GILAN HOLDING ON A WAY OF STABLE PROGRESS

 

Caspian Energy (CE): Would you tell the history of establishment and development of GILAN HOLDING?

Jamil Muradov, General Director, GILAN HOLDING: Our Company was set up in 1989 as a cooperative entity and got reestablished in 1992 after declaration of independence in Azerbaijan. Over the first years of its activity the Company mainly dealt with trade, export and import operations.

Since the establishment of the country's sovereignty, transition to new market relations, adoption of necessary entrepreneurship laws, GILAN лля has significantly expanded its business activity and gained leading positions in the home market. The precise economic policy of national leader Heydar Aliyev aiming at creation of favourable conditions for entrepreneurship and necessary juridical base for business activity contributed much to this process. Following the Decree of President Ilham Aliyev "On State Programme on Social-Economic Development of Regions for 2004-2008" dated February 11, 2004, GILAN лля decided to make its contribution to economic development of the regions in Azerbaijan.  

At the moment GILAN HOLDING is a multi-profile concern. It unites tens of plants and numerous personnel exceeding over 1,000 employees. The GILAN's business activity targets to promote development of the Azerbaijan's economy along with wide use of latest technologies, adoption of industrial mechanisms and management system to new conditions, enhanced export potential and competitiveness of the local economy as well as opening of new job places and improved living standards.

The credo of the GILAN HOLDING financial & industrial group is to press ahead backing the economic development programme of President Ilham Aliyev.   

 

CE: What concrete steps has the Holding introduced within the framework of the State Programme on Social and Economic Development of Regions?

Jamil Muradov: GILAN HOLDING in association with 12 companies has formed a financial & industrial group to enhance contribution to the process of economic development of the regions, raise competitive status and producitive efficency, create favourable technological and cooperative ties, increase the export potential, ensure rapid scientific and technological advance.

The Holdings activity covers the following areas:

 

The GILAN MMC's structure includes Qebele Hotel and Gilan Hotel located in the Gabala area, cannery, asphalt plant and brick-yard, bread, filbert and carton producing plants, macaroni and asphalt plants located in Yevlakh, macaroni plant in Khanlar, gypsum producing plant in Geranboy, CG producing plant in Baku, Garadagh brick-yard and asphalt plants in Gobustan and Gazakh. 

As you see, the business activity mainly covers production. The geographical location of production zones of the Holding are the regions of the country. It proves our contribution to development of the Azerbaijani regions and opening new job places there.

 

CE: What economic industries is of high priority for you? What projects are you implementing now?

Jamil Muradov: The Holding's activity covers almost all industries of the Azerbaijani economy. We offer goods in many areas. The core target of the Holding's activity is to develop production. We set up natural juice production at our plants. This ecologically friendly manufacturing undergoes the strict control in our laboratory and complies with all international quality standards. The Gabala cannery produces natural juices and nectars in hygienic conditions, whereas Neptun MMC manufactures JALE brand drinking water.

The Holding produces bakery products and manufactures macaroni and bread. These plants are provided with state-of-the-art equipment purchased from Turkey and Ukraine.

Recently we have launched an unmatched CD producing plant. This entity equipped with Taiwanese and German technology is the third one in CIS with regard to its equipping level. The plant's production capacity is 23,000 disks a day. Our structure includes asphalt, brick and gypsum boards producing plants outfitted with latest technologies. The asphalt plants located in Gobustan, Gabala and Gazakh manufacture high-quality goods meeting the European standards. The capacity of each of these plants based on the German technology is 40 tonnes per hour. These products take direct part in constructing and upgrading roads in nearby regions. The Geranboy-based gypsum plant produces 300,000 tonnes of gypsum per annum. The construction of this plant erected on the basis of German and Iranian technologies cost 6 million USD. The plant's projected annual turnover is going to reach 36 million USD.     

GILAN HOLDING plans active operation in the construction market of Azerbaijan along with construction of residential buildings in Baku and regions in the near future.

The Holding assigns high priory to tourism being aware of its importance to the budget and image of the country. We built two contemporary hotels in Gabala that meet demands of most exquisite clients. Tourists have the opportunity to enjoy apartments of business and economist categories, try national, European and Chinese cuisine and have an active recreation. The hotels offer a billiard room and a library.  The Gabala-based five-star tourist complex is under construction now. We are going to use the experience of Turkish specialists so as to attract tourists in this picturesque region and show all amenities of Azerbaijan's nature.

Our tourism projects are not limited to hotels and restaurants. Within the framework of expansion of the tourism business and sport of the country GILAN HOLDING plans to promote alpinism in mountainous regions of Azerbaijan. Therefore, we are carrying on talks in view of creating favourable conditions to make famous alpinists be able to visit our country in view of developing this sector. 

 

CE: What are the near-term plans of the Holding? What projects are going to be implemented?

Jamil Muradov: GILAN HOLDING does not stop reaching new heights. We have some more projects to achieve. In the near future we are going to launch construction of ‘Goranboy Yapi Kimyasal' Plant that will manufacture chemical products used in construction. These are bonding agents for glazed and flowing tile laying, etc. The plant based on the Turkish technology will produce 20,000 tonnes a year. We also intend to build a plaster board producing plant in Geranboy. Its annual productive capacity will be 8 million m2. The construction will be implemented in association with famous Knauf Company (Germany) by mid 2007. At the same time we project to construct panel producing plants and mills.   

Unfortunately, development of such important industry as cattle breeding was underestimated in Azerbaijan till recently. The Holding plans to develop this area as well.

 

CE: What social projects does the Holding finance?

Jamil Muradov: GILAN HOLDING backs many social, sport and other projects. Taking into consideration the enahcned interest in sport, our Holding constructed sport complexes in Yevlakh for 10,000 people, in Khanlar for 5,000 people and the olympiuc complex in Shamakhy. The Holding's structure also inlcudes professional football club GILAN that has been participating in the major league of the Azerbaijan's championship since 2006. The club's priority is formation and progressing of the child and youth school. 

The special fund created within the Holding finances education of orphants and children from martyrs' families. The interests of the Holding cover educational projects as well. In this respect, we plan construction of a number of educational institutions and centers along with repairing works. We do not spare money for investing in education of clever and knowledgeable specialists in European universities. We are sure in future these educational institutions will be among the advanced ones and promote enhancement of the education level in Azerbaijan.