In two years, Philip Morris Armenia will create the R & D center

ArmInfo. Creation of an R & D  center (Research & Development) for Philip Morris in Armenia is an  issue of one or two years. This was stated in a conversation with the  correspondent of ArmInfo by the manager for Corporate relations  "Philip Morris Armenia" (PMA) Vahe Danielyan on the Fields of the  Engineering Forum-Exhibition, held on June 24 in Vanadzor Technology  Center.

According to him, such a model for the formation of the research  center will be the first in the CIS in its format, after the existing  R & D centers of the PMA in Singapore and Switzerland. In particular,  Danielyan noted that the innovative center of the PMA will initially  be created in the engineering city, which, within the framework of  cooperation with Armenian technology companies, will try to introduce  its experience to Armenia by conducting in-depth scientific  researches of different disciplines, in particular, chemistry,  biology, physics, in the field Mathematics, thermodynamics,  engineering, etc. "At the final stage, this center will become a  center for the production of prototypes," he stressed, referring to  the agreement with the government of the Republic of Armenia.

In this regard, Danielian recalled that earlier the company Philipp  Morris Armenia signed a memorandum of understanding with the  Government of Armenia. "This is not just cooperation, fixed on paper.  A supervisory group of the government has already been set up, which  monitors the ongoing work on a monthly basis. In particular,  specialists will come to our center abroad, explore scientific  directions and try to connect them with Armenian centers," he  explained. According to Danielyan, the Enterprise Incubator  Foundation will coordinate and systematize the Center's work in the  Engineering City. He informed that the government is preparing a  decision on the allocation of land for the construction of buildings,  and the World Bank will provide financial support for the preparation  of infrastructures. In a conversation with ArmInfo correspondent, the  head of the Enterprise Incubator Foundation Bagrat Yengibaryan noted  that at the first stage 10 companies, from which 6 are Armenian, will  work in the engineering city. A total of 30- 35 companies are  expected to be involved. According to him, construction will take  about 2 years, and the full "launch" of the city of 40 buildings and  structures is planned in 4 years. Earlier Yengibaryan during the  press conference noted that the preliminary cost of construction of  an engineering town near Bagrevand is about $ 20 million. The town  will be built on an area of 3 hectares. To note, the organizers of  the Engineering Forum-Exhibition in Vanadzor were the Enterprise  Incubator Foundation, the Government of Armenia, the regional  administration of Lori and the program "Promoting SME Development in  Armenia." The forum was attended by 26 technology companies,  including National Instruments, Nairi-Tech, Elpida Electronics, UAV  lab, Anod, Sezam, Institute of Radiophysics and Electronics and  Yerevan Research Institute of Communications, etc., who presented  their developments and solutions. More than 200 people from Yerevan  and the regions of Armenia visited the forum-exhibition. The event  was aimed at holding discussions on global trends in the development  of engineering, the problems of engineering education and the  business environment. During the forum, the heads of large  engineering companies and representatives of educational institutions  made moderators and speakers.