According to a report on January 9 by the Russian media outlet ABnews, the tobacco manufacturing company "British American Tobacco - Saint Petersburg" (BAT-SPb) has announced a change in its name to "ITMS".
The factory, formerly owned by British American Tobacco, is planning to exit the Russian market this year.
In March of this year, British American Tobacco (BAT) publicly announced that its operations in Russia were facing difficulties and it intended to sell its business there. The business in Russia and Belarus will be acquired by a consortium led by the management team of "BAT Russia". Following the completion of the transaction, the company will be officially renamed as "ITMS Group".
British American Tobacco (BAT) has been operating in Russia since 1991 and established its own tobacco production line in St. Petersburg three years later. The factory produces several well-known brands, including Kent, Vogue, Dunhill, Lucky Strike, "Java," and the GLO tobacco heating system. It is worth noting that as foreign founders depart from Russia, these trademarks will be fully owned by the Russian business.
This series of changes signifies a structural adjustment in the tobacco industry, with ITMS Group committing to further focus on the Russian market and becoming a significant player in this field.
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