Nairit chemical plant located in a Yerevan suburb is able to meet 50% of Russia’s demand for chloroprene rubber, which is approximately 25,000-30,000 tons, according to Vazgen Safaryan, the chairman of the Union of Domestic Commodity Producers.
“Until recently, Russia imported chloroprene rubber from Germany, which may terminate these supplies. This in mind Armenian authorities should start negotiations with the Russian side on the acceleration of modernization and re-equipment of Nairit plant for export of chloroprene rubber to the Russian market,” Safaryan said at a press conference on Tuesday.
Safaryan further urged the authorities to take stock of all internal resources and to identify the range of goods which Armenia can sell in Russia against the drop of mounting tension between Moscow and the West.
Nairit was the only plant in the Soviet Union to produce chloroprene rubber. The plant was closed in 1989 for environmental reasons and resumed operating partially in 1992. In 2001, some production facilities were separated from the plant for producing chloroprene rubber and a debt-free enterprise based on them was established.
In 2006, 90% of Nairit’s shares were sold to British Rainoville Property Limited for $40 million. The remaining 10% belong to the Armenian government.
In late December 2013, Rosneft, Pirelli Tyre Armenia and Rosneft-Armenia signed a memorandum to produce butadiene-styrene rubber here.
Former prime minister Tigran Sargsyan said that Rosneft wanted to invest $400 million in the new plant.