MOSCOW, March 19 (AVN) - Siberian-Urals Petrochemical and Gas Company (SIBUR) has bought control of the Kurganmashzavod JS, a major manufacturer of tracked combat vehicles, a spokesman for the Federal securities market commission told the Military News Agency on Monday.
SIBUR representatives got the majority of seats in the enterprise's board of directors. According to the data, obtained by the Agency, SIBUR, which is a subsidiary of gas giant Gazprom, is planning to raise the share of civilian production in the plant's overall output from 29.5 percent to 60 percent. In so doing, the new owner of Kurganmashzavod will major in the production of vehicles that are necessary for gas companies.
The plant already produces snow/swamp buggies and skidding vehicles. Moreover, the enterprise has developed a system for servicing gas and oil mains. The system consists of two excavating machines, a digging vehicle, lag removing vehicle, pipe-swabbing machine, lagging machine, and mobile electric power station.
According to SIBUR, increased civilian production will not affect the defence-related business. Kurganmashzavod is now dealing with an export contract to supply infantry fighting vehicles to Iran and United Arab Emirates.