OCK,the Kardjali-based lead and zinc producer, has contracted Finland'sOutotec, a provider of technologies and services for the mining andmetallurgical industries, to deliver a new technological solution thatwill boost production capacity while reducing harmful gas emissions,said holding company Intertrust, the majority owner of the Bulgariancompany.
The 25 mln euro contract value covers delivery and assembly.
TheOutotec deal is part of OCK's 95 mln euro investment program, ValentinZahariev, Intertrust managing director and member of the OCKsupervisory board, told Dnevnik.
As much as 68 mln euro of the spendis earmarked for the zinc operations of the company and morespecifically a project that will boost output to 45 mln tons by 2009.
OCKhas signed a loan agreement with BNP Paribas for the zinc project. Thefunding will be made available to the borrower after the Bulgarianenvironment ministry approves the environment impact assessment of theproject.
The investment in the lead production should more than double the output to 60,000 tons.
TheKardjali company will sign a contract in September for the purchase ofan Australian technology that would make possible an upgrade of thelead production capacity and will have attendant environmentalprotection benefits, said Zahariev.
OCK has forecast earnings of over 20 mln levs for 2007 with revenues rising to 200 mln levs from 160 mln levs a year ago.
(Dnevnik)