President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has taken part in the due ceremony and delivered a keynote speech.
The head of our state called the opening of this production complex, rather vital for the national economy, a historic event.
The construction of the mill started in February 2017. In August 2018, the President got acquainted with the progress of works at the facility. Despite various difficulties, including those associated with the coronavirus pandemic, construction of this giant enterprise has been completed successfully thanks to the profound knowledge, skill and hard work of thousands of selfless people.
Shavkat Mirziyoyev expressed gratitude to the designers and builders as well as foreign partners who contributed to the building of this plant.
“We attach special significance to the formation of innovative economy, a modern industry, favorable investment climate, partnership with other countries and leading foreign companies. Commissioning of the Tashkent Metallurgy Plant, unique in all respects, is a clear confirmation of the effectiveness of our efforts in this direction,” the President suggested.
The head of state dwelled on the economic effect anticipated from the new complex. The low level of development of ferrous metallurgy in our country has hitherto complicated the activities of domestic industrial enterprises. The Tashkent Metallurgy Plant will annually produce 500 thousand tons of zinc and polymer coated metal sheets. And this will help to meet the needs of hundreds of enterprises specializing in the production of building materials and metal structures, household appliances, electrical and food products. Previously, this demand was fulfilled mainly by imports.
In the future, the plant’s products will also cater to the needs of the domestic automotive and agricultural machinery industries.
At the first stage of the enterprise’s activity, about $ 400 million will be saved thanks to the production of import-substituting goods. The level of localization will noticeably increase.
For example, in the prime cost of sandwich panels and roofing materials, the share of primary products manufactured in Uzbekistan will grow from 50 to 90 percent. In the case of ventilation and air conditioning systems, this figure will grow from 30 to 50 percent, household electrical appliances – from 35 to 50 percent. Consequently, the final product will become cheaper. In addition, the mill will provide exports of $ 90 million a year.
The complex will employ about 700 people. In general, including related industries, 5,000 new jobs are expected to be created.
In the near future, the new enterprise will establish close cooperation with the metallurgical complex in Bekabad in Tashkent region, where a $800m project is currently underway to build a casting and rolling factory with a production capacity of 1 million tons. The Bekabad products will serve as raw materials for the Tashkent Metallurgy Plant. This will bring the level of localization of sheets with zinc and polymer coating to 90 percent.
“The key purpose of our efforts is to generate a cluster in the coming years with a full cycle of production of finished metal goods from scratch,” Shavkat Mirziyoyev noted in his speech.
The head of state drew attention to the fact that the plant is starting to operate in the recently established Yangihayot (New Life) district of the capital Tashkent. The President stressed that a new generation of engineers, designers, metallurgists and other specialists will be formed at the enterprise to serve as a solid foundation for the establishment of modern enterprises in the future.
“If you remember, we have set ourselves the goal of coming out of the coronavirus pandemic even stronger. Today, when this difficult year comes to an end, we can confidently say that our efforts are yielding positive effects. After all, we see what the world has been undergoing and what is happening in Uzbekistan. God willing, late this month we will open the Sergeli metro line. May we have more such bright days,” Shavkat Mirziyoyev concluded.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation Denis Manturov thanked the head of our state for the development of cooperation between our two nations and his support for major joint projects.
He noted that the Innoprom international investment and industrial exhibition, scheduled for next April in Tashkent, will serve the elaboration of new promising projects.
The ceremony was also attended by chairman of Russia’s Metprom company Stanislav Lazutkin, CEO of the Italian Danieli Group Giacomo Mareschi Danieli, labor veterans and youth.
By pressing a symbolic button, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev launched the production process at the Tashkent Metallurgy Plant.
