New metallurgical complex launched in Bekobod

On July 13, during his visit to Bekobod, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev attended the launch ceremony of the new Casting and Rolling Complex built at the Uzbekistan Metallurgical Plant. The Presidential press service reported this.

It was noted that the head of state congratulated the plant’s team, labor veterans and foreign partners on this important event.

It was emphasized that in recent years, Uzbekistan has been carrying out large-scale reforms to bring the mining and metallurgy sector to a new technological stage.

Over the past 10 years, nearly $2 billion in foreign investment has been attracted to the sector, and 31 major production facilities have been launched. As a result of broad opportunities created for the private sector, the number of enterprises operating in the industry has exceeded 150.

During this period, the annual volume of local metal product production reached 3 million tons, while its value amounted to 23 trillion soums. For comparison, in 2016, 800,000 tons of products worth 1.5 trillion soums were produced.

Previously, the sector mainly supplied rolled metal products for the construction industry. Today, it produces 80 types of new products for rapidly developing areas such as mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, the defense industry and energy.

The President emphasized that the work of metallurgists plays an important role in shaping the modern image of New Uzbekistan, carrying out large-scale construction projects and developing sectors of the economy.

The country aims to shift its economy to a technological and innovative growth model and increase gross domestic product to $240 billion by 2030.

Over the next five years, it is planned to attract $180 billion in foreign investment to the economy, implement social and industrial infrastructure projects worth $27 billion, and build multi-story housing for 800,000 households.

It was reported that such targets will increase demand for metal products by 1.5 times compared to the current level. In this regard, the special role of the Uzbekistan Metallurgical Plant, which has a united and dedicated workforce of more than 5,500 people, was noted.

The new Casting and Rolling Complex will mark the beginning of a new era at the plant in introducing energy-saving technologies and digital solutions, as well as increasing labor productivity and product quality.

This complex will go down in history as the first project in the country for the production of hot-rolled steel sheets.

As a result of its launch, 1 million tons of hot-rolled steel sheets worth 8 trillion soums will be produced annually. The demand of the Tashkent and Samarkand metallurgical plants for rolled sheets will be fully covered. In addition, 1,200 high-income jobs will be created.

The head of state expressed gratitude to the builders and engineers, technologists and machine operators, workers, labor veterans and foreign partners who took part in the construction of the complex.

During the ceremony, future plans for the further development of the Uzbekistan Metallurgical Plant were also outlined.

It was emphasized that supplying the plant’s demand for raw materials from local resources is the highest priority. The country’s regions have 1.5 billion tons of iron ore reserves.

In the next three to four years, it is planned to launch the Tebinbuloq deposit and produce 1 million tons of steel annually.

As a result of enriching ore from the Surun-ota deposit, the production of 600,000 tons of iron raw materials per year will be established. To process this raw material, construction of a modern metallurgical plant worth $180 million will begin at the plant.

Over the next three years, steel ball production lines will be gradually modernized with $30 million in investment, increasing their capacity from 250,000 tons to 500,000 tons.

In addition, the Uzbekistan Ecological Technologies Industrial Park will be established on the plant’s territory.

This year alone, six projects worth a total of $70 million will be launched in the industrial park to produce large-diameter pipes, overhead cranes and filtration equipment. As a result of their implementation, another 660 high-income jobs will be created.

The President noted that metallurgy is a difficult but honorable field and said the hard and devoted work of the plant’s employees deserves great respect and praise.

It was emphasized that the knowledge, experience and professional potential of specialists working at the plant, which has nearly a century-long history, on the basis of the mentor-apprentice tradition serve as a true example for many labor teams.

After that, the head of state pressed a symbolic button and launched the operation of the Casting and Rolling Complex.

A conversation was also held with industry veterans, plant employees and foreign partners.