vlad.tribnet.com / Issue #154 / Business / Reading article...

Bigwigs visit Japan

A group of Primorye manufacturers led by Vice Gov. Igor Belchuk recently traveled to the Hokkaido prefecture in Japan, where they participated in an exhibition of Primorye-made goods. Japanese investors at the exhibition were most interested in partnerships with the Mink fur company, Dikona pharmaceuticals, the Fabrika Zarya clothing factory, and fishing giant Dalmoreprodukt.

Vostok builds oil rig

Two sections of a base for a deep-water oil platform for the Sakhalin II project were delivered to a Vostok factory dockyard in Bolshoi Kamen recently. Vostok is a sub-contractor of the Amursk shipyard which won an order to manufacture the supporting base for the oil platform, a contract estimated at $35 million. Vostok spokesman Victor Kovtun told journalists that the base would be installed by the middle of 1998. Encouraged by Vostok’s success, Vladivostok-based plant Dalzavod and Arseniev-based Progress are planning to participate in Sakhalin I and II contract competitions at the start of next year. The krai press department said Primorye companies will participate in the federal program of gasification of Sakhalin oblast, as well as Khabarovsky and Primorsky krais. Oil is expected to begin flowing from Sakhalin II by the year 2000.

Konditer pushes sales

Vladivostok confectionery factory Primorsky Konditer began taking orders for Christmas packages recently. Factory management says that competition in the candy market is high this year thanks to increased activity among Moscow manufacturers. Primorsky Konditer will keep ahead of the competition by increasing assortments and candy weight.