700 men strong work collective of Kremenchuk technical carbon plant (Poltava region) will be working five hours per day since November 1.

Viacheslav Yavorskyi, director of Kremenchuk technical carbon plant, made this statement.

According to him, the innovation is connected with falling demand for technical carbon among car wheel makers.

«The crisis emerged in summer, when European freight carriers began protesting against high fuel prices,» he said.

«Today truck and car production is being reduced. Consequently, rubber supplies are declining,» he added.

Presently, the plant is producing technical carbon in two eight-hour shifts.

«We’re going to reduce working hours to five,» Yavorskyi said.

As Ukrainian News earlier reported, Kremenchuk technical carbon plant reported losses of UAH 2.665 million for 2007.

The enterprise produces 10 types of technical carbon in line with ASTMD 1765 standard (US).

The plant exports most of its products to large tire producers Michelin (France), Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. (US), Continental AG (Germany), as well as to Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Canada.

A 19-percent stake in the plant belongs to Kyiv-based Khimopol LLC, 11.9% to the Donetsk-based Khimex and 64.3% to individuals.