OREANDA-NEWS.Chelyabinsk Zinc Plant, Russia's largest producer of zinc and zinc alloys, has concluded contracts for production export to Ukraine and Belarus, the company's press service announced. By the year end, almost 5,300 tonnes of zinc and its alloys will be supplied to the Ukraine via Ukrainian trader Petrochemical Trading Ltd. Exports to Belarus will be implemented via Belarussian trader ООО Aresa-Service ТSТ. By the year end Belarussian traders will receive in total more than 500 tonnes of Chelyabinsk Zinc products.

"New partners in CIS countries primarily mean for us an expansion of our sales markets. We have never before exported our products to these countries," - CZP Commercial Director Berislav Galovich said, commenting on the new contracts. Until now all exports have been made exclusively via Swiss trader Euromin S.A. Chelyabinsk zinc is in great demand among European customers due to its high quality, SHG (Special High Grade). "Almost 50% of our exported products are supplied under contracts to particular customers which place orders specifically for Chelyabinsk zinc," Mr. Galovich added. In 2006, company's total exports exceeded $202 million worth.

Earlier this year, CZP has started direct zinc supplies to its UK subsidiary, Brock Metal. The first shipment was one thousand tonnes of metal. By the year end the total of 6 thousand tonnes of zinc will be supplied to the UK. Next year total shipments thereto are planned to amount to 22 thousand tonnes.