Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Aug. 18
By Demir Azizov- Trend:
The Chinese company Xu Zhan Investment will commission an enterprise for the production of ceramic tiles in Uzbekistan worth $24.3 million in the first half of 2016, association of leather and footwear enterprises of Uzbekistan, which is the project participant, told Trend.
The association said that the company with the design production capacity of 6 million square meters of ceramic tiles per year is being built in the Syrdarya branch of the "Jizzakh" special industrial zone (SIZ).
The project is financed from the funds of the association in the amount of $9.3 million and equity of the Chinese company worth $15 million.
The project is included in the state program of measures on providing structural reforms, modernization and diversification of production for 2015-2019.
This will be the largest enterprise for the production of ceramic tiles in the country, according to the source.
It was early reported that in September 2010, the Uzbek-Chinese JV Peng Sheng, established by Chinese Wenzhou Jinsheng Trade Co, Ltd and Uzbek LLC Sinlong, commissioned the production of ceramic tiles worth $12.3 million in the Syrdarya region (central part of the country). The design capacity of the enterprise is four million square meters per year.
The annual demand of Uzbek domestic market in the ceramic tile is about 10 million square meters per year, 85 percent of which is covered by imports.
In accordance with the plans of development of the industry, Uzbekistan by 2020 plans to increase the production of ceramic tiles by 1.5 times, up to 11.5 million square meters (7.8 million square meters to date).
"Jizzakh" SIZ was established in March 2013 by the decree of Uzbek President Islam Karimov. The main tasks and activities of "Jizzakh" SIZ are: attracting direct investments for the creation and efficient operation of modern high-tech and innovative industries for the manufacturing of products with high added value.
In Uzbekistan, there are two more industrial zones "Navoi" and "Angren" today in addition to "Jizzakh" SIZ.
Edited by CN