OREANDA-NEWS  On 14 November was announced, that the Crimean soda plant (KSOD), the largest producer of soda ash in Ukraine, launched production of white salt in the operational test regime, plant's commercial director Volodymyr Syvak said.

According to Syvak, adjusting of the equipment and analysis of the quality components of the product are being currently held. He said that the industrial production will be started in November. Syvak also said that the plant intends to produce 2,500 tons of salt a month.

He said that the plant already has orders for the new products.

The expected white salt production capacity of the plant is about 20,000 tons a year.

The Crimean soda plant covers 80% of the need of the Ukrainian domestic market and 2.5% of the world market of soda ash.

The plant produces soda ash of type A (heavy) and type B (light).

89.99% of the shares in the plant belong to Ostchem Germany GmbH [formerly RSJ Erste Beteiligungs, Hamburg, Germany], a subsidiary the OstChem Holding AG in Vienna.

90% in OstChem Holding AG belongs to the Group DF holding owned by businessman Dmytro Firtash.

The Crimean soda plant finished 2007 with a loss of UAH 1.59 million, when its net revenues rose by 18.83% or UAH 101 million to UAH 636.923 million compared with 2006.