VEB.RF will be engaged in the consolidation of elevator-building enterprises, follows from a letter from the first deputy chairman of the state corporation Mikhail Kuzovlev to Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak. Thus, VEB.RF is already considering the issue of acquiring rights from Promsvyazbank for the second largest manufacturer of elevators in Russia, PJSC Karacharovsky Mechanical Plant (KMZ), as well as Siblft PKF. “Vedomosti” got acquainted with the letter, several federal officials confirmed its authenticity.

VEB.RF already controls the largest elevator manufacturer in the country - Shcherbinsky Elevator Plant. He went to Rossiysky Kapital bank in case of bankruptcy of SU-155, then the bank was headed by Kuzovlev. Later, “Russian Capital” was renamed into Bank “Dom.RF” and became part of “Dom.RF” (the former Agency for Housing Mortgage Lending). VEB.RF coordinates the activities of Dom Dom.RF. In addition, “Dom.RF” is headed by the protégé of the chairman of the state corporation Igor Shuvalov, Alexander Plutnik. When Shuvalov served as first deputy prime minister, Plutnik worked in his office. The offices of both companies are located in the building of Voentorg on Vozdvizhenka, where they moved last year after Shuvalov was appointed chairman of VEB.RF.

The government is not against the consolidation of the industry. Prepare a roadmap on this subject, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev ordered another February 5. Vedomosti read a copy of the meeting minutes. The Ministry of Industry and Trade, jointly with VEB.RF and Dom.RF, is working on this issue, said a ministry spokesman. The work is underway, said his colleague from VEB.RF.

Scherbinsky Elevator Plant and KMZ account for 40% of the market in Russia, in 2018 enterprises produced more than 9,000 elevators each. Siblift has 2% of the market, it produced more than 1,000 elevators in 2018

The controlling stake of KMZ belongs to Promsvyazbank. The letter Kuzovlev indicated that KMZ has a delay of 300 million rubles. And the total debt reaches 5.2 billion rubles. Siblft's debts reach 2 billion rubles. In the event of the introduction of bankruptcy in relation to KMZ VEB.RF and Dom.RF, the issue of attracting the Shcherbinsky elevator-building plant to fulfill the existing orders of the plant was worked out, writes Kuzovlev. The representative of Promsvyazbank did not comment on the negotiations with VEB.RF, adding that the bank "is engaged in a constructive dialogue with borrowers and is working on various issues of debt repayment." According to SPARK-Interfax, the sole owner of Siblft is Yuri Yaschenko; A company representative about the proposal "VEB.RF" not heard.

VEB.RF engaged in a new industry, as it has two necessary competencies, explains the person involved in the development of the industry consolidation plan. The state corporation is able to work with distressed assets - VEB has them under 2 trillion rubles. They are managed by VEB Capital. After a loss of 11 billion rubles. in 2017, he made a profit of 500 million rubles. in 2018. In addition, VEB called the urban economy one of its priorities. Accordingly, the elevator business corresponds to its new concept as a development corporation, continues the source of Vedomosti. According to him, VEB can consolidate elevator distressed assets and then sell them to a professional player or create a joint venture on their basis.

If VEB.RF realizes its plans, it may get a chance to become a monopoly supplier of elevators for houses undergoing major repairs. On February 5, Medvedev instructed the Ministry of Construction to make proposals on switching to direct purchases from elevator manufacturers. And the head of the Housing and Utilities Fund (responsible for the overhaul) Konstantin Tsitsin, in a letter to the Ministry of Construction, offers to buy elevators only from Russian companies that have manufactured at least 5,000 elevators for three years. “Vedomosti” got acquainted with the letter, two federal officials confirmed its authenticity. Only three plants are suitable for these requirements - Shcherbinsky, KMZ and Otis in St. Petersburg. But Otis practically does not supply its products for capital repairs, employees of two elevator plants say. Otis did not respond to the Vedomosti request.

The overhaul is a third of the market, follows from the data of the National Lift Union.

In 2017, more than 14,500 elevators worth 29.1 billion rubles were delivered for such houses, in 2018 more than 15,000 elevators worth 30.5 billion rubles were delivered. In total, 433,000 elevators have been installed in residential buildings in Russia, of which 110,700 have served more than 25 years and need replacing. For a one-time replacement of these elevators, about 220 billion rubles are required.

The guideline to major elevator manufacturers will provide better management of the overhaul program by regional operators, speed up the replacement of elevators, said Sergey Kolesnikov, director of the external communications department of the Housing and Utilities Fund. According to him, the participants in the qualification selection for procurement should be the manufacturers of elevator equipment, who will be responsible for the installation work.

The elevator manufacturers interviewed by Vedomosti are worried that market consolidation and subsequent changes to the rules will survive them from the market. “If the requirement to purchase elevators only from factories producing at least 5000 elevators passes, we will not be able to participate in capital repairs anymore - we produce much less,” says Igor Ivanov, general director of the Vytchel factory in Chelyabinsk. VEB can create a monopolist that will lock in on itself the replacement of all elevators during the overhaul of houses, indicate several of its regional colleagues.

However, the press service of the Ministry of Industry and Trade told Vedomosti that it considers it premature to "offer the Foundation to assist housing and utilities reform to establish requirements for participation in direct procurement only of factories producing at least 5,000 elevators a year." The representative of the FAS said that the draft roadmap is under consideration in the service. The position will be formed after a detailed reading of the document.