Verkhnekamsk Potash Company (a member of Acron Group) has signed the Social and Economic Cooperation Agreement for 2025–2043 with Perm Krai administration, which provides for comprehensive joint efforts to address the key social and economic development issues of the region. Perm Krai Governor Dmitry Makhonin, Acron Vice President Vladimir Kantor, and the Chairman of Acron Board of Directors Alexander Popov attended the signing ceremony. Under this agreement, VPC is already investing RUB 152.5 million this year in infrastructure and social projects in Berezniki, Perm Krai.
‘During my working visit to Berezniki, I inspected how Acron Group is implementing its priority investment project and building a new mine in Perm Krai. This challenging and ambitious project has been underway since 2016, overcoming significant obstacles, including those caused by the pandemics. With the new mine facility in operation, the annual capacity of extraction and processing of potassium-magnesium salts will increase by 2 million tonnes and over 2,000 new jobs will be created for the local community’, said Mr Makhonin.
The Governor also acknowledged VPC’s personnel training programmes in cooperation with local vocational education institutions. For example, VPC is a major employer in a chemical cluster of the federal Professionalitet programme at Berezniki Polytechnic College. Mr Makhonin noted that the students are already studying the technology they will use in their future work and are doing internships at VPC.
‘This agreement is a part of our long-term development strategy. Acron Group not only invests in construction of production capacity but also is committed to be a socially responsible partner. Acron contributes to sustainable development of the region, supports the social projects and initiatives focused primarily on the Perm Krai residents’, said Mr Kantor.
After the signing ceremony, the Perm Krai Governor visited the Talitsky mine’s facilities under construction, where he was briefed by VPC CEO Alexander Pupov on the progress of the investment project to build a mining and processing facility, current tasks, development plans and social policy. At the end of the visit, Mr Makhonin went down the mine shaft, saw the latest technology used in mineral extraction and talked to the mine's employees.
For reference
Verkhnekamsk Potash Company is Acron Group’s strategic project to create own potash raw material base. The company is constructing mining and processing facility in the Talitsky area of the Verkhnekamsk potassium-magnesium salt deposit with a design capacity of 2 million tonnes of potassium chloride per year. Total investment in the project will exceed USD 2.6 billion. The project will create over 2,000 jobs.