‘Machine-building is the only branch of industry involved in the high-value-added production, and it is this branch that has the greatest labor productivity growth reserves. Even so, we still haven’t managed to raise the branch’s share in Sverdlovsk Region’s industrial structure. At the moment, it only comes to 20%,’ the region’s Minister for Industry and Science Anatoly Gredin announced at the region’s major enterprises’ chief designers meeting.

‘Then, we cannot boast any efficient machine-building sector structure. There are 220 industrial SMEs and 140 small businesses in Sverdlovsk Region employing 168,000 people. Virtually all of these companies are faced with similar problems like natural-economy production style and obsolete and worn-out equipment,’ he added.