Yekaterinburg, May 26, 2026 – The grand opening of ChemTech Ural 2026, a trade fair for raw materials, equipment, and solutions for the chemical industry, took place today in Yekaterinburg, Russian Federation. Welcoming remarks were delivered by Alexey Shmykov, First Deputy Governor of the Sverdlovsk Region and Minister of Industry and Science of the Sverdlovsk Region; Igor Gerdt, President of the regional industry union “Soyuzoblkhimprom”; Alexander Porodnov, First Vice-President of the Sverdlovsk Regional Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs; and Tatiana Sergeeva, Director of the MVK Company’s Yekaterinburg branch. All speakers underscored the event’s importance for the development of the region’s chemical sector.
ChemTech Ural is a forum-exhibition where the future of the regional chemical industry takes shape. The event brings together 50 exhibitors from Belarus and 14 Russian regions, showcasing raw materials, equipment, laboratory solutions, and green chemistry. Industry professionals are discussing trends, seeking new partners, and unlocking business opportunities. The forum-exhibition unites manufacturing leaders, scientists, and government representatives, creating a platform for strategic dialogue and growth.
Key exhibition sections:
Background. The Sverdlovsk Region is one of the most powerful locomotives of the Russian economy. Manufacturing accounts for approximately 27-31% of the region’s gross regional product (GRP), forming its economic backbone. The regional economy is undergoing a transformation: historically reliant on export-oriented extraction and primary metallurgy, it now prioritizes deep-processing products (engineering, chemicals), logistics, and a robust domestic consumer sector.
The chemical and pharmaceutical industry has recently posted some of the highest growth rates, outpacing many traditional industrial sectors in the Urals. In early 2026, the turnover of chemical products grew by 23.9%. The region produces a wide range of goods, from mineral fertilizers, sulphuric acid and plastics to modern pharmaceuticals.
The sector is expanding rapidly. While there were 890 chemical enterprises operating in the region at the beginning of 2022, that number has now exceeded 930 (around 400 in chemical substance manufacturing, more than 500 in rubber and plastic products, and over 30 in pharmaceuticals).
Cooperation between the Republic of Belarus and the Sverdlovsk Region stands as one of the most striking examples of successful regional integration within the Union State. In recent years, bilateral ties have evolved from simple commodity exchange to deep industrial collaboration.
Following the official opening, the delegation visited the exposition of the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Belarus, where they were introduced to the latest innovative developments from the country’s leading universities.
The Ministry of Education of the Republic of Belarus is presenting over 20 innovations. The collective stand, organised by the Belarusian National Technical University (BNTU), features cutting‑edge work from BNTU (including the BNTU “Polytechnic” Science and Technology Park), Belarusian State University, and Polotsk State University.
On the first day of the exhibition, the Belarusian Ministry of Education’s exposition was visited by Sergey Chichuk, Consul General of the Republic of Belarus in Yekaterinburg.
The forum‑exhibition’s business programme covers a wide range of industry‑relevant topics – from interaction between chemical producers and the state, foreign economic activity and logistics, to specialized issues in pharmaceuticals, specialty chemicals, agrochemistry, composites and polymers, and other branches of the chemical industry.
Venue: IEC Yekaterinburg-Expo, Pavilion No. 3 (2 Expo Boulevard, Yekaterinburg), Stand N103.
Opening hours: 26–27 May 2026, 10:00–18:00; 28 May 2026, 10:00–16:00.
