Ukraine has increased the share of domestic fire-protection materials to 80% – industry leader “Kovlar Group”
The share of imported fire-protection materials fell from 80% in 2016 to 20% in 2024, Kostiantyn Kalafat, head of “Kovlar Group,” said in an interview with “Interfax-Ukraine.” He recalled that when the company started operating in 2015, its goal was to draw on the experience of American builders to create an affordable domestic material for the fire protection of steel structures. The company’s first product was a plaster mixture
The share of imported fire-protection materials fell from 80% in 2016 to 20% in 2024, Kostiantyn Kalafat, head of “Kovlar Group,” said in an interview with “Interfax-Ukraine“.
He recalled that when the company started operating in 2015, its goal was to draw on the experience of American builders to create an affordable domestic material for the fire protection of steel structures. The company’s first product was the Ammokote GP-240 plaster mixture. The company then invested in setting up its own workshop and storage facilities, purchasing the necessary equipment, creating a research laboratory, and developing and testing new fire-protection materials, of which there are currently more than 20 items
“The availability in the country of high-quality Ammokote fire-protection products has created objective conditions for positive change in import substitution. Following the entry of Kovlar Group into the Ukrainian fire-protection market, there has been a steady decline in the share of fire-protection materials imported into Ukraine, from 80% in 2016 to 20% in 2024,” Kalafat said.
He stressed that on the path of its development the company received support and help from Kyiv businesses.
“We produced the first batches of fire-protection plaster at the research and production enterprise ‘Ukrvermikulit,’ and the fire-protection paints on the equipment of the leading Ukrainian manufacturer Kompozit. Our company also cooperates productively with the institutes of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine on scientific research in order to develop new, innovative fire-protection products. On a volunteer basis, we help Ukrainian scientists to set up pilot production and put scientific results into practice,” Kalafat said.
LLC “Kovlar Group” was founded in 2015, its authorized capital is UAH 1.2 million, and its ultimate beneficiaries are Kostiantyn Kalafat (40%), Andrii Ozeichuk (35%), and Liubov Vakhitova (25%). According to Opendatabot, over the first three quarters of 2024 the company received UAH 73 million 726.4 thousand in revenue; net profit was UAH 10 million 228.6 thousand.
The full text of the interview with Kostiantyn Kalafat will be published on the “Interfax-Ukraine” website.