OREANDA-NEWS. April 08, 2014. Round-table discussions held at the Embassy of Belarus in Russia put together its representatives, the management of "Byelorussian Metallurgical Company" (hereinafter BMC) and two Trade Houses of Byelorussian Steel Works (hereinafter – BMZ), and Russian metallurgists partners for considering the prospects of their cooperation.

In particular,the round table discussions included the prospects of development of the Russian steel market, opportunities to expand the presence on it the companiesof "BMC"holding, as well the issues of raw material supply, logistics and marketing.

Addressing the audience with welcoming words, Igor Petrishenko, Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Republic of Belarus in the Russian Federation, has stressed that Russia is a major trading partner of our country. For example, just for the last year exports of BMZ products to Russia amounted 725.5 thousand tons to the sum of USD 454.2 million.

Today BMZ has partnership with more than 80 Russian companies and for some types of products holds a large share in the Russia market. In particular, it regards reinforcement bars where BMZ controls a quarter of the market in Moscow and Moscow region. As concerns the distribution network of the holding in the Russian Federation, it is based on two trading houses. One of them is based in Moscow and is selling products, and the second - in St. Petersburg and its main function is to supply raw materials.

As reported the CEO of "Byelorussian Steel Works - management company of "Byelorussian Metallurgical Company" holding"Anatoly Savenok the cooperation between the companies of the holding and the Russian partners have stable nature. Thus, in recent years the turnover of Belarusian companies of the holding with Russia enterprises has doubled. However, currently there are factors that do not allow increasing exports such as strengthening the competitive environment due to a substantial increase of metallurgical enterprises in the Russian Federation, their competitive advantage due to lower domestic energy prices as well as rising prices for railroad rates and devaluation of the Russian ruble.

The participation in the round table discussions were taken by the expert of the Department of Industrial Policy of the Eurasian Economic Commission A.S. Degtyareva, advisor of the General Director of JSC "NPK "Tehmash" K.V. Derevyanko, director of non-profit organization "Pipe Industry Development Fund" O.I. Kalinsky, head of the perspective planning of the Department of MTR OJSC "Rosneft" T.I. Kharitonoshvili and head of the Belarusian Universal Commodity Exchange O.A. Yakubovich.

It is worth noting that our partners have spoken positively about the Belarusian metal production, which is known worldwide. This is quite logical: BMZ invests in technical re-equipment of production much more funds than the steel companies in Russia; as a result this allows the company to be competitive.

At the meetingthe management of "BMC" holding has expressed the confidence that the round table discussions will identify a list of the most pressing issues the solving of which will strengthen the cooperation. As repeatedly noted, "Byelorussian Metallurgical Company" is interested in establishing direct relations with Russian partners.