Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and Internal Trade and Telecommunications Rаsim Ljајić attended today in Kladovo the signing of an agreement on cooperation between the two companies Termovent from Kladovo and Katod from Novosibirsk.

The agreemnt, worth 3.3 million euros foresees that Termovent should fully equip the office space of 2,100 square meters of Katod company with heating and cooling systems, as well as with automatic control. The agreement was signed by the Director General of Termovent Dušan Perović and the CEO of Katod Sergei Kesaev.

Ljајić said that the agreement is not only significant for the two companies but also for the cooperation in the field of economy between the Republic of Serbia and the Russian Federation.

“This is an example of how despite difficult conditions one can successfully operate and be competitive in the demanding Russian market”, said Ljајić.

He pointed out that the conclusion of this business agreement proves the advantages of the free trade agreement with the Russian Federation because it makes our companies more competitive in relation to other foreign companies which would also like to be more present on the Russian market.

However, Ljајić pointed out that this agreement, like all the other potentials for cooperation between the two countries, is not fully utilized.

Ljајić said that foreign trade between Serbia and the Russian Federation could reach a value of three billion euros in the next year or two, instead of the 2.1 billion euros, which is the value it had in 2012.

He noted that in the first eight months of this year there was a 25% growth in Serbian exports to the Russian market, and their value was 385 million euros.

Perović pointed out that this is the most valuable contract so far for Termovent not only based on its value, but also because it allows for Termovent to enter the vast and demanding markets of the Russian Federation.

He said that this was Termovent’s first job in the Russian market, as in the previous 12 years the company worked primarily in the area of the EU – in the Netherlands, Belgium and France, as well as Abu Dhabi.

Perović said that Termovent Commerce was established in 1993 and that it started its business with modest technological equipment, and that today it is ranked as equal to the European companies.

“Our vast experience in equipping the most demanding spaces, manufacturing and installation of complex equipment to ensure the conditions for sterile production provided us with the opportunity to start with great certainty the process of technical adaptation as well as to sign today’s agreement”, said Perović.

Kesaev said that Termovent is not Katod’s first partner in Serbia, and that from their first meeting it was clear that this is a serious company with advanced technology able to successfully implement the project.

Project completion and the commencement of fully automated operation is planned for April, 2015.