During his working visit to Germany, Minister of Industry and Construction of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kanat Sharlapaev met with Manfred Grundke, member of the supervisory board of GP Günter Papenburg AG.
Manfred Grundke, in addition to his role at GP Günter Papenburg AG, is also a member of the Board of Management of the Eastern Committee of the German Economy and speaker of the country group for Central Asia, which underlines his significant role in the development of economic relations between Germany and the countries of Central Asia.
GP Günter Papenburg AG, founded in 1963, began as a construction materials trader and has grown over time to a significant size, with today 61 subsidiaries and production divisions. The company covers a wide range of activities, including the extraction of raw materials, the production of building materials, construction and logistics, which makes it a significant player in the market.
During the meeting, the parties shared the countries’ economic performance over the past year, discussed the current economic achievements of Kazakhstan and Germany, and expressed mutual interest in deepening cooperation in the field of energy efficiency and developing supply chains for critical materials. Particular attention was paid to the possibilities of detailed cooperation, including subsoil use and the creation of joint ventures.
A significant aspect of cooperation in the field of lithium production was also discussed. Leading companies – Knauf Gruppe, GP Gunter Papenburg AG, Roxtec, as well as the German Institute of Lithium (ITEL) have joined forces to form a consortium. This step is aimed at the development and production of lithium, using the deposits of Kazakhstan as a basis, which opens up new prospects for the development of the lithium industry in our country.
In addition, the parties reached an agreement to create a specialized working group aimed at exploring the potential for cooperation in the field of lithium mining and use. Additionally, we considered the prospect of developing a roadmap, which will become the basis for the successful implementation of the initiatives discussed.
