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By Olga Pavuk
 Anatoly Tyutyunov started off as a simple worker... |
Keramin is the largest company to produce building materials in the CIS, making ceramic tiles, plumbing equipment, producing its own bricks and packaging. Its produce was presented at the annual Belarus Expo 2001, held in Riga this March. From the point of view of foreign specialists - Keramin is one of the most up-to-date ceramic tile producers in the world. Just before exhibition day, the BC visited Keramin in Minsk and interviewed its CEO Anatoly Tyutyunov, who reorganized the company's production line and adapted it to the market economy.
Well, if one respects himself, he should feel so. In fact, today there are
no capitalists, but simply wealthy people. Their wealth is not the result of
genetics, but from taking the situation as it is and running their business
correctly. To be a capitalist means not just to realize your potential intensely,
but also efficiently.
Does the state have any share in your joint stock company?
There was no state capital in our company three years ago. Today the state
owns 2.4 percent of the shares.
Your company is a public company. This means that your shares
are listed on the market?
Undoubtedly, the shares of a public company must be quoted on the stock
exchange; although the stock market in Belarus is still only dawning. We tried
to determine the real level of our share liquidity by issuing just a small stake
of shares on the stock exchange. I thought our shares will be quite expensive.
The history of KeraminThe cornerstone of Keramin was the Minsk Ceramics
Plant, up and kicking in the beginning of the Twenties as a company
for clay brick production. The year 1950 is considered the establishing
year of the company as it is today. Since 1975 Minskstroimaterial,
or Minsk construction-ware manufacturing association, was the flagship
company for the industry of construction materials in the entire territory
of the former USSR. In 1994 during a privatization process the company
was transformed into Keramin. Anatoly Tyutyunov became the Director
General of the manufacturing association 8 years before the company was
auctioned; he had a lot of work experience both up and downstairs, he
has tried himself as a foreman, as a head of department and a shop and
as director of a factory. Now his son Maxim is a deputy director responsible
for legal issues at the joints-stock company Keramin. |
What is the nominal price of one share?
According to planned investments by the European Bank for Reconstruction
and Development, Deloitte&Touche evaluated our capital to be worth
25 million dollars - that's a deliberate underestimation. In fact the real price
is 75 million. Justification given by the European experts is as following:
you do not have the politics guaranteeing the price of your shares being equal
to liquid capital, you have large risks, you have reserved the option a golden
share. Eventually, the price of one share turned out to be 30 dollars. To my
mind, it will not go any lower on the market.
Do your shareholders receive dividends?
Of course. No less than 10 percent of the profit is channeled into the dividend
fund (net profits in 2000 were at 10.6 million dollars). Keramin's policies
in previous years were quite reasonable - aimed at capitalizing profit and avoiding
the waste of dividends. Our leading plant manufacturing ceramic tiles was modernized
basically during the last five years.
How much money was invested towards modernization?
Modernization - is not a very precise term. Investments are maid into innovative
and technically advanced projects. As a rule the minimum size of annual investments
makes up 12 million dollars.
Where do you get the loans?
As of 1994 we used the services of domestic banks, for example, Belyromstroibank,
specializing in industrial construction. Their interest rates fluctuate between
12 and 19 percent. To offer such interest rates is simply reckless, so we broke
off from them. Today we prefer to cooperate with Italian banks where loans are
short - for a year - but annual interest rates are at 6 or 7 percent. We have
also been working with a leasing company for the third consecutive year. As
soon as our company has settled the previous loan, we receive the next.
Baltic linksThe Baltic market is saturated with ceramic tiles and
other building materials imported from Europe. Nevertheless, until only
recently the produce of Keramin could be found only in the shops
of Lithuania. |
What will happen now, with manufacturing being neglected?
We have two big investment projects. The fist - with a value of 25 to 30
million dollars - is on for reconstruction of plumbing plant. The other needs
35 million dollars to be channeled into the large ceramics production plant
with an annual output of 6 million square meters of gress tiles. The
aim of the first project is not really modernization, but the revolutionary
upgrading of a factory manufacturing plumbing goods. Completely new technological
methods will be used, like casting under high pressure. Taking this into consideration,
productive capacity is decreasing, but the output is doubling: 1.3 million instead
of 640,000 items a year. The second project is to be started from scratch. We
are not able to invest in these two projects with the company's own existing
funds. We are therefore considering cooperation with investors.
We have the following suggestions: as for the ceramic production project we
possibly will establish a limited liability company, where besides Keramin
- there will be also other investors, maybe Russia's Gazprom could be
among these.
Why Gazprom?
Manufacturing uses large quantities of gas, in 1999 - 57 million square
cubic meters of gas was used, in 2000 - 68 million cubic meters. If Russia's
gas giant Gazprom was a member of the joint-stock company, our products would
be more attractive in terms of price, as energy costs for manufacturing would
be optimized.
Where do you export your produce?
The largest part of our production goes to Russia. 80 percent of our ceramics
is directly exported to the CIS and Baltic countries, as well as other foreign
countries. Today the demand of gress tiles, manufactured in Belarus,
is considerably exceeding supply in Russia and other CIS countries.
How is your relationship with the Baltic countries developing?
Exports to Lithuania are stable. We have our own dealer in Kaunas. Recently
our company has signed an agreement for selling our produce through partners
in Latvia. We are eager to expand our business in Estonia.
Who exactly are your shareholders?
Keramin was set up as a result privatizing the state-owned
company upon the initiative of personnel; 92 percent of the company's shares
belong to our workers. Such a division of capital allows an absolute understanding
between shareholders and the management of the company.
So what's the average salary at Keramin?
It's no secret; the salary is equivalent to 180 dollars. [the average monthly
salary in Minsk is only 70 dollars - ed.].
Do you have any other benefits?
Various payments, for example, we cover travel costs for our workers and
their family members; our company takes part in financing the building or buying
of housing for our staff, this allows them to acquire flats much cheaper than
they would on the market. We support our pensioners paying them the equivalent
of one and a half monthly pensions each year, and provide them with food at
acceptable prices. We also managed to find funds for developing the health-improving
children's summer camps that belong to our company.
Does this directive come from the state?
Undoubtedly it is supported by the state. But I treat this task deliberately.
A child left in town for the summer does not feel very happy.
What is the attitude of your shareholders towards the fact
that their money is spent not only for direct company needs?
They take it easily and understand the situation. My answer to such questions
is always: Our future - is a well-off old age.
What does a company manager nowadays dream of?
A good capitalist always dreams of a monopoly. Monopoly and only this, but
not by offending the end customers.
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