Following the March, 2022 decision to divest from the Russian market, Ball Corporation announced that it has completed the sale of its beverage packaging business in Russia to Arnest Group for USD 530 million. The purchaser, Arnest Group, has acquired all of Ball Corporation’s Russian-based business.

“This decision is the result of many months of consideration, delivering a solution that best secures the future of Ball’s colleagues and assets in Russia. We believe this is a sound outcome for Ball in these geo-political circumstances,” said Dan Fisher, president and CEO Ball Corporation.

Arnest is the largest manufacturer of perfume, cosmetic and household products in aerosol packaging in Russia and Ball’s Aluminum Aerosol division has had the opportunity to work with the world class team at Arnest in the past. The closing of this transaction is not subject to any conditions, and all required approvals have been obtained. The sale is not expected to impact Ball’s businesses outside of Russia.

Elopak is deeply concerned by the tragic developments in Ukraine and stands with all those who are suffering at this time. Elopak has wholeheartedly condemned the unprovoked attack by the Government of Russia and supports the resulting economic sanctions implemented by the EU and other actors.

This war has an enormous human cost. As a result of the ongoing and escalating conflict, Elopak is today announcing the suspension of all activities in Russia with immediate effect and until further notice. Elopak’s plant in Fastiv, Ukraine, has already been temporarily closed as we work to protect the safety of our colleagues and their families.

We will continue to pay the salaries of our 336 employees directly affected until further notice. As part of the vital food supply chain, Elopak continues to monitor and evaluate the situation. We are assessing how best we can adapt our operations to support continued access to essential goods across the Eastern European Region.

Our overriding priority remains the personal safety and security of our employees in Ukraine. We are in constant touch with our co-workers in Kyiv and Fastiv and have established a steering group that is working to support them and their loved ones.

The decision is not expected to impact Elopak’s operations outside of Russia, Belarus and Ukraine.

Ball Corporation, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of infinitely recyclable aluminium beverage packaging, is planning to significantly increase its manufacturing capacity, with new cutting-edge facilities in the UK and Russia.

With an increasing consumer call for more sustainable purchasing options and a growing number of new brands and beverage categories choosing cans, demand for aluminium packaging is rapidly expanding around the world. Each facility would produce, from 2023, billions of cans a year across a range of formats and sizes, and provide up to 200 skilled jobs in a fast-growing but stable sector.

In the UK, Ball has identified a site at the SEGRO Park Kettering Gateway, an established industrial development in Northamptonshire. Ball has submitted its formal application to North Northamptonshire Council and anticipates breaking ground during 2021, following a period of public consultation.

The planned Kettering plant will represent Ball’s third beverage can manufacturing facility in the UK, adding capacity to its established plants in Milton Keynes and Wakefield. The plant will supply cans for domestic customers in a growing range of categories, which now includes hard seltzers, wines, ready to drink cocktails, together with pure and enhanced water brands.

To serve the fast growing Russian market, especially in the beer and energy drinks categories, Ball is planning to build a plant in Ulyanovsk in Western Russia. Ball Beverage Packaging Naro-Fominsk has signed a cooperation agreement for its construction with the Ulyanovsk Regional Government, who in June also awarded the development ‘Highly Significant Investment Project’ status.

The Ulynavosk plant will take the total in Russia to four, with established manufacturing facilities in Naro-Fominsk, Moscow Region; Vesvolozhsk, St. Petersburg Region; and Argayash, Chelyabinsk Region.

Beviale Moscow will take place in the Main Stage Event Hall in Moscow from 16 to 18 March 2021. This makes Russia’s first trade fair for the entire beverage production chain one of the few events that allows the sector to come together in person in the spring of 2021. The organisers are responding to explicit requests by Russian exhibitors and visitors who can now look forward to a well-designed and attractive event concept. Numerous event partners and associations are helping to create the high-quality supporting programme. Naturally, all the measures prescribed by the local authorities will be strictly implemented at Beviale Moscow 2021. This special round of the event will pave the way for the next chapter of the Beviale Moscow success story in 2022, which is already attracting a lot of interest, especially from exhibitors unable to attend this year.

Thanks to its timely relocation to the Main Stage Event Hall, Beviale Moscow was able to allow its customers to plan with certainty in what is a precarious environment with underlying conditions that are constantly changing. This location is ideal for this special round of Beviale Moscow this year. Around half of the exhibitors who had registered for the subsequently cancelled 2020 fair, and most partners, will be taking part in Beviale Moscow 2021. Some 80 percent of exhibitors come from Russia, but it is also worth mentioning the around 20 percent of international exhibitors who have committed to the event despite the difficult circumstances.

Comprehensive safety and hygiene concept

“The huge response and extensive support from the sector are a clear indication that our concept has paid off and that Beviale Moscow is the most important platform for the Russian beverage industry,” says a delighted Thimo Holst, Project Manager Beviale Moscow at NürnbergMesse. “We have therefore done our utmost to offer our customers and partners a modified yet high-quality concept under the current circumstances.” This includes a comprehensive safety and hygiene plan. As well all the regulations imposed by the local authorities, like measuring temperatures at the entrance and the wearing of face masks and gloves, Beviale Moscow 2021 is implementing other measures: Sufficient distances are ensured on all special display areas, entrances and exits are separate, numerous hand sanitising stations are provided around the hall, and the air is being continually filtered.

High-quality supporting programme as in previous years

In respect of content, the fair will be on a par with the event planned for 2020. Almost all partners and associations are continuing to support Beviale Moscow this year again and are helping to create an extensive, high-quality supporting programme. At the “Conference on wine production in Russia”, the partnership with the “Vinitech Innovation Tour” will take effect for the first time. Russian wine experts will introduce the peculiarities of the market, while French experts will hold presentations on technology and innovation, giving conference participants a comprehensive overview of the wine market and its future. In Russia, milk production and processing are key issues for the beverage industry. An overview will be provided by the Russian industry portal “The Dairy News” under the heading “The New Milk Retail in Russia”. In collaboration with Coca-Cola, Beviale Moscow will for the first time host a conference on the trend towards healthy drinks. Other items on the programme agenda familiar from previous years are a conference on the Russian beer market conducted by the ABBM, Association of Beer and Beverage Market, the conference on beverage packaging by the National Packaging Confederation NCPack, and the Craft Drinks Corner.

Given the circumstances, the representative Bavarian Pavilion with four Bavarian firms taking part in Beviale Moscow 2021 is particularly worthy of mention. “We are delighted by the unequivocal support of Bayern International, which was impressed by the event following the success of the first pavilion in 2019 and is continuing to back us this year as well,” says Holst. “We are especially pleased that Roland Weigert, Deputy Minister of the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy, will provide a welcoming address by video at the opening of the trade fair.” The continuity of the Bavarian Pavilion underscores the extremely strong economic relations between Bavaria and Russia. In addition, the Representative Office of Bavaria in the Russian Federation will offer a symposium at this year’s Beviale with the title “The latest information and trends in the brewing industry in Bavaria and Russia”.

RUSSIAN APPLE is a business event of a closed format, consisting of a Regional Forum and Technological Exhibition dedicated to industrial gardening in the South of Russia as well as two days of onsite visits to the most promising orchards in the region. This event involves key decision-makers in the development of the industry, top management of various companies, directors and divisional managers, government officials, banks and investors.

The forum consists of strategic sessions to discuss the most important issues of the industry, such as:

• Prospects for gardening in Russia and development strategy;
• Investment potential of the industry;
• The development of nurseries in Russia;
• Storage and recycling issues;
• Internal sales;
• Other important issues for the industry.

During the Forum, a specialized exhibition of equipment and technologies for industrial gardening is held where service companies can talk about their products with their potential customers. It is a unique opportunity for companies that provide products or services for industrial gardening to make new business contacts with their direct consumer.

Advantages of the event:

• Full view of what is happening in the industry from experts and market professionals;
• Onsite visits allow to make new business contacts and partnerships, exchange of experience with leading industry enterprises and agreements on new contracts;
• Informal communication during a gala dinner or cocktail reception with colleagues and potential customers.

The RUSSIAN APPLE Forum is dedicated to the orchards of the Southern Region of Russia, with the presentation of 50+ investment horticultural projects, with 4 strategic sessions on top industry issues, with 20+ reports from leading industry experts, and 2 days of onsite visits to 4 most promising orchards in Krasnodar and Stavropol regions.

Request a program and participation: https://soforogroup.com/en/russian-apple-en/

The Russian sector of commercial orchards currently yields fresh fruit of the food embargo: the producers strive to build up harvests and gain the market share previously occupied by imports. A strong driver to this trend is government support for starting orchards. Specifically, the Russian Ministry of Agriculture has boosted subsidisation fivefold in 2015 – 2016. As reported by Alexander Tkachev, Russian Minister of Agriculture, a total of 72k ha will be established before 2020. 2017 registered 3.3bn RUB of subsidies for orchard start and aftercare with 15.2k ha of orchards laid.

An increase in fruit and berry yields and acceleration of the entire industry’s growth is fostered by introducing innovative solutions, attracting investment, building rootstock nurseries, and developing state-of the-art machinery. All these factors can be enabled only through the combined efforts of all industry stakeholders, who will be brought together at the industry meeting place “Orchards of Russia”.

The Forum and exhibition “Orchards of Russia 2018” (5 – 6 June 2018, Moscow) is a thought-provoking international platform tailored for unlocking investment in Russian commercial orchard and viticulture industry, discussing industry development strategies, sharing best practices, and placing new win-win contracts.

At present, the forum expects a total of 250 representatives from the entire value chain, including C-suite executives of the industry leaders, such as Belgorod apples, Beliy Sad, Glazunovka Gardens, Mengir, Nash Sad, and Plodovoye, along with policymakers, investors and top engineering companies. In general, the expected attendee line-up is represented by the following categories: 30 % of commercial orchard enterprises, 30 % of farm enterprises, 20 % of Russian and international investors, 15 % of service providing companies, and 3 % of regulators. The positions of delegates include: Governors, Ministers and their deputies (10 %), Presidents and VPs (28 %), CEO and their deputies (30 %), and divisional directors (30 % as well).

The forum will be bringing top players of the sector together to evaluate the financing and investment landscape of the industry, share insights to improving efficiency, reducing costs, product storage and processing, and other critical issues.

Moreover, it will highlight more than 60 investment projects in viticulture and orchard industry with 2019 – 2020 deadlines across Russia: Sad-Gigant Ingushetia, Yuzhnye Zemli, Chernozemye Berries, to name just a few. A special focus will be put on Meetings with Investors for project initiators and investors to discuss cooperation opportunities in a relaxed setting.

Request the event programme: www.gardensforum.ru