Caspian Energy (CE): How do you assess the development of the construction sector, having in consideration the revival of the formerly occupied territories?
Necmeddin Tashbag, General Director of Kartaş Ltd LLC: The construction sector in Azerbaijan has been developing rapidly for many years. A large amount of work on construction of infrastructure, residential and social-public buildings has been carried out in the country throughout this period. Along with the growing demand for new residential buildings, a lot of renovation and reconstruction work over existing buildings was done. At the same time, there were roads, bridges and railways built in all regions of the country, including urban improvement activities. This work gave rise to the development of the construction and building materials sector in Azerbaijan. Finally, our lands, which had been under occupation for 30 years, were liberated, and a great historical victory was won. Our Supreme Commander-in-chief and our triumphant army are the main heroes of this victory. I split our triumph into two stages. The first stage is already complete because our lands have been cleared of the enemy. The second stage will feature the economic and social development of Karabakh. The entire infrastructure, all residential buildings and dwelling settlements on these lands were looted and destroyed during the occupation. Right after the completion of the military victory, the state began implementing major projects to return citizens, who had been banished from their native lands for years, back to the lands to which they belong. Transport and energy supply projects were launched first. And after that, production and industrial enterprises will be created to reconstruct settlements and provide jobs for people returning to these lands. In this regard, the implementation of some projects has already been commenced. Considering all these works, these actions show that the construction sector in Azerbaijan will step into an active phase in the next few years. When I first visited the liberated territories in the framework of our engagement in projects launched there, I witnessed that the Armenians were perfectly aware of their not being true owners of these lands. That’s why they destroyed and looted everything. The subsequent visits let me witness what a large amount of work was carried out within a short period of time.
CE: Do you use local raw materials when producing building materials or you simply import them? Are there company’s products and services used in the restoration operations running in Karabakh? Did the company participate in operations performed in Karabakh?
Necmeddin Tashbag: The assortment of construction chemicals we produce is quite large. For this reason we use more than 100 different types of raw materials. If analogues of raw materials we need are available in the domestic market, we use them. Those that are not produced domestically, we import them from different countries. Our products have been used in many projects since the start of restoration work in Karabakh. Our company has been engaged in the production of concrete additives for many years and gained broad experience. It made our company the largest supplier to all infrastructure projects implemented in the region. Noteworthy among them are railways, motor roads and tunnels driven in the direction of Fuzuli-Shusha, as well as highways towards Jebrail-Gubadly-Lachin. Our products are used on highways and tunnels laid in the direction of Toganaly-Kalbajar and Kalbajar-Lachin. They were also used in many buildings and monuments which were renovated and reconstructed in Shusha. Many of our products have also been used in the ‘smart village’ project implemented in the village of Agaly, the first settlement built in Karabakh. Mr.Fix concrete and chemical additives are also used in the structure of the under-construction mountain tunnel in Murov which, at a length of about 12 km, will also be one of the few tunnels in Europe.
CE: What is the main criterion of success for you as a manager, and what hopes do you rest on the government support in the development of this business sector?
Necmeddin Tashbag: Our success rests upon the fact that since the very beginning we have been doing what was right. It became our main criterion over the years. Our main goal is not only to sell products, but also to provide the most suitable solution. Along with this, we have always followed the rapid development of the sector in which we are engaged, and we have also made improvement in our skills and our products to keep up with this development. In general, government support is very important in all sectors, not just in the industry in which we are involved. In particular, the importance of this support in the production sector is growing even more. We felt this support as a local producer who has been working for 20 years. In recent years, the state has begun paying more attention to the development of the non-oil sector and production. We hope that this support will contribute to our further development and the entry of our products into new markets outside the country.
CE: Do you plan to work on international markets, and how competitive are your company’s products and services in foreign markets?
Necmeddin Tashbag: We are already working in international markets. We export our products to Uzbekistan. There are over 60 points selling Mr. Fix products in this country. Our products compete not with locally produced goods, but with goods exported to this country from Europe, Russia and Turkey. Our products and quality policy, complying with international standards, also increase our competitiveness in international markets. We plan to increase our export markets in the coming years.
CE: Do your products and services meet the latest standards of environmental safety and labor protection?
Necmeddin Tashbag: We make products in accordance with the requirements of international standards. The environmental safety and labor protection are certainly our top priority. Given that the products we make are chemical, it is also important for the end user to comply with the rules of storage, use and subsequent disposal of products. In this regard, the company meets all the requirements related to this, as well as instructs customers and suppliers.
