MoAZ (Mogilev Automobile Plant named after S.M. Kirov, a branch of Belarusian Autoworks) increased its export by 66% in 2010 to $11 million, MoAZ Director Mikhail Golushkov told BelTA.

The company sold over 100 vehicles abroad, mainly those used for open pit operations, underground mining, and the construction of tunnels and bridges. Russia accounted for about 70% of the export. Venezuela, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan are among new serious partners. “We also continue vigorously cooperating with Kazakhstan. Using performance specifications of our Kazakh partners we have made and are testing several vehicles designed for shafts,” said the MoAZ Director.

In 2011 the company intends to continue working hard promoting its products onto new markets, including by means of setting up joint ventures. There are plans to set up an enterprise to assemble mine dump trucks in Kazakhstan. “We also intend to make our products more competitive through constantly improving their quality. BelAZ has invested a lot in modernizing MoAZ manufacturing facilities in recent years. In 2010 alone over Br8 billion was spent, almost twice as much as in 2009,” said Mikhail Golushkov.

In his words, last year they bought a modern machine for coordinate-based laser cutting, over ten metal-cutting tools were upgraded with control computers. This year the company plans to invest at least Br8 billion in retooling. “The huge money will not be wasted. The money is investments in the future,” said the MoAZ Director. “We have a lot of plans to step up the capacity to manufacture high-capacity dump trucks, road construction and underground mining vehicles, plans to promote manufacturing cooperation with the parent enterprise as well as Belarusian wagon manufacturers”.

Founded in 1935, Mogilev Automobile Plant is one of the CIS’ largest manufacturers of automobiles designed for building roads and dams, tunnels and bridges, for open pit and underground mining. MoAZ specializes in self-powered scrapers, front loaders, underground road trains, concrete mixer trucks, and self-propelled rollers.