Located in the Arkhangelsk Oblast region of northwestern Russia, the plant will be majority-owned and operated by AkzoNobel. The sodium chlorate production plant will be fully managed and operated by AkzoNobel’s Pulp and Paper Chemicals business, Eka Chemicals, in cooperation with Ilim Group.“This fits very nicely into the AkzoNobel growth strategy for markets such as Russia,” says Ruud Joosten, Managing Director of Eka Chemicals. “By entering into this venture, we look forward to further expanding our opportunities in a market with high future potential.”Paul Herbert, CEO of Ilim Group stated: “We are glad that our cooperation with one of world’s leading chemical producers is reaching truly new levels. Ilim is the leading pulp and paper company in Russia, so it was crucial for us to find a strategic partner who would be interested in the long-term development of our non-core asset. I am sure that our cooperation will be mutually beneficial.”