Casting and rolling complex commissioned at the Uzbek Metallurgical Plant

During his visit to the city of Bekabad, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev attended the commissioning ceremony of a new casting and rolling complex at the Uzbek Metallurgical Plant.

The Head of State congratulated the plant’s workforce, labor veterans and foreign partners on this significant occasion.

It was noted that in recent years, large-scale reforms have been consistently implemented in the country to bring the mining and metallurgical industry to a qualitatively new technological level.

Over the past ten years, around $2 billion in foreign investment has been attracted to the industry, and 31 major production facilities have been commissioned. Thanks to the favorable conditions created for the private sector, the number of enterprises operating in the industry has exceeded 150.

During this period, the annual production of domestic metal products reached 3 million tons, with a value of 23 trillion UZS. By comparison, in 2016, 800,000 tons of products worth 1.5 trillion UZS were produced.

The industry, which previously supplied rolled metal products mainly to the construction sector, now manufactures 80 types of new products for such rapidly developing sectors as mechanical engineering, the electrical and defense industries, and energy.

The President emphasized that the work of metallurgists plays an important role in shaping the modern image of New Uzbekistan, implementing large-scale development projects and advancing various sectors of the economy.

It was noted that plans have been outlined to transition the country’s economy to a technology-driven and innovation-based development 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 into the economy, implement social and industrial infrastructure development projects worth $27 billion, and construct apartment buildings for 800,000 families.

Such ambitious goals will increase demand for metal products by 1.5 times compared with the current level.

In this regard, particular emphasis was placed on the role of the Uzbek Metallurgical Plant, whose workforce comprises more than 5,500 united and dedicated employees.

The new casting and rolling complex will focus on introducing energy-efficient technologies and digital solutions at the plant, increasing labor productivity, and improving product quality to a new level.

The complex will go down in history as the country’s first project for the production of hot-rolled sheet metal.

Once the complex is commissioned, it will produce 1 million tons of hot-rolled sheet metal annually, with a total value of 8 trillion UZS. This will fully meet the demand of metallurgical plants in Tashkent and Samarkand for sheet metal. 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 and employees, labor veterans, and foreign partners who took part in the construction of the complex.

During the official ceremony, plans for the development of the Uzbek Metallurgical Plant were also outlined.

It was emphasized that the foremost priority will be to meet the plant’s needs through domestic raw materials. The country has iron ore reserves amounting to 1.5 billion tons.

Over the next three to four years, with the commissioning of the Tebinbulak deposit, steel production is planned to reach 1 million tons per year.

The enrichment of ore from the Surun-ota deposit will enable annual production of 600,000 tons of iron ore. A modern metallurgical plant worth $180 million will be built at the Uzbek Metallurgical Plant to process this raw material.

Over the next three years, steel ball production lines will be modernized in stages through investments totaling $30 million, increasing their capacity from 250,000 to 500,000 tons per year.

In addition, the Uzbekistan Industrial Park of Environmental Technologies will be established at the plant.

As early as this year, 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. Their implementation will create another 660 high-income jobs.

The President emphasized that metallurgy is a labor-intensive yet honorable industry, and that the dedicated and selfless work of the plant’s workforce deserves the highest respect and recognition.

It was noted that the knowledge, experience and high professionalism of the plant’s specialists, rooted in a tradition of mentorship spanning nearly a century, serve as a worthy example for many workforces.

The Head of State then pressed a symbolic button, launching the operation of the new casting and rolling complex.

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