Viktor Kochkovoy, ROMAX: “In recent years, we have invested heavily in the latest high-tech production equipment, thereby creating the basis for high-quality production and productivity. Our priorities for 2020 are the implementation of large projects in Africa and Asia.”

Russia, which has increased its grain production and exports in recent years, has also made progress in the field of grain processing and storage technologies. One of the most important and well-established Russian companies operating in that industry is ROMAX. The company carries out projects not only in all regions of Russia, but also in foreign markets. After increasing its production capacity with new investments, the company plans to enhance its market share in Asia and Africa. Viktor Kochkovoy, Marketing Manager of ROMAX, tells us the company’s expansion plan to overseas markets.

Could you provide us with brief information about your company and its activities? How do you determine the role and place of ROMAX in the Russian grain industry? ROMAX is the largest company in Russia that specializes in the production of a full range of post-harvesting mechanization, equipment for elevators and complexes for plant materials processing: storage silos, grain cleaning machines, grain drying equipment, conveyors and bucket elevators, gravity-flowing pipelines and aspiration systems, metal structures

Our goals and objectives are to increase the value of grain through the latest technological solutions that reduce losses at the processing stage, as well as during the storage of grain and seeds, which allows increasing the storage time of the product and its quality characteristics.

ROMAX is committed to continuous development, introducing new technologies and expanding the variety and range of services. Our products comply with the international certification system. In recent years, we have invested heavily in the latest high-tech production equipment, thereby creating the basis for high-quality production and productivity.

Could you give some information about your company and production capacities? ROMAX plant processes up to 30,000 tons of metal annually on high-precision and high-performance robotic equipment, which is located on the area of 20,000 m². Production capacities annually produce up to 1,000 units of grain cleaning equipment, up to 1,000,000 tons of silo storage, and up to 2,000 conveyor lines and metal structures. Warehouses on the area of 25,000 m² make it possible to store components and finished products, which can withstand the shortest production time and flexible shipping conditions.

The factory ROMAX produces the following equipment: • Grain-cleaning machine ALFA (capacity from 50 ton/h to 400 ton/h) • Mobile grain cleaning complex ALFA MGC (capacity from 80 ton/h to 150 ton/h) • Multipurpose screen grain-cleaning machine BETA (capacity from 60 ton/h to 240 ton/h) • Agrarian screen grain-cleaning machine VEGA (capacity up to 50 ton/h) • Grain dryer (capacity from 5 ton/h to 200 ton/h) • Silos of various types for operational and long-term storage of grain, legumes and oilseeds (volume from 4.5 m³ to 24,458 m³) • Conveying and gravity equipment (capacity from 25 ton/h to 400 ton/h for wheat)

Could you share with us the new projects that you recently completed? In the general wide list of successful projects of ROMAX plant in recent years, it is necessary to highlight the construction of the elevator complex of Vertunovskoye LLC, Penza Region, Russia. ROMAX plant timely completed the design, manufacture, supply of equipment, installation supervision and commissioning.

The complex includes: • grain storage areas with a total capacity of 203,640 m³; • conveying equipment with a capacity of 150 ton/h; • grain reception line with a productivity of 150 ton/h; • aspiration system; • section for grain shipping to trucks and railway transport.

In which markets are you most active besides Russia? Are there some priority regions that you see as a target market and focus on? How many countries have you exported your goods to? Our priorities for 2020 are the implementation of large projects in Africa and Asia. The best orders are provided to us by customers who are already convinced of the quality of our equipment and comfortable work with the ROMAX. We are actively conducting workshops for farmers in Africa, as well as participating in international exhibitions. We are interested in expanding the dealer network in Africa and Asia and are ready to consider serious offers that will be sent to info.international@zrmx.ru.

There are many companies in the grain storage industry. What makes you different from others? We have no right to make a mistake because we are new on the international market, which means that the highest quality and reliability of all equipment is a priority and will be definitely guaranteed and any interaction with ROMAX will be very comfortable. We have experience in do-ing business in the largest country of the world and in Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). The geography of completed projects extends over 9,000 km in various climatic zones. Only systemic work and love to our business allow us to ensure high-precisi-on manufacture and timely delivery to Europe, harsh Siberia, the Far East and other regions of Asia; properly complete the installation of equipment almost at the other end of the world; provide scheduled ma-intenance and service within the time period specified by the contract.

What can you say about the innovations and solutions that you have brought to the industry? The engineering department of the company systematically develops and improves the quality characteristics of products, patents its exclusive inventions, remaining at the forefront of the world's leading technologies for processing grain, legumes and oilseeds.

ROMAX products are distinguished by: • high performance • maximum quality of product processing • high efficiency (low energy consumption, minimum loss of processed product) • reliability and durability of the design, safety • the quality of the material used • ease of maintenance

In 2019, ROMAX design department completed the development of the unique RMX grain drying equipment with a unique patented drying chamber, which has no analogsues in the world. Also, all grain cleaning equipment under the brands ALFA, BETA, VEGA is the proprietary development of ROMAX. The equipment allows you to process various crops in any climate zone for decades. Thanks to experience in the harsh climatic conditions of Siberia, the galvanized silos produced by ROMAX have unrivaled tightness. This is confirmed not only by the high level of satisfaction of our customers but also by relevant certificates.

What are your plans and expectations for the coming years as a company? Our plans include the creation of a full-fledged dealer network in all priority countries in Africa and Asia. In the next 2-3 years, we will gain a foothold in the international market and bring subsidized lines of business to a positive financial result.

You have a huge experience in the industry. What kind of changes have you experienced in this sector in recent years? A significant incentive for the development of the grain storage and processing industry was the state program for partial cost compensation and concessional lending to farms not only in Russia but also abroad. Thanks to the assistance of the state, agricultural producers got more opportunities to organize a complete cycle of production and storage of grown grain, using modern developments and technologies for this. And the manufacturers of the appropriate equipment are provided with demand, workload of production lines and the opportunity to invest in the development and modernization of equipment.

Russia has been increasing its grain production each year and has become the world’s top wheat exporter. Russian Agriculture Ministry forecasts that the country would produce 140 million tons of grain annually by 2035. The storage capacity is so important in terms of exports and prices. What can you say about the grain storage capacity of Russia? Is there any plan to invest in grain storage in Russia? Romaks LLC contributes to the implementation of these plans by investing in the development of a new design for grain storage, grain cleaning equipment and elevator equipment in general.

Is there anything you want to add and share with our readers? We are open to dialogue with those who are interested in a reliable supplier of high-quality grain storage installations equipment.