Alexander Beglov and Dmitry Patrushev appreciate the modernization of the 115-year-old plywood plant in Pontoon

Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Dmitry Patrushev and Governor Alexander Beglov on November 13 visited the Sveza combine in the village of Pontoonny. Together with the management, they went through all stages of birch plywood production - from the primary processing of wood to the scientific laboratory. This was reported in the press service of Smolny.

Patrushev stressed that the forest industry is under close attention of the federal authorities. The Cabinet decided not to raise rental rates for investment projects launched until 2024. This will leave at the disposal of business about 20 billion rubles. In addition, the deadlines for reforestation were shifted until July 2027. On behalf of the President, officials are also preparing exemptions for the extraction of minerals necessary for the construction of forest roads.

“The Pontoon Plant is a great example of how historical heritage is transformed into an advanced high-tech complex. More than 450 people work here, and the output reaches 120 thousand cubic meters of birch plywood annually, Alexander Beglov noted. He added that the local laboratory allows creating unique materials, and the city is interested in the further development of such production facilities.

The Northern capital actively helps industrialists: this year about 620 million rubles were sent from the budget to compensate for the cost of upgrading equipment (covers up to half of expenses). The plant traces its history since 1909. Over the past year, the company almost tripled investment in development — up to 600 million rubles. With these funds, they purchased machine vision systems, a robotic arm for packaging and carried out environmental modernization. In addition to the main products, the factory boiler house heats 14 residential buildings, a school and a kindergarten in the village.