Address by Director General

Dear colleagues!

In 2020, Shchekinoazot, one of the leaders in the country's chemical industry, will turn 65!

This is a significant and exciting date for Shchekinoazot, all our good friends and partners. This date combines work in difficult conditions, overcoming, happiness of victories, the launch of new production facilities, loyalty to the cause, and the joy of creation...

...We meet the next milestone in the development of the company with enthusiasm and optimism. We confidently look to the future, and we look to the past, where there were many good, kind and genuine things, with warmth and gratitude. And we remember its every stage.

From the distant 1950s to this day, Shchekinoazot has been creating its map of victories. Its "glory stations" have specific names: The Shchekino phenomenon, the Eternal Flame — the first in the Soviet Union, a cultural and sports complex (the experience of constructing such complexes was adopted by other regions), the chemist village of Pervomaisky — the first single-industry town in the country... Others followed us. But we were the first.

The plant became one of the first chemical enterprises in the local industry. It was the plant that was tasked with the development of the Soviet chemical industry by the First Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee N. S. Khrushchev.

The chemical plant's team was the first to accept responsibility for testing a new economic method of management called the Shchekino phenomenon. The experiment aroused great interest throughout the Soviet Union and far beyond.

The Shchekino chemical plant became the first and only of its kind experimental site among companies in the local chemical industry, where scientific institutes tested and verified new technologies and techniques.

The country's first Eternal Flame was lit here on the Shchekino land, on the mass grave of the defenders of the Motherland in the Great Patriotic War; it was the idea of Shchekino chemists.

We were among the first companies to begin the revival of the chemical industry in the country after the crisis of the 90s. The urea-formaldehyde concentrate production facility was built from scratch. It was the only new facility in Russia at that time...

All of the above is already known and the company’s team is proud of it.

Throughout its development, Azot has taken the difficult path of pioneers.

Today, the company has not only achieved the best indicators in reducing the consumption coefficient of benzene for the production of caprolactam, in the quality of certain types of products, for example, sulfuric acid, among local companies, but is ahead of almost everyone in Russia and in Europe in terms of development, construction of new production facilities.

We are gradually and consistently implementing the Development Strategy of Shchekinoazot. We have implemented 16 major investment projects; investments have exceeded a billion dollars.

At the same time, we built four cutting-edge production facilities, which were launched in 2018: Methanol-Ammonia M-450\A-135 complex with new treatment plants, sulfuric acid, aerosol dimethyl ether plants (joint venture with PCC SE, Germany). All these successfully operating facilities are of tremendous importance for Shchekinoazot. They determine the development of the company for years to come!

We will further strengthen the company's position with the launch of Methanol-500, nitric acid and ammonium nitrate, urea and ammonia production facilities. We place a premium on these projects! This is the future of our company, its tomorrow! The Methanol-500 unit will allow the company to reach methanol output of 1 million 500 thousand tons per year and make the company a leading manufacturer of this product in Europe. We will have the most competitive technology in terms of energy and resource consumption.

All modern projects of Shchekinoazot are aimed at increasing the export potential of the region and are fully consistent with the tasks set by the authorities in Russia and the Tula region.

Our goal to become one of the country's leaders in the production of methanol and other chemical products will be achieved!

Today I know for sure: our team can handle any task, the most complex, non?standard, large-scale ones!

For many years, Shchekinoazot has been the guarantor of social stability and is one of the largest taxpayers and philanthropists in the region.

I'm sincerely respectful and grateful to veterans and employees of the plant, to all who contributed to the development of Shchekinoazot, multiplied its fame with their work and talent, who contributed and helped us along this path, to all our partners, like-minded people and allies!

I am proud to be part of the Shchekinoazot team, to preside and lead it to new horizons and frontiers! 

We will be glad to see you among the regular partners of our company!

President of Shchekinoazot

Boris A. Sokol