SSPU in 2006 intends to increase volume of investments

/INTERFAX-KAZAKHSTAN, Rudnyi, November 2, 05/ - Sokolovsko- Sarbayskoye production unit JSC (SSPU, Kostanay oblast) next year plans investments in the volume of $90 m. against $89 m. in 2005, Anatoliy Bazhenov company's vice-president said. In SSPU investment program is executed by main four directions: raw stuff base development, factory complex development, energy complex development and innovation projects, Bazhenov said. He says in 2005 there were spent $51 m. for raw stuff base development, for factory complex development - $13 m., energy complex - $6 m. and for innovation projects - $19 m. According to his information, investments into Kacharskoye mining pit ($36.7 m.) increased production capacity by 2 m. tons of ore, and investments into Kurzhunkulskiy pit ($3 m.) - by 1.2 m. tons. Investments into factory complex increased its capacity by 1 m. tons of commodity output. SSPU's investments for year 2006 will be allocated in the following way: for raw stuff base development - $56 m., for factory complex development - $14 m., energy complex - $6 m., innovation projects - $14 m. As the whole since 2001 till 2005 volume of SSPU's investments totaled about $255 m.: in 2001 - $24.5 m., in 2002 - $29.3 m., in 2003 - $44.2 m., in 2004 - $69.2 m., in 2005 - about $89 m. An important innovation project of SSPU, according to Bazhenov, is building of metallurgical complex with total cost of $910 m., which includes expenses for building of a plant on producing spattered product - $470 m., steel production plant - $105 m. One more priority project of SSPU is expansion of heat station capacity ($38 m. of investments). Bazhenov says since year 2004 a work on preparation for building a plant for sputtered briquettes is being executed. Capacity of the plant will be 2.4 m. tons per year. It was said before that SSPU planned to set in exploitation a similar plant by year 2006, intending to invest over $350 m. into this project. SSPU is the biggest in Kazakhstan producer of iron ore raw stuff. In 2004 SSPU outputted 35.8 m. tons of raw iron ore and produced 14.8 m. tons of commercial ore. The company is among Eurasian industrial association (EIA). Besides SSPU EIA also comprises Eurasian energy corporation JSC (Pavlodar oblast), Aluminium of Kazakhstan JSC (Pavlodar oblast), ventures of TNC Kazchrome, Shubarkol Komir JSC (Karaganda oblast), Mugotex JSC (East- Kazakhstan oblast) and Zhairemskiy OMPE (Karaganda oblast). [2005-11-03]