Currently, Knauf Gips Bukhara constructed plant’s building in Kagan (Bukhara region) and completed assembly of equipment, Jamshid Nurmuhamedov, director-general of KNAUF Marketing Tashkent LLC, said.

Jamshid Nurmuhamedov underlined that the company is planning to launch balancing and commissioning works and installation of automatic machinery by the end of 2010. He added that the plant will produce experimental party of production in March 2011 and start to produce gypsum board in April 2011.

Nurmuhamedov noted that the cost of the project is 39 million euros. The capacity of the plant will be 20 million square meters of gypsum boards a year.

Knauf International GmbH purchased 30.77% of state assets in Bukharagips for US$1.55 million and undertook obligation to invest US$6.3 million in three years. Currently, Knauf holds 98.98% stake in enterprise and employees and other shareholders – 1.02%. The enterprise specializes on production of dry gypsum mixtures.

The enterprise was founded in 1934. Bukharagips owns gypsum mine with reserves for 45.028 million tonnes with 90-100% calcium content, lime mine with reserve of 7.8 million tonnes, as well as mines.

Knauf International GmbH launched production of dry gypsum mixtures in 2009 at the base of Bukharagips. The capacity of the plant is 60,000 tonnes a year. The plant plans to export 40% of goods to neighboring states.