Ilim Group and Liaoning Province sign Memorandum of cooperation

Ilim Group and Liaoning Province sign Memorandum of cooperation

    The Ilim Group, one of the leaders of the Russian pulp and paper industry, continues to strengthen cooperation with China. On July 8, a memorandum on long-term partnership in logistics, finance, industry and trade was signed in the administrative center of Liaoning Province, Shenyang. The document became a new step in the 30-year history of the company's work in the Chinese market.

Details of the agreement

    The document was signed:

• - Alexander Lykhin— Head of the Beijing Representative Office of JSC Ilim Group in China;
• - Lu Yunfei is the Deputy Director of the Department of Commerce of Liaoning Province.

    The parties have consolidated their intentions for a long-term partnership in several key areas.

Key areas of cooperation

1. Increasing the supply of pulp and cardboard
    Liaoning is a region with a developed production of household appliances and automotive industry, where there is a stable demand for high—quality raw materials. Ilim plans to:

•     - increase shipments of pulp and cardboard to the province;
•     - with the support of the authorities, establish direct contacts with key clients;
•     - to work out a framework agreement on long-term supplies.

2. Development of logistics infrastructure
    The memorandum pays special attention to logistics. Planned:

•     - to develop the route "Russia — ports of Liaoning (Dalian, Yingkou) — southern regions of China";
•     - use Shenyang as a distribution hub;
•     - about 200 thousand tons of Ilim products pass through the Shenyang Chengtong center annually.

3. Procurement of equipment and chemicals
    Ilim intends to expand purchases of equipment, spare parts and chemicals from Liaoning enterprises, continuing the successful experience of cooperation with Chinese suppliers.

4. Financial, scientific and educational cooperation
    The parties plan to work out financial mechanisms, interact with banks, as well as scientific and educational cooperation.

Comments of the parties

Alexander Lykhin, Head of the Beijing Representative Office of Ilim, noted:

"Now Russian-Chinese relations are at a historic peak, which opens up new opportunities. Liaoning Province is the gateway to Northeast China with a unique geography and strong industry. We see that the authorities of the region rely on high technologies and new materials, and this fully coincides with our priorities. Deepening cooperation with Liaoning will provide the region with high-quality raw materials and allow us to jointly develop innovations in unified production chains."

Lu Yunfei, Deputy Director of the Liaoning Province Department of Commerce, emphasized:

"We are interested in increasing the volume of cooperation and trade with the Ilim Group and want the company's products to be distributed in greater volume through the logistics infrastructure of our region. We are ready to facilitate Ilim's cooperation with industrial enterprises, logistics operators and the port infrastructure of the region."

    He also noted the positive dynamics of the province's foreign trade: in the first five months of 2026, the growth was about 6.3%, while the pace of trade with Russia is ahead of the average.

Participants of the ceremony

    The signing was attended by key partners:

• - Duan Jie— CEO of the International Logistics Company Sanyanma (Liaoning);
• - Su Xiaotian, Vice President of the Yusen Group of Companies (in charge of sales);
• - Zhang Dayong is the CEO of TC International Investment (Hong Kong) Company Limited.

    The parties agreed to hold regular meetings to summarize the results and identify new areas of joint work.

Key areas and indicators of the memorandum:

Importance for the Russian timber industry

    The signing of the memorandum with Liaoning Province is an important step for Ilim and the entire Russian forestry industry.:

1. - Strengthening its position in the Chinese market: Liaoning is one of the key industrial regions of Northeast China with developed logistics, port infrastructure and a powerful industrial sector.   Cooperation with him opens up additional sales channels.
2. - Logistical optimization: The route through the ports of Dalian and Yingkou reduces the transport burden and accelerates the delivery of products to the southern regions of China.
3. - Import substitution in procurement: The expansion of purchases of equipment and chemicals from Liaoning enterprises reduces dependence on Western suppliers and strengthens Ilim's technological security.
4. - A systematic approach: The Memorandum covers not only trade, but also logistics, finance, and science. It is an example of comprehensive cooperation that goes beyond simple export—import operations.
5. - An example for other companies: Ilim's experience in systematically working with Chinese provinces may be useful for other Russian exporters of forest products seeking to enter the Chinese market.
6.  

The prospects

    Ilim Group continues to implement its strategy of deep integration with the Chinese economy. The 30th anniversary of working in the Chinese market (celebrated in 2026) became the starting point for a new stage of cooperation. The company's plans include:

•     - further increase in the supply of pulp and cardboard;
•     - expansion of the range of exported products;
•     - development of the logistics network in China;
•     - deepening cooperation with Chinese manufacturers of equipment and chemicals.

    For the Russian LPC, this is another confirmation that China remains a key foreign market, and systematic work with regional authorities and industrial clusters brings concrete results in the form of new contracts and partnerships.

Tags: #group_ilim #Liaoning #China #pulp #cardboard #logistics #cooperation #LPC