Rifkat Galimzyanov

General Manager of Netkanika

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As part of expanding its partnership with NETKANIKA, SIBUR increased the supply of medical-grade polypropylene to provide as many personal protective equipment manufacturers as possible with nonwoven materials. The chosen polypropylene grade is perfectly suited for the production of nonwoven fabric, not only making it light, soft and air permeable, but also ensuring excellent physical and mechanical properties. Here is what Rifkat Galimzyanov, General Manager of NETKANIKA, says about changes in the production of nonwoven fabric during the massive coronavirus outbreak and prospects for the new joint project with SIBUR.

How has your company’s strategy changed during the coronavirus outbreak and what are your priorities for the near future?

NETKANIKA has quickly reconfigured its production facilities to maximise the output of nonwoven materials for disposable personal protective equipment, such as masks and medical wear. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, medical supplies accounted for about a third of our products. In the current environment, we prioritise supplies intended for disposable personal protective equipment.

To better fight the pandemic, we have standardised the range of our products. We used to produce materials for agriculture, construction and other sectors, but now we have temporarily cut shipments in favour of Createx MED, a material for medical masks, scrubs and overalls for the personnel of federal, municipal and private healthcare institutions. On top of that, NETKANIKA continues supplying manufacturers of baby and adult hygiene products.

Moscow’s Mayor Sergey Sobyanin and Denis Manturov, Industry and Trade Minister, visited NETKANIKA’s plant in May 2020.

We are making every possible effort to maximise the output of nonwoven materials and serve as many personal protective equipment manufacturers as possible. Just a very short while ago, the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Government of Moscow supported our project to ramp up production capacity and expand the range of nonwoven materials for protective medical and hygiene products.

In April 2020, SIBUR and NETKANIKA agreed to expand their long-term cooperation to provide the healthcare industry with high quality single-use personal protective equipment. SIBUR undertook to supply polypropylene for medicinal and hygienic applications in the quantities required to fully utilise NETKANIKA’s production capacity.

What is the approved expansion project all about and how will SIBUR help expand your production capacity?

NETKANIKA has launched an investment project to expand production of nonwoven materials for medical and hygienic applications. The project aims at renovating the existing capacity and constructing a new production facility to increase the output of multi-layer nonwoven materials with strong barrier, mechanic and tactile properties. The product to be manufactured within the project meets the highest standards for materials for medicinal and hygienic use.

The NETKANIKA plant located in the settlement of Rogovskoye, the Prefecture of Troitsky and Novomoskovsky Administrative Areas (TiNAO), has fully switched to producing PPE materials. The photo shows SIBEX® polypropylene, a range of special polypropylene grades by SIBUR.

The required feedstock will be supplied by SIBUR. Its polypropylene fibre grades are perfectly suited for the production of high quality nonwoven fabric for medical applications and boast light weight and high density. Multi-layer nonwoven polypropylene materials are used to make products with the required filtration rate, air permeability and splash resistance, which is specifically important during the pandemic. We reckon on SIBUR’s support and continue substantial discussions to further develop the strategic partnership between our companies.

What businesses and organisations are you going to supply with your products?

Currently NETKANIKA covers up to 100% of Moscow’s and a considerable part of Russia’s demand for the nonwoven spunbond fabric used for medical masks. In May 2020, we expect our supplies for the production of personal protective equipment to increase threefold. This will boost the output of medical masks and protective clothing.

Currently, NETKANIKA delivers nonwoven materials under a contract with Roskhimzashchita Corporation, a Rostec’s subsidiary. The materials we supplied in April helped produce 68 million medical masks and more than 250,000 protective wears. In May, we are going to triple our shipments.

In total, NETKANIKA delivers its products to more than 150 manufacturers of personal protective equipment for medical professionals and individuals, as well as baby and adult hygiene products such as baby and adult diapers, and other medical goods. Final products are delivered to pharmacies and healthcare institutions in Moscow and beyond.

NETKANIKA is a major manufacturer of such nonwoven fabrics as spunbond and meltblown, or spunmelt, used to produce PPE, for example, masks and medical wear, and also mattresses and spring blocks, and heat-, moisture- and windproof membranes. NETKANIKA’s materials have strong barrier properties and the required durability, and are offered at reasonable prices. NETKANIKA is ISO:9001 certified. The CREATEX® products have undergone all the necessary tests and feature the required sanitary and epidemiological permits by the Russian Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing (Rospotrebnadzor).

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