OREANDA-NEWS. First domestic telecommunication optical fiber plant has been launched today in Saransk, the capital of the Republic of Mordovia. The project was implemented by Optic Fiber Systems, a portfolio company of RUSNANO, Gazprombank and Republic of Mordovia. It is the 60th plant built by RUSNANO in Russia.

The official ceremony marking the launch of the new plant was attended by Arkady Dvorkovich, Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation; Vladimir Volkov, Head of the Republic of Mordovia; Anatoly Chubais, Chairman of the Executive Board of RUSNANO.

Today market demand for fiber optics in Russia is fully satisfied by import. The initial plant capacity of 2.4 mln km of fiber optics per year will cover 50% of the Russian cable facilities demand in this high-tech material. Program for plant modernization and equipment efficiency upgrade will ensure almost a doubled production output in 2-3 years.

Total allocated project budget is RUB 2.7 bln with RUB 1.3 bln invested by RUSNANO. The support granted by Vladimir Putin, the President of the Russian Federation, the Russian Government, relevant ministries and government departments and the Republic of Mordovia made it possible both to implement the import substitution project promptly and promote high-tech fiber optic projects development.

The main production focus will be telecommunication fiber for communication cables. Industry leaders such as Sаranskkabel-Optika, Eurocabel-1 and Moskabel-Fujikura have already tested first fiber optic samples produced at the Russian plant and expressed favorable opinions. The product certification program successfully implemented in collaboration with Russian Scientific Research and Development Cable Institute, as well as the optic fiber and cable tests conducted with Rostelecom, will expand the range of fiber optics application in communication network engineering in Russia (particularly within the federal project “Bridging the digital disparity”) in the short run.

Optic Fiber Systems’ production development program involves further fiber optic manufacturing localization in Russia. A building permit for preform production has been already obtained. This will provide successful vertical integration and help to broaden the range of special optical fibers used in oil and gas facilities, medical device manufactures and defense complex. Fiber optic has a high potential for application in endoscopes, gyroscopes, sonar devices, pressure sensors, thermometers, voltage sensors, fiber lasers.
RUSNANO was founded as an open joint stock company in March 2011, through reorganization of state corporation Russian Corporation of Nanotechnologies. RUSNANO is instrumental in realizing government policies for nanoindustry growth, investing in financially effective high-technology projects that guarantee the development of new manufacturing within the Russian Federation. The company invests in nanotechnology companies directly and through investment funds. Its primary investment focus is in electronics, optoelectronics and telecommunications, healthcare and biotechnology, metallurgy and metalwork, energy, mechanical engineering and instrument making, construction and industrial materials, and chemicals and petrochemicals. The Government of the Russian Federation owns 100 percent of the shares in RUSNANO.

Work to establish nanotechnology infrastructure and carry out educational programs is fulfilled by RUSNANO’s Fund for Infrastructure and Educational Programs, which was also established during the reorganization of the Russian Corporation of Nanotechnologies.

Management of the investment assets of RUSNANO are carried out by a limited liability company established in December 2013, RUSNANO Asset Management. Anatoly Chubais is chairman of its Executive Board.