A thermal jacket for an oil pipeline is like a winter jacket for a person: it always fits our customer.

Mikhail Skripnikov, the owner of the Kvant company, told about the jokes of foreign partners and about his plans to create a production technopark in Omsk.

Today's section includes an interview with Mikhail Skripnikov, the owner of Kvant software. While some of the production facilities are being reduced during the pandemic, Mikhail, on the contrary, has ambitious plans to enter the European market with his product, heating systems.

— Mikhail, how did your company Kvant begin?

— I founded the company in 2012. We started with small electrical work such as the installation of a diesel power plant in a private cottage or a snowmelt system for roofs and gutters, also on small private or commercial facilities. But our region is not rich — it turned out that even the owners of respectable cottages save on everything: only a few of them were interested in modern heating systems. Therefore, we have focused on industrial heating systems. Their main application is to protect technological tanks or pipelines from freezing in industrial enterprises, including petrochemicals. Well, cottages are now "protected from ice" only to long-time trusted customers or friends.

— What is the coolest development that is currently successful both in Russia and abroad?

— What has really proven itself is the use of pre—insulated pulse tubes for frost protection in instrumentation and control lines. To explain it quite simply, this is a technology in which the installation of a heating cable, thermal insulation and an external protective layer are carried out in the factory. Then all that remains at the facility is to cut off a section of the required length and assemble it "at a time", without involving additional contractors. That is, it is not necessary, as in the last century, to carry out thermal insulation work in the "field" (outdoors, in the cold) — the pipes are already fully protected from external influences.

— Are other "quantum" developments in demand? 

- of course. We are constantly improving industrial heating systems, introducing all kinds of novelties. For example, to integrate pre-insulated tubes into an existing line (including pressure measuring systems), we produce thermal covers for connection sections and thermal cabinets for devices. This is a delicate job — the effectiveness of the system depends not only on the quality of the materials, but also on a professional approach. We have it — our customers and partners trust us.

To explain it figuratively, a thermal jacket is like a winter jacket: one can hang beautifully on hangers in a store, but the sleeves will turn out to be short, and it blows into the back. The other one will be too warm — during active sports, a person will get wet and eventually freeze. So, our thermal insulation is like a down jacket, which always fits and warms up just as much as needed. What else? There is a growing demand for our developments in modern monitoring and control systems, alternative energy sources for heating facilities. 

— Mikhail, how did your cooperation with the Omsk Region Export Support Center begin?

— From an acquaintance at the Omsk manufacturers' exhibition in the regional Congress Hall. It was 2016, and we immediately received an invitation from the Export Support Center to join the delegation of Omsk entrepreneurs that was going to Baku. The staff of the Center did a lot of work then — they picked up potential partners for us, arranged meetings. Upon arrival, we were introduced to the Russian trade representative in Azerbaijan. The trip to sunny Baku turned out to be great, but ... it was not possible to establish cooperation with Azerbaijani enterprises at that time. Turkey is nearby, and local entrepreneurs have already established business with Turkish partners. We were just completing the development of the product they needed. We already have something to offer, and we are waiting for the situation to stabilize.

— Was it more successful with Kazakhstan?

— Much more! It started with our trip to Astana for EXPO-2017, where the first contracts were signed. Then, in 2018, there was a business mission to Alma Ata. At the International Industrial Exhibition Powerexpo'2018, we met new partners — these are two large design institutes that carry out work for the country's oil and gas complex. It turned out that there are no analogues of our products — those very pre—insulated pulse tubes - in Kazakhstan, so we aroused great interest.

The mutually beneficial cooperation continues to this day. I would like to note that the Export Support Center has again seriously helped us by providing legal support for contracts (customs clearance, taxation). Now we have four major partners in Kazakhstan.

— What was the most unusual delivery to this country?

— All deliveries are interesting in their own way. I like to find common ground with new people and get a boost from successful international deals. There are, of course, funny moments. Local companies sometimes try to dump.

They participate in tenders for the supply of electric heating systems along with us. At the same time, everything is nice in their documents, the price is lower than ours. Well, such a company wins, and then the customer who paid for its work can find out that he received an amazing product: a pulse tube with insulation and cable is placed in... a polyethylene pipe like for a water pipe. There was such a case. In fact, there are only 3 well-known manufacturers of similar products in the world. Or here's another thing: our manager was offered 40 thousand rubles so that we could "withdraw" from the tender. We refused, but in order to win, we had to reduce the price by more than 500 thousand, the contract turned out to be not so profitable: we had to optimize the technical part and look for acceptable cost reduction options. Then we found out that we could have offered the same 40 thousand in return, and the competitor would have left the site himself. But we are not accustomed to this and have made a choice within the framework of the law.

— How else do they "joke" with you?

— It happens that customers send photos of the valve with glass wool wrapped around it, and wrapped with polyethylene on top with the question: "Do you make such thermal covers?" Another option: pictures of pipelines "insulated" with carpets — with the same question. This is, of course, their humor, but there is some truth in it.

— After such stories, I would like to ask if your trademark is protected abroad?

— This year we are completing the registration of our trademarks in Russia — these are KVANT and URSUS. Then we will apply in Kazakhstan. Indeed, trademark protection has become a necessity for us. The Kvant company has a good reputation, and after seeing its logo, the customer understands that he will receive not only high—quality goods, but also guaranteed service. We have it around the clock: the problem is fixed within 24 hours. And, of course, we cannot allow anyone else to use our name.

— Has the company had any difficulties due to the pandemic?

— There were serious restrictions, because the borders were opened only a couple of weeks ago. So our export expectations are unlikely to be fully met this year. — Have the company's development plans changed because of this? — In 2021, we intend to seriously expand our production in Omsk. To date, we import some of the parts, assemblies and systems. And we want to produce in Omsk. Therefore, the plans include the creation of a manufacturing technology park, on the site of which we will combine companies providing business services with manufacturing and engineering companies. When all this works out, we can enter the European market. — Thank you, good luck to you!

Small and medium-sized businesses can also use the services of the Export Support Center free of charge: translation of materials into foreign languages, organization of participation in international exhibitions, business missions, search for partners abroad, placement on international trading platforms and much more.

Learn more on www.ved55.ru in the "Services" section. Reference: The Omsk Region Export Support Center carries out activities within the framework of the implementation of national projects in the region "Small and medium-sized enterprises and support for individual entrepreneurial initiatives", as well as "International cooperation and export".