Ukraine: Obolon has started the construction of a new malting plant

ZAO Obolon, one of the leading beer makers of Ukraine, announced on January 13 that they have started the construction of a new malting plant in Khmelnitsk region. The new plant is planned to produce about 60 thousand tonnes of malt per year and to start the production process by 2007. A spokesman of the company mentioned that Obolon plans to invest about EUR 20 million in the construction of the plant, not taking into the account the investments made so far. It is supposed that the plant is to supply with malt only Obolon brewery.

Preliminary works on the project were started in January 2005. Now the main body of the plant is being constructed.

Nowadays the leading Ukraine�s malting producers are Slavutsky malting plant, owned by Soufflet Group, Malteurop company, ZAO Obolon and brewing company Sarmat.

In 2005 ZAO Obolon increased beer production by 37.7% compared to 2004 up to 7.68 million hl.

According to Ukrpivo, the volume of Ukrainian beer market is to account around 23 million hl when in 2005 it came to 21.2 million hl.