The Institute of Nuclear Physics has a track record of radiation processing materials for the Uzbekistan market using its existing accelerators and nuclear reactor. Radiation processing of medical and pharmaceutical products is largely carried out in their gamma facility. Additional gamma sources (Cobalt 60) have been installed to increase the activity of this facility and, therefore, the throughput. This was carried out via funding from CNCP for the gemstones project to enable the facility to be used for improving the colour of natural gemstones. INP has done some preliminary research on the market for radiation processing of products. This has shown that the demand for radiation processing in Uzbekistan is growing. Their experience is that in 2001 three Uzbek companies were using the radiation services provided by their gamma facility: this has risen to eight in 2008. They believe that this growth is driven by the increased demand for sterilization of medical products and the fact that alternative methods of doing this (eg gas sterilization) are limited in Uzbekistan. The increasing demand cannot be met using just the gamma facility.
Besides medical applications INP also has experience of radiation processing electronic components for the Uzbek company "Foton".
Overall INP believes it can considerably increase their market share, which they currently estimate stands at 10%, of the growing market for radiation processing in Uzbekistan. In 1990, INP purchased a new accelerator (U-003) with a beam energy of up to 9 MeV and power of 5 kW. This could be suitable for radiation processing, but has not been installed. INP believes that there is now a sufficient available market in Uzbekistan to make the installation of this machine viable.