It’s time to summarize
New Year’s Eve – summing up time, assessment of gained experience and achievements, finding new ways of development.
2009 for NIBULON is a historic year, the year when the company entered a new level both in business and in trade, economic and financial spheres.
NIBULON today is a leader in export of agricultural products in Ukraine. The company ranked the 7th place among 100 best companies in Ukraine by total export in 2008 (UAH 7 363,1 mln.). Among agricultural companies – this is the first place! The rate was published by publishing house “Economy”. Another equally high result –  the 24th place in “TOP-100 largest companies in Ukraine” in terms of net profit volume for  the first half of 2009.
According to the rate of the international auditing company Deloitte & Touche, NIBULON – is the only company in Mykolayiv, that got to the rate of 500 largest companies in Central and Eastern Europe and took the 162nd place, thus surpassing all other Ukrainian companies that specialize in agriculture.
Despite the global financial crisis, our company has proved the stability and reliability. We are fully trusted. An example of this is a long close cooperation with large international financial institutions: “UkrEximbank”, OTP Bank, Index-Bank, BNP Paribas ( Switzerland), Banque Cantonale Vaudoise ( Switzerland), FORTIS BANK (the Netherlands).
Currently, NIBULON spent 20 million dollars – a loan from the Government of Denmark for the purchase of elevator equipment. Agreements on getting further 20 million euros were reached.
The company received credit on the second program of the Export Development Bank of the World (PRE-2) in the value of USD 10 mln. There are also plans to attract another 10 million EURO.
EBRD loan on lending program of energy efficiency projects in the value of USD 10 mln  is approved.
Foreign manufacturing companies show the confidence in our company. So in 2009 suppliers of equipment for the construction of elevators and the fleet around the world became company’s reliable partners, they are: Cimbria Unigrain ( Denmark), International Paint (UK), Mathews Company (     the USA), Telestack (UK), Schmidt-Seeger ( Germany), Precia Molen (the Netherlands) and others.
Leader-exporter
This year, NIBULON has reached an unprecedented results and exported of about 5 million tons of agricultural production (the result is extraordinary for the domestic market!), including wheat more than 2,1 million tons, corn more than 1,1 million tons. Unfortunately improper blocking of export, actions of the captain, chief of Mykolayiv Sea Trading Port and the Ministry of Transport and Communications were in the way of results in 5 million tons.
This company constantly improves sales effectiveness of domestic agricultural products, gaining access to promising foreign markets. Among recent breakthroughs of NIBULON – victory in the tender announced by the Government of Bangladesh for the supply of grain in this country (the first time a tender is won not by Bangladesh, but by Ukrainian company). The company also carries the grain supply in Jordan – the most complicated country in terms of product quality requirements. It is advisable to mark the NIBULON’s victory in tenders announced by the governments of foreign countries for supplies of grain on their behalf as humanitarian aid. Such a supply the company has implemented to Eritrea on behalf of Japan, and to Ethiopia on behalf of Canada.
The company, under the auspices of the World Food program lades agricultural products by its own terminal – in the frames of fulfillment of the tender for the supply of humanitarian aid under UN auspices. Thus, under this program 471,115 thousand tons of food wheat were shipped in North Korea, Sudan, Palestine, Afghanistan, Ethiopia, plans to send 37,5 thousand tons of food wheat in Bangladesh, Sudan, Palestine.
The company is constantly expanding its exports, so this year we have exported agricultural products to 40 countries.
National Investor
2009 – a dramatic period in  the world history. This period of disappointment related to the consequences of the global financial crisis. Such a difficult time NIBULON chose for embodiment of the biggest in the history of enterprise investment project in the value of USD 150 mln. It includes two aspects – construction of elevator complexes and creation of its own fleet. Aim of the project is: the recovery of navigation on Dnipro River – the main water way of Ukraine – from the top to the bottom.
Construction of elevators and river terminals
The realization of the project is on fast-forward. On the 17th of October 2009, President of Ukraine was present at the opening of river terminal in Vitove village Cherkasy region, – the first in Ukraine which was built according to the latest technologies. The facility was built and put into operation in record time – only 2 months! The realization of this building V.A. Yushchenko christened as “a project of good mood” and “a model labour”.
 October the 30th, 2009 the head of Poltava Regional State Administration Valeriy Asadchev, opened two new inland silos in Globyne and Romodan of Myrgorods’kyy district Poltava region.
December the 26th, 2009, with the participation of head of Zaporizhzhya Regional State Administration O.V. Staruh solemn foundation of the new river transshipment terminal in Kamyanka-Dniprovs’ka Zaporizhzhya region was held.
Construction of four facilities in Poltava region will be started in winter. Thus, till July the 1st, 2010 four river terminals of NIBULON will be put into operation. A total amount of  the company’s storage for agricultural products will reach 2 million tons.
Creation of own fleet
March the 6th, 2009 was the beginning of cooperation between NIBULON and OJSC “Wadan Yards Okean”- the contracts to build the first 16 non-self-propelled vessels were signed. Due to concerted efforts of two companies, professionalism and enthusiasm of their teams the first vessel was launched in advance (!) on the 11th of August, 2009. December the 30th. NIBULON’s fleet already counted 14 river-sea barges.
On December the 3rd, 2009 a contract to order next 8 non-self-propelled vessels for the company was signed. So till April 2010 there will be 24 vessels in NIBULON’s fleet.
Works on creating of towing fleet are being continued. The first three tugs (“Prybuzhanivs’ka”, ”Lidiyivs’ke”, “Bashtans’k”) have become full members of the navy family. Nowadays equipment for the construction of next tugs is being purchased. And it is important – that they will be built on the yard “Wadan Yards Okean”. Coherent cooperation of two reliable partners will continue!
Smart master
2009 was successful for farmers of the enterprise, and despite the decline in gross harvest of grain to 10% in Ukraine in general, the gross harvest crops in the company amounted nearly 300 thousand tons, which is 65% higher than last year. This year’s harvest results marked by high yield of winter and spring crops. “Pribuzhanivs’ka” branch (Mykolayiv region) achieved a record harvest of winter barley – 52,3 centners per hectare in “Pryseymivs’ka” branch (Sumy region) – winter wheat – 57 centners per hectare. In “Suhorabivs’ka” branch (Poltava region) cropping capacity of sunflower has reached the mark of 32.8 centners per hectare, and the best results for corn yield reached workers of “Bystryts’ka” branch (Zhytomyr Region) – 118 centners per hectare! Impressive is the volume of corn grown in terms of company’s branches: the highest results are achieved by “Chygyryn” branch (Cherkasy region) – 21000 tons “Kamenets’-Podols’ka” (Khmel’nyts’kyy region) more than 18000 tons, “Lidiyivs’ka” (Mykolayiv region) – 17000 tons. The peculiarity is  high quality of this season crop, 95% of food wheat is of  the І, ІІ, ІІІ classes, 50% of wheat is of  the I and II classes.
Tracking global trends, in order to increase production NIBULON started sowing of grain sorghum crops in the branches of the company in Mykolaiv region this year. Yield of this crop in spite of the adverse natural climatic conditions, was quite high, for instance in “Lidiyevs’ke” branch 50 centners per hectare.
Our own production line of sausages
This year’s novelty is that the company started production of its own agricultural production based on the branch “Bystryts’ka”. Meat products of the company do not contain any “chemistry”, it is a hundred percent natural and safe. They are made according to government standards, only natural meat and spices are used. A test batch of meat products is already made. People immediately liked the production. Presentation of “Bystryts’ka sausage” trade mark to the general public is expected in January 2010. But plans should be in a successive order.
Socially responsible company
NIBULON tries to follow the principles of responsibility to the people. Every year company spends more than 5 million UAH on charity. In 2009 the company has won wide competition “Philanthropist of the Year – 2009”.
What is prepared for us by next year …
General Director of NIBULON, Hero of Ukraine Oleksiy Vadaturskyy said “Next year, for the company is as ambitious as this one. We are pleased to cooperate with OJSC “Wadan Yards Okean” and we plan to start the construction of self-propelled fleet that will flow the rivers of Ukraine and the Caspian Sea, supplying grain to the Middle East. Our company has set a goal to transport Ukrainian grain under the flag of Ukraine. And we will implement this task in 2010. The company will become an example to the world how to revive the shipbuilding and agricultural sectors of Ukraine. We are also seriously engaged in the improvement of logistics, and are planning to expand motor vehicle fleet soon. The negotiations are already completed, the company is purchasing 30 heavy trucks «MAN» (Germany) and «DAF» (the Netherlands), it will allow us to solve the logistical problems more quickly, such as: delivering agricultural products from affiliated companies and elevators to the transshipment terminal for grains and oilseeds (Mykolayiv) and river terminals in winter time when navigation is closed. We are determined to create impulse, to the Ministry of Transport and Communications and the Cabinet of Ministers in order to be more attentive, and think about railway fares and traffic volumes. We will do everything with a help of market methods to show that the economy in Ukraine should be redeveloped by the book”.
Works on creating of towing fleet are being continued. Nowadays equipment for the construction of next tugboats is being purchased. NIBULON plans not only the construction of vessels and tugs. Specialists of the company are now working out the options to purchase foreign-made floating crane – high-speed conveyors clampshell-type. Such a crane will load the vessel of any type (both at anchorage and near the pier), regardless of their sizes, speeds up to 900 tons per hour.
The plans of the company – in the frames of investment program is to build 8 elevators, 4 of which are in the village Gradyz’k, Kremenchug town, villages Artemivka and Maryanivka in Poltava region – will be built in May 2010.
Another directi