In view of serious changes in the methods and pace of the work young specialists are being appointed to the executive positions, who can work efficiently under the new conditions.

Uralkali today is a modern dynamically developing company, which intends in a few years to become one of the leaders on the world market of potash fertilizers. An important condition for the development of Uralkali is gradual and regular rejuvenation of the managerial personnel. To prepare the replacement the company has launched a special personnel training program. The first Uralkali executives to transfer their power to successors were the directors of the first and fourth ore administrations, Vladimir Konovalov and Valentin Gorodetsky, and deputy technical director for quality Altaf Ententeev. Vladimir Konovalov is 65 years old and has worked at Uralkali for 45 years. Valentin Gorodetsky is 59 years old and has been associated with Uralkali for 29 years. Altaf Ententeev is 64 years old and has worked at Uralkali for 31 years. These persons have made a substantial contribution to the establishment and development of the company.

At present, Uralkali steps up the production every year. In 2003, it plans to increase the production of potassium chloride by 300 thousand tons compared to last year. In 2004, the production will increase by another 300 thousand tons and in the future these indicators will keep growing. Uralkali invests large funds in the development of the fixed assets and upgrading of production capacities. The results of the work for nine months of 2003 show that the investments in the production exceeded last year's figure by 200 million rubles. Next year, the investments will reach a record sum - about 4 billion rubles. For these purposes Uralkali will soon conclude a loan agreement with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development for provision of a loan in the amount of 75 million dollars.

Such intensive development requires drastic renewal of a host of processes inside the company. Today, Uralkali is systematically introducing the state-of-the-art technologies to control and manage the production. It has a computer corporate resource management system based on Oracle E-Business Suite. The system embraces all areas of the company's activity and provides the means for their quick analysis and for effective utilization of resources. In view of serious changes in the methods and pace of the work young specialists are being appointed to the executive positions, who can work efficiently under the new conditions. The former heads of the first and the fourth ore administrations and the former deputy technical director for quality have done a great deal to prepare their replacement.. Their successors are fully ready to work even more efficiently and actively.

The new director of the first ore administration is Yury Mitin. He is 43 years old and has been with Uralkali for twenty two years. The fourth ore administration is now headed by Vladimir Shanin, 48 years old. Before this appointment he was head of the third ore administration but his association with Uralkali, which now lasts for 18 years, began precisely in the fourth ore administration. As head of the third ore administration he was replaced by Nikolai Limonov, former chief engineer of the third ore administration. Evgeny Brazhkin, former deputy chief engineer of ore administration No. 4, who came to Uralkali 14 years ago, has been appointed deputy technical director for quality.

A gala send-off ceremony was held in Uralkali's conference hall in honor of Vladimir Konovalov, Valentin Gorodetsky and Altaf Ententeev, who are going into retirement. They were addressed by general director of Uralkali Maxim Shirokov, who said: "I am sincerely grateful to all of you for your work, for what you have contributed to the company and for the years you have devoted to it. You are an epoch in the history of Uralkali. And we will do our best to preserve all traditions, all experience you have passed on to the company when you worked in it. "

The management of Uralkali has decided to apply to the administration of the city for awarding the title "Honorary Citizen of the City of Berezniki" to Vladimir Ivanovich Konovalov and an honorary diploma of the city administration to Valentin Ivanovich Gorodetsky. Altaf Ententeev will be awarded the title "Honorary Potassium Worker."