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VITEBSK, 15 June (BelTA) – The Vitebsk-based company KIM makes clothes for the German Armed Forces under tolling agreements, BelTA learnt from Director General Andrei Shamshura. The products made from customer-furnished raw materials account for 50% to 80% of the company’s total output. Therefore the company’s major goal is to expand the assortment range and advance to other markets, the director said. At the same time the Vitebsk company lacks floating funds for purchasing feedstock and renewing the service park. In this regard the company together with the Bellegprom Concern has developed a production upgrading program. The program suggests upgrading the painting shop, acquiring new sewing equipment. According to Andrei Shamshura, the concern has sent the draft decree to the Finance Ministry and Economy Ministry on restructuring the debt of the enterprise and postponing the accumulated arrears on payments. The money freed as a result of this (about Br19 billion) would be invested in the working capital, which would allow the company to implement the program. At present KIM is in arrears on payments to the budget, the Social Security Fund, power and water supply companies. The total debt is Br50 billion, of which Br26 billion is long overdue. The company was founded in 1931, transformed into a joint stock company in 1996. The state owns 99.5% of shares. The company employs 1,500 people. KIM manufactures a wide range of underwear and hosiery for both adults and children. The company has developed the technology to produce knitted goods from viscose-polyester cotton-polyester yarns attaching elastane yarns, viscose yarns attaching elastane yarns. The company also produces hosiery and circular-knitted fabrics from flax-containing and cotton-nitronic yarns. Flax-containing products are in demand both in Belarus and also Europe, Russia and other CIS countries.

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