Tasks for the further development of the ferrous metallurgy industry have been identified
Uzbekistan
President Shavkat Mirziyoyev held a meeting at the Uzbek Iron and Steel Works (Uzbek Metallurgical Plant) dedicated to the priority tasks of taking the ferrous metallurgy industry to a qualitatively new level of development.
The head of state emphasized that ferrous metallurgy is one of the main sources of raw materials for economic sectors with a combined turnover of over $50 billion, including construction, building materials production, automotive manufacturing, mechanical engineering, energy, and electrical engineering.
To transition the economy to a technology-driven and innovative development model and increase the gross domestic product to $240 billion by 2030, it is necessary to ensure annual economic growth of at least 8-9 percent. In this process, the development of the metallurgy industry must rely on a sustainable raw material base, the production of competitive products, and the implementation of modern technologies.
At the same time, he noted dependence on imports, high production costs and energy consumption, as well as the low effectiveness of digitalization and the implementation of artificial intelligence technologies. It was noted that these issues are particularly pressing given global instability and logistical challenges along key international transport corridors.
Over the past ten years, our country's demand for flat products, rolled metal sections, tubular products, and metal structures has tripled, reaching 5.5 million tons. The nuclear power plant, the fourth copper processing plant, and the new copper smelter under construction alone will require approximately 2.5 million tons of flat products and rebar.
Over the next five years, new production capacity worth $180 billion will be commissioned, infrastructure projects worth $27 billion will be implemented, and apartment buildings for 800,000 families will be built. As a result, by 2030, annual demand for metal products will increase 1.5-fold, exceeding 8 million tons.
Today, the Bekabad Metallurgical Plant produces 40 percent of its rolled metal products from recycled metal, and the remaining 60 percent from imported raw materials. Although the plant annually receives 700,000 tons of ferrous scrap metal nationwide, approximately 500,000 tons of scrap metal remains in the shadow economy.
In this regard, all processes related to the circulation of ferrous metals will be monitored in real time through an electronic platform. To ensure a healthy competitive environment and price stability in the industry, and to implement effective control mechanisms, a separate project office will be established within the government. The launch of the "E-Lom" electronic platform and the establishment of controls over the circulation of ferrous metals have been mandated starting August 1.
It was noted that the country has 1.5 billion tons of iron ore reserves. An agreement has been reached with Chinese partners to establish annual production of 650,000 tons of this raw material by enriching ore from the Surun-ota deposit. Furthermore, the need to create capacity for annual steel production of up to 1 million tons through the implementation of the Tebinbulak deposit development project was emphasized, as well as to expedite the execution of an agreement for the supply of 700,000 tons of iron ore per year from Tajikistan's metallurgical plant.
Emphasizing that large private enterprises are ready to organize the full technological cycle—from geological exploration and raw material extraction at deposits to finished product production—the need to create favorable conditions for them was emphasized.
The head of state noted that to improve steel quality, the demand for raw materials such as manganese and ferrosilicon will also increase. Responsible officials have been instructed to use artificial intelligence technologies to analyze promising areas and develop a geological program aimed at increasing iron ore reserves and the minerals needed for its beneficiation.
Approximately 150 medium and small private enterprises operate in the metallurgical industry. To ensure a stable supply of raw materials, a separate company will be created to handle the centralized import of raw materials. It will be allocated $200 million, and imported raw materials will be sold exclusively through the exchange.
The meeting focused on expanding the range of metal products and strengthening cooperation between large metallurgical plants and private enterprises.
The casting and rolling complex, commissioned today, paves the way for the development of products worth a total of $1.5 billion in the automotive, specialty, process equipment, household and agricultural machinery, and construction materials industries.
Responsible officials have been tasked with developing a package of projects for the production of seamless pipes, cold-rolled steel, and the implementation of 3D printing and high-precision metalworking technologies.
An "Uzbekistan Industrial Park of Environmental Technologies" with existing infrastructure will be established on 90 hectares of land at the Bekabad Metallurgical Plant. It will house a research and development (R&D) center for ferrous metallurgy and a modern laboratory for issuing internationally recognized certificates.
Furthermore, the task has been set to develop a program of cooperation projects worth a total of $100 million around major metallurgical enterprises in Samarkand, Jizzakh, Namangan, and Syrdarya. This will expand value chains in these regions and localize new product lines.
The meeting also discussed the digitalization of the metallurgical industry and the implementation of artificial intelligence technologies. The Almalyk Mining and Metallurgical Plant has demonstrated results in reducing operating costs, production costs, and energy consumption, while increasing labor productivity through the use of artificial intelligence technologies.
A program will be developed to improve equipment efficiency at metallurgical plants by 20 percent, reduce production costs by 10 percent, energy consumption by 15 percent, and reduce maintenance costs and process downtime by 20 percent through the implementation of AI and digitalization technologies.
The Center for Economic Research and Reforms has been designated as a think tank for the metallurgical industry. In addition, the research centers of the Navoi and Almalyk Mining and Metallurgical Plants, the Uzbek-Korean Scientific and Technological Center of the Technological Metals Plant, Tashkent State Technical University, Navoi State Mining and Technological University, the Almalyk branch of the Tashkent State Technical University, and the Almalyk branch of the National University of Science and Technology "MISiS" will be integrated into the industry.
These research institutions and higher education institutions will analyze the demand for new types of materials, identify projects needed to meet this demand across regions, identify optimal technological solutions, and identify training areas for in-demand personnel. One-, three-, and five-year programs will be developed for each region.
Starting in the new academic year, the Bekabad Metallurgical Plant will establish a department of ferrous metallurgy and introduce dual education.
The Center for Economic Research and Reforms has been tasked with launching a digital platform that will consolidate information on issues in the metallurgical industry. A venture fund will also be created to finance and implement scientific research.
Emphasizing the need for a "technological breakthrough" in the industry, the head of state identified as priorities the expansion of the ferrous metallurgy raw material base, reducing import dependence, widespread adoption of digital technologies and artificial intelligence, development of new product lines, and strengthening cooperation with the private sector.
The meeting heard reports from the heads of relevant agencies and regions.
To transition the economy to a technology-driven and innovative development model and increase the gross domestic product to $240 billion by 2030, it is necessary to ensure annual economic growth of at least 8-9 percent. In this process, the development of the metallurgy industry must rely on a sustainable raw material base, the production of competitive products, and the implementation of modern technologies.
At the same time, he noted dependence on imports, high production costs and energy consumption, as well as the low effectiveness of digitalization and the implementation of artificial intelligence technologies. It was noted that these issues are particularly pressing given global instability and logistical challenges along key international transport corridors.
Over the past ten years, our country's demand for flat products, rolled metal sections, tubular products, and metal structures has tripled, reaching 5.5 million tons. The nuclear power plant, the fourth copper processing plant, and the new copper smelter under construction alone will require approximately 2.5 million tons of flat products and rebar.
Over the next five years, new production capacity worth $180 billion will be commissioned, infrastructure projects worth $27 billion will be implemented, and apartment buildings for 800,000 families will be built. As a result, by 2030, annual demand for metal products will increase 1.5-fold, exceeding 8 million tons.
Today, the Bekabad Metallurgical Plant produces 40 percent of its rolled metal products from recycled metal, and the remaining 60 percent from imported raw materials. Although the plant annually receives 700,000 tons of ferrous scrap metal nationwide, approximately 500,000 tons of scrap metal remains in the shadow economy.
In this regard, all processes related to the circulation of ferrous metals will be monitored in real time through an electronic platform. To ensure a healthy competitive environment and price stability in the industry, and to implement effective control mechanisms, a separate project office will be established within the government. The launch of the "E-Lom" electronic platform and the establishment of controls over the circulation of ferrous metals have been mandated starting August 1.
It was noted that the country has 1.5 billion tons of iron ore reserves. An agreement has been reached with Chinese partners to establish annual production of 650,000 tons of this raw material by enriching ore from the Surun-ota deposit. Furthermore, the need to create capacity for annual steel production of up to 1 million tons through the implementation of the Tebinbulak deposit development project was emphasized, as well as to expedite the execution of an agreement for the supply of 700,000 tons of iron ore per year from Tajikistan's metallurgical plant.
Emphasizing that large private enterprises are ready to organize the full technological cycle—from geological exploration and raw material extraction at deposits to finished product production—the need to create favorable conditions for them was emphasized.
The head of state noted that to improve steel quality, the demand for raw materials such as manganese and ferrosilicon will also increase. Responsible officials have been instructed to use artificial intelligence technologies to analyze promising areas and develop a geological program aimed at increasing iron ore reserves and the minerals needed for its beneficiation.
Approximately 150 medium and small private enterprises operate in the metallurgical industry. To ensure a stable supply of raw materials, a separate company will be created to handle the centralized import of raw materials. It will be allocated $200 million, and imported raw materials will be sold exclusively through the exchange.
The meeting focused on expanding the range of metal products and strengthening cooperation between large metallurgical plants and private enterprises.
The casting and rolling complex, commissioned today, paves the way for the development of products worth a total of $1.5 billion in the automotive, specialty, process equipment, household and agricultural machinery, and construction materials industries.
Responsible officials have been tasked with developing a package of projects for the production of seamless pipes, cold-rolled steel, and the implementation of 3D printing and high-precision metalworking technologies.
An "Uzbekistan Industrial Park of Environmental Technologies" with existing infrastructure will be established on 90 hectares of land at the Bekabad Metallurgical Plant. It will house a research and development (R&D) center for ferrous metallurgy and a modern laboratory for issuing internationally recognized certificates.
Furthermore, the task has been set to develop a program of cooperation projects worth a total of $100 million around major metallurgical enterprises in Samarkand, Jizzakh, Namangan, and Syrdarya. This will expand value chains in these regions and localize new product lines.
The meeting also discussed the digitalization of the metallurgical industry and the implementation of artificial intelligence technologies. The Almalyk Mining and Metallurgical Plant has demonstrated results in reducing operating costs, production costs, and energy consumption, while increasing labor productivity through the use of artificial intelligence technologies.
A program will be developed to improve equipment efficiency at metallurgical plants by 20 percent, reduce production costs by 10 percent, energy consumption by 15 percent, and reduce maintenance costs and process downtime by 20 percent through the implementation of AI and digitalization technologies.
The Center for Economic Research and Reforms has been designated as a think tank for the metallurgical industry. In addition, the research centers of the Navoi and Almalyk Mining and Metallurgical Plants, the Uzbek-Korean Scientific and Technological Center of the Technological Metals Plant, Tashkent State Technical University, Navoi State Mining and Technological University, the Almalyk branch of the Tashkent State Technical University, and the Almalyk branch of the National University of Science and Technology "MISiS" will be integrated into the industry.
These research institutions and higher education institutions will analyze the demand for new types of materials, identify projects needed to meet this demand across regions, identify optimal technological solutions, and identify training areas for in-demand personnel. One-, three-, and five-year programs will be developed for each region.
Starting in the new academic year, the Bekabad Metallurgical Plant will establish a department of ferrous metallurgy and introduce dual education.
The Center for Economic Research and Reforms has been tasked with launching a digital platform that will consolidate information on issues in the metallurgical industry. A venture fund will also be created to finance and implement scientific research.
Emphasizing the need for a "technological breakthrough" in the industry, the head of state identified as priorities the expansion of the ferrous metallurgy raw material base, reducing import dependence, widespread adoption of digital technologies and artificial intelligence, development of new product lines, and strengthening cooperation with the private sector.
The meeting heard reports from the heads of relevant agencies and regions.
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