OREANDA-NEWS. July 08, 2010. Head of the Republic of Karelia Sergey Katanandov and Klimenti Kasradze, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Kalevala woodworking enterprize, have signed the Protocol on cooperation in implementation of the construction project of the woodworking enterprize in Petrozavodsk.

Kalevala woodworking enterprize will become the first enterprise in Russia producing OSB, oriented strand boards, – building material possessing unique properties. Partners of the project Lubomir Pokorny, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Czech Export Bank; Dieter Siempelkamp, President of the equipment vending company Siempelkamp; Frantisek Vaculik, General Manager of PSJ, the main contractor, have taken part in ceremony of signing the Protocol.

Kalevala woodworking enterprize will become one the largest investment projects in timber industry of Russia. The enterprise will be the key one for the building industry development, first of all, for the branch of low-rise panel skeleton-type housebuilding. Also oriented strand boards are in demand in the markets of furniture and packing materials.

Start-up of the first turn of the enterprize is scheduled for 2012. Production lines comprising the enterprises will produce grinded, non-grinded, matched and faced OSB. Start-up of the first phase will provide production of demanded competitive production in the volume of up to 300,000 cubic meters a year. Total amount of investments in the first phase will make more than €150 million. Technical concept of the enterprise allows further construction and start-up of the 2nd industrial phase and increasing boards-producing capacities up to 500,000 cubic meters a year without ceasing the enterprize's work.

The entire technological process will be implemented on the basis of advanced technologies according to the world standards. Siempelkamp, one of world leaders on complex ready-to-operate provision of boards-producing enterprises, was chosen to be a supplier of technologies and equipment for the new enterprize. Design of the enterprise is performed by St.Petersburg companies JSC PIC Consulting Company (Projecting Investments Consulting) (general designer) and JSC Ramboll.

Considerable attention within the framework of the project is paid to activities concerning prevention of harmful environmental impact. The designed technological concept of OSB production by Kalevala enterprize is aimed at production of environmentally-friendly products, and the enterprize itself will be equipped with modern means of purifying from pollutant emissions.

Choice of the Republic of Karelia is conditional on presence of raw material resources, qualified personnel, favorable investment climate and active assistance to the project implementation on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Karelia and Administration of Petrozavodsk.

Speaking at the ceremony of signing the Report, Head of the republic Sergey Katanandov said:

– It is well-known, that advanced processing of timber in territory of Russia is a national priority supervised by the Prime Minister of the Government of Russia Vladimir Putin personnally. However, it is also a well-known fact that implementation of this slogan is difficult. The more honorary for us is to participate in practical implementation of such a grand project. The project will be completely supported by the Government of the republic. It is also very important for Petrozavodsk which has been loosing its pace of development in recent years. Construction begins on the holiday, the Day of Petrozavodsk. This is a symbol that the project will be a success!

The same day near the station of Tomitsy the symbolical corner stone was laid solemnly at the building site of the new enterprize.