The Swedish concern IKEA keeps trying to start its own business in Belarus. The Ministry of Trade is now actively negotiating with foreign investors representing IKEA. In parallel with the creation of furniture production in Belarus, the Swedish company would also like to build a large shopping center. This kind of shops she built Russia. The complex under one roof unites about 150 stores of various profiles (IKEA furniture store, grocery hypermarket, hardware store, electronics and home appliances supermarket, clothing, shoe, accessories stores), a food court and other facilities for family holidays. The arrival of such a large player would be primarily interesting for buyers, the Deputy Minister of Trade believes, because IKEA leads many global companies, which are located in the areas of its shopping center. However, by doing so, “we are making a huge competition to our own manufacturer and our own trading network,” Vyacheslav Dragun acknowledged.
Therefore everything has its time, he believes: this process should go gradually. The state would like IKEA to work on local raw materials, with local labor resources and on local equipment. In particular, during the talks, the Swedes were invited to establish joint production at the Mozyr PKD. With this, IKEA agreed. However, the hitch occurred with a plot of land for the construction of a shopping center near Minsk. However, according to V.Dragun, there are no obstacles here - "buy at auction a piece of land and build." True, IKEA would like to buy it cheaper. But in the Minsk region is now the highest cost of land, and the state does not intend to lose additional income.
Investors think that the price of land will fall and it grows, the deputy minister said. "And when they seem to be ready to participate, they need a new way to review and coordinate their costs. And it's a long bureaucratic process. "
In addition, IKEA would like to buy more than 30 near Minsk hectares of land, while he prepared to allocate no more than 10 hectares. Build the same shopping center in other regions of the country does not want to IKEA.
By the way, the concern uniform requirements for the construction of its stores in all countries. As a rule, they buy (or rent) plots of a few tens of hectares in the country. Also need to be comfortable highways, as most buyers will have to export furniture unassembled yourself. Furniture and household goods occupy the mall usually about a third area, the rest is given to a multiplex, a cafe and a restaurant. Part of the space is rented to other retailers.
According to the deputy minister, the Swedish company has not yet arrived in Belarus in many respects because it does not want to adjust to the Belarusian conditions. "We welcome those investors who agree with local legislation. Asking for certain privileges for such a large company as IKEA with an annual turnover of tens of billions of euros is not serious, "said V.Dragun. "Then they demand a reduction in the cadastral value of the land, they are asked to remove restrictions on the growth of prices for socially important goods. But we can not take and let go of prices, we have a socially-oriented economy. " Meanwhile, Russian or Lithuanian companies agree with the requirements of the Belarusian side, cited the example of the minister.
Talking about the organization Swedish concern production in Belarus were still in 2001-2002 years. Then the country has personally visited the owner of IKEA Ingvar Kamprad (according to "Forbes" magazine, one of the richest men in the world). The project included investments worth 30 million. Dollars. Foreign company planned to create in the Vitebsk region. It was supposed to be engaged in logging, sawing timber and furniture production. However, largely because of opposition from local woodworkers who feared competition course of the project the government was not given.
Another attempt to enter the Belarusian market was made in 2007. Then IKEA appealed to the Ministry of Economics through a Latvian partner company with a proposal to create a joint venture to produce furniture in the Grodno region. It was planned to invest 25 million dollars. In particular, the Swedish concern offered to give her a long-term use of the forest plot, as well as provide her with a number of benefits. However, the company was also refused. As explained then by the representatives of the Ministry of Forestry, the forest resources of the Grodno region were fully utilized, and the transfer of forest areas on a concession condition is harmful to forestry.
The Swedish company IKEA works in 44 countries. Manufactures furniture and home accessories - all about 9,5 thousand. SKUs. Sales of IKEA Group for 2007-financial year amounted to 19,8 billion. Euro.
Today the products present in Belarus, but through intermediaries. Several years of experience purchasing organization IKEA, which coordinates cooperation with Belarusian suppliers.
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