Reducing the risks of localization of production in Russia was the main theme of the business lunch that the SEZ "Alabuga" held at SPIEF today. The event was attended by the President of the Republic of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov. The guests of the dinner were top managers of the largest foreign and Russian industrial companies. The general director of SEZ "Alabuga" Timur Shagivaleev presented the solutions that have developed a special economic zone to reduce the risks of investors.
Welcoming the participants of the business lunch, the President of the Republic of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov highly appreciated the effectiveness of the SEZ "Alabuga" as a platform for investment and noted that the special economic zone constantly finds new formats for attracting investors. "During the year we launched three enterprises, in plans not less than two. We are always looking for new ways: the last decision is to provide residents with ready-made production facilities. This is a new approach, a good way to start a business. Here in "Alabuga" there are all support measures, tax, customs, all necessary infrastructure is created. Corporate University is working, it's highly qualified staff, they get the knowledge and skills that managers of high world level give", Rustam Minnikhanov said.
The CEO of the SEZ "Alabuga" Timur Shagivaleev addressed the dinner participants with a presentation about the main ways to reduce the cost of localization of production in Russia. The most obvious risk, increasing investment in Russia, remains the currency risk - the devaluation of the ruble and the growth in the payback period of projects procured in dollars. With another danger - fluctuations in customer demand - it is easier to deal with companies that purchase raw materials and components in the ruble zone. A successful example in the SEZ "Alabuga" is the Turkish factory for the production of fillings and wood boards Kastamonu. The company buys wood raw materials and gas for production in Russia, while 36% of the volume of finished products is exported.
Timur Shagivaleev paid special attention to the issue of sharing money risks with the state with investors. According to him, such a mechanism is necessary, otherwise new production will not appear. As an example, he cited a list of 10 major investment projects prepared by "Alabuga", which could potentially be realized in Tatarstan. The total volume of investments exceeds 600 billion rubles.
This list was mentioned the day before and by the President of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov speaking at the SPIEF session on new investment policy mechanisms. He called for the adoption in the near future of the SPIC 2.0 mechanism, developed with the participation of Tatarstan specialists. The document guarantees unchanged tax conditions for investors who have localized production in the Russian Federation.
Without special conditions, according to standard market mechanisms, it is difficult to launch these 10 projects, mainly because of the banks' demands for the share of the investor's own funds and collateral. The solution for launching projects could be co-financing of the federal budget by joining the state in the authorized capital of companies.
Discussion of the localization of production continued with the topic of staff shortages. Companies that host manufacturing in Russia often face shortages of the required skills. Residents of the SEZ "Alabuga" annually need 25 specialists in mechatronics, 25 chemists, 25 power engineers, 25 specialists in automated process control systems. Future specialists should possess engineering thinking, know the English language at least Intermediate level, have certificates according to international standards.
To solve the problem of shortage of highly qualified personnel Shagivaleev offered through advanced training of future specialists, starting with kindergarten and school. The program of popularization of engineering specialties among children has already been approved by the President of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov. The plan provides for the education of children in kindergartens in the English language and engineering by the engineers of the SEZ "Alabuga" themselves. For schoolchildren, special subjects are taught in addition to the basic program.
Also, during the business lunch about the experience of localization of production in Russia, top managers of the existing residents of the SEZ were told: Adil Shirinov, president of the Ford-Sollers and director of the Kastamonu plant Ali Kilic.
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