Andrey Sanosyan assessed the construction progress of infrastructure and industrial facilities of “Kulibin” SEZ

Andrey Sanosyan, Deputy Governor of Nizhny Novgorod Region, Igor Ishchenko, General Director of the Regional Development Corporation, and Mikhail Klinkov, Head of Dzerzhinsk, assessed the progress of engineering infrastructure construction at the state-owned site of the “Kulibin” special economic zone (SEZ).

"Large-scale construction work at the state site began exactly one year ago, and significant progress has been made on this major project during this time. Today we inspected the construction of roads and industrial buildings, as well as the installation of utility and telecommunication networks. Residents incorporate infrastructure development timelines into their projects, so it's crucial for us to ensure all work is completed with quality and on time. Investor interest in the SEZ remains high, with the Expert Council having already approved 39 projects totaling over 120 billion rubles in investments," noted Andrey Sanosyan.

The Deputy Governor reminded that since 2025, "Boosting Investment Activity" has become one of the federal projects under the national "Efficient and Competitive Economy" initiative.

Currently, the SEZ's state site is seeing construction of roads and parking lots, installation of stormwater drainage, telecommunication networks and power supply systems. Infrastructure completion is planned for 2026. Simultaneously, nine industrial buildings and one administrative building are under construction. Metal framework installation is underway in buildings 4 and 5, reinforced concrete structures are being installed in building 10, while foundations are being laid in buildings 3 and 8. The first phase of industrial buildings is scheduled for completion by year-end.

The delegation also visited the construction site of SEZ resident company Axis, which is building a plant for hard alloy tool production. The project involves over 3 billion rubles in investments and will create 442 jobs. Construction of the plant's first phase is currently underway and should be completed this year. The company plans to create an industrial complex comprising three buildings totaling over 60,000 sq.m. Upon full completion, annual production capacity will reach about 1,500 tons of products.

At least ten companies implementing projects in chemical, manufacturing and consumer goods industries are expected to begin construction at the SEZ's state site this year. Current resident projects can be viewed at: https://sezkulibin.ru/.

"A temporary road network has been organized for residents during infrastructure construction, enabling comfortable work at their sites. Companies are currently at various stages - from facility design to actual construction. Regardless of project phase, investors will have all necessary utilities as we've aligned infrastructure construction schedules with enterprise commissioning timelines," said Igor Ishchenko.

Mikhail Klinkov emphasized the project's significance for Dzerzhinsk's development: "We expect new enterprises to stimulate infrastructure development, improve urban environment and strengthen social services. The Regional Development Corporation actively participates in Dzerzhinsk's growth, creating new opportunities, particularly in small- and medium-tonnage chemistry, while reinforcing the city's status as Russia's chemical capital."

The industrial-production type “Kulibin” SEZ was established in May 2020. In spring 2023, its area increased tenfold to 724.7 hectares. In November 2024, an application was submitted to expand into territory within Bor municipal district. The SEZ currently comprises state-owned land (over 400 ha) and private sites of DPO “Pastik”, “Oka-Polymer” and “Sintez OKA”.

SEZ preferential terms reduce resident companies' profit tax from 25% to 2% for the first 5 profit-making years, 5% for the next 5 years, and 14.5% thereafter, while establishing zero rates for property, land and transport taxes. Profit tax benefits begin in the fiscal year when a resident company first turns profitable.

The "Efficient and Competitive Economy" national project, initiated by President Vladimir Putin, will become the main instrument for forming a new growth model. It incorporates federal projects aimed at SME development, productivity growth, investment activity increase, low-carbon development, and enhancement of state statistics and forecasting systems.