Russia's Volma Group acquires gypsum plant with quarry in Kazakhstan

VOLGOGRAD. Sept 26 (Interfax) - Volma Group, a construction materials maker based in Volgograd, has acquired 100% of a gypsum plant with gypsum quarry in western Kazakhstan, the Russian company reported.

"A gypsum plant in the village of Inderbor, Atyrau region, as well as a gypsum deposit in close proximity to the plant itself became part of Volma's production divisions at the end of September," the company said in a press release.

"The quarry is notable in that the gypsum content in its rock is 94%, which is one of the highest quality indicators for this basic raw material for dry building mixes," the company said.

Volma did not disclose the price of the deal or name the Kazakh business it acquired. Open source data show that Inderbor has a gypsum and dry building mix plant called InderGips. This firm's website said the company owns a gypsum deposit located 30 km from the plant, along with a crushing and sorting complex. Gypsum content in the rock averages up to 94%, enabling the business to sell gypsum rock (grades 0-300 mm) as a separate product. The plant can produce up to 120,000 tonnes of finished product per year.

Almaty-based Fincraft Resources said in a statement on the Kazakhstan Stock Exchange (KASE) website that it ceased to own 100% of InderGips (formerly Aktausky Bitum) as of September 20, 2023. Fincraft Resources (known as SAT & Company prior to 2018) is a major mining and metals group founded in 2001 by Kazakh businessman Kenes Rakishev.

The Kazakh business has become Volma's ninth plant. The group also has two plants in Volgograd Region, and plants in Adygeya, Tatarstan, and Moscow, Orenburg, Irkutsk and Chelyabinsk regions.

Volma Group was formed around the Volgograd Gypsum Plant in 1999 and is Russia's largest producer of gypsum and cement construction and finishing materials.