belarus are provided by local production, as well as deliveries form Atlas factory in Poland.
Moreover the Polish investor is planning to enter the Belarusian market in another segment.
“At the moment we are launching a new plant for the production of paper in Belarus,” said Jacek Michalak, stressing that in this way the company entre a new segment. “We hope that we will achieve a success”, he noted.
Depending on the segment Grupa Atlas controls from 50 to 70% of the Belarusian market, producing about 350 thousand tonnes of goods per year. A part of the products is exported to Russia and Ukraine. In addition to Poland and Belarus the Atlas Corporation has production facilities in Romania. The holding company annually produces goods totaling 1.1 billion zlotys, nearly 250 million zlotys is accounted for the Belarusian and Romanian plants.
Source: ej.by