OREANDA-NEWS. July 1, 2009. The award ceremony "Russia’s best exporter of 2008" took place in Moscow. The contest is held by Russia’s Ministry of industry and trade in order to promote industrial products’ export. The winner is determined as per the ministry-developed procedure based on the consolidated export reports of every enterprise.

 In the course of the ceremony JSC "Irkut" Corporation" was awarded honorary prize "Russia’s best exporter of 2008" in the nomination "Aircraft manufacturing".

Within the past years Irkut Corporation stably builds up revenue from aircraft exporting abroad. Corporation accounts for over 15% of Russia’s arms export.

Irkut President Oleg Demchenko said: "Earnings from combat aircraft export allowed our company to commence development and production preparation for the new MC-21 passenger airliner. This is the key perspective project not only of Irkut Corporation but for the whole Russian aviation industry".

Igor Shuvalov, First Dy Chairman of the Russian Government, and Victor Khristenko, Minister of industry and trade, visited  Irkutsk  Aviation plant, Corporation’s production facility, in June 2009.

According to Igor Shuvalov, IAP is a "well-doing enterprise fitted with the high-class equipment".

In his turn Victor Khristenko highlighted: "We made sure that we have rightly trusted the break-through technological product, Russian MC-21 mid-range jet, to Irkut production facility". He also stated that his Ministry planned to initiate with the Russian Government the expanded funding of perspective projects including MC-21.