We are strengthening the capacity of our latest acquisition – Samarkand NPK factory in Uzbekistan by acquiring polypropylene fabric equipment from a well-known European manufacturer Klameta as well as big bag production equipment from other countries. As the head of UHB group Kęstutis Pakalnis notes, this new line is like a factory within a factory: “As far as we are aware, none of the NPK fertiliser factories in the Baltic countries have such production capabilities, so we are the pioneers producing everything – from the fabric to the final product”.
Our long-term experience in the NPK fertiliser business, where we do it all – from production, packaging and logistics to supplying the final product – has shown us the demand for industrial big bags. So as soon as we saw an opportunity to acquire a polypropylene fabric production line we did so as well as purchasing additional equipment from Asia specially designed for the production of such bags.
Since the fertiliser production in Samarkand NPK factory is growing and raw materials are readily available as well as more favourable energy and other costs, it was a clear decision to launch this line here. Also there is a high demand for this product in the local Asian market.
The factory will employ about 100 local employees assisted by managers and specialists from Lithuania.
Currently the new factory is at a 50% capacity and UHB group experience in efficiency and employee training will have the factory operational at 100% capacity within half a year. This means 400k units per month.
Around 10% of these big bags will be used by UHB group companies, another 40% will meet the demand of the local market in Uzbekistan and the remaining 50% will be sold to industrial companies in the European Union.