Ozon is increasing logistics capacity in Tatarstan and investing 1.8 billion rubles in the region
Ozon marketplace has officially opened the first stage of the fulfillment center on the territory of PSEDA Zelenodolsk today. The solemn ceremony was held with the participation of the President of the Republic of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov. The new logistics complex is the main hub of the company in the Volga region, which will provide goods to buyers of the marketplace throughout the country.
The new fulfillment center processes 80 thousand parcels daily and sends them to the residents of the region day after day. Thus, Tatarstan residents will receive a significant part of online purchases within a day after ordering. The complex simultaneously stores more than 4.5 million goods, which gives residents of the republic access to a huge variety of assortment – from household chemicals, children's goods to household appliances, automotive products and clothing.
"Today we are opening a wholesale distribution center of the OZON company. This is an amazing project, very substantive. The most important thing for us is that Tatarstan producers have the opportunity to enter large markets. We are already seeing the results. In 9 months, our e-commerce turnover has grown 5 times. I would like to thank the Single-Industry Towns Development Fund for its support in the implementation of this project. Much has already been done in the republic under the Foundation's programs. A vivid example of this is today's event. I am sure that we will continue our fruitful cooperation," said Rustam Minnikhanov.
The total area of the first stage of the Ozon complex in the Zelenodolsk Industrial Park is 22 thousand sq. m. by floor. At the same time, the construction of the second stage of the center is already planned — its opening is scheduled for 2023. Thus, the total area of the fulfillment center will reach 44 thousand sq. m. The scaling of the logistics center is associated with the growing volumes of online trading in Tatarstan — in the first half of the year alone, the number of orders for Ozon in the republic increased 2.6 times year-on-year.
It is worth noting that the leadership of the Republic of Tatarstan is implementing major investment projects by creating favorable conditions for large-scale attraction of domestic and foreign direct investment, the creation of modern industrial and production complexes on the territory that meet international standards, in addition, Tatarstan is a convenient logistics center of the European part of Russia.
In addition to the obvious benefits for the residents of the region, the fulfillment center plays an important role in the development of local entrepreneurship. According to the results of the second half of the year, about 1.7 thousand entrepreneurs from Tatarstan sold goods on Ozon. The launch of logistics is an opportunity to deliver goods to the marketplace even faster and deliver them to the local audience, saving on logistics. The goods stored at the new facility are sold throughout the country and abroad, which means that Tatarstan sellers will be able to scale up the sales.
"Tatarstan plays a special role in the development of Russian e-commerce, both from the point of view of the enthusiasm and initiative of entrepreneurs, and due to its favorable geographical location. This combination makes the region attractive for investment in infrastructure development. This is also why, following the opening of the first stage of the fulfillment center, we are launching the construction of the second one. The opening of such a large logistics facility will significantly support local sellers and accelerate the development of e-commerce - representatives of local businesses will significantly reduce the time of delivery of goods to the marketplace and, accordingly, the goods will appear faster on the showcase. And with fast delivery, online purchases will become even more convenient and, as a result, popular with residents of the republic," stressed Alexander Shulgin, CEO of Ozon.
With the financial participation of A SINGLE-INDUSTRY TOWN.RF, electricity, heat, water supply and sanitation networks have been built to the Zelenodolsk industrial site, as well as a highway. The Fund has allocated more than 930 million rubles for the construction of these facilities. At the moment, 11 enterprises are connected to the infrastructure, 6 of which have already been put into operation.
"I remember a few years ago, when we came to the Zelenodolsk site, there was nothing here but an empty field. I really wanted this territory to live its own special life. Then in 2016, the Fund allocated more than 930 million rubles to the project, and the region - more than 350 million rubles. And this faith in each other and support allowed us to create an engineering infrastructure, which is now "fed" by all enterprises of this site. Today, the 7th resident has been "launched" here, several more production facilities will open in the near future and create new jobs for the single-industry town of Zelenodolsk," said Irina Makieva.
Ozon's own investments in equipping the first stage of the fulfillment center amounted to more than 900 million rubles. In the second turn, the company invests about 900 million rubles more. The main part of the funds goes to the purchase of high-tech equipment and the creation of its own IT systems for production automation.
By the end of 2021, more than 1 thousand employees will work at the fulfillment. And after the commissioning of both pipelines, more than 2 thousand new jobs will appear in the region. As the popularity of online commerce grows in the region, additional employment will appear in the delivery of orders and at pick-up points.