Minsk Tractor Works (MTZ) plans to manufacture 20 tractors Belarus 3023 together with the Russian concern Ruselprom in 2010. The tractors are powered by an electromechanical transmission, MTZ Chief Designer Ivan Uss told a press conference on 23 October.

The batch of 20 tractors is supposed to assess the demand and get customers familiar with the tractors. MTZ has been working hard to create a brand new heavy tractor.

Along with stepless electromechanical transmission the tractor Belarus 3023 boasts a powerful thrifty Diesel engine with an electronic control system.

According to MTZ Technical Director Igor Yemelyanovich, the company expects a strong demand for the new tractors. The price will be determined within the next few months. As a guideline the MTZ Technical Director mentioned 305hp tractors Belarus 3022, for which domestic customers pay around $146,000.

The tractor Belarus 3023 will be presented for the first time at Europe’s largest agricultural expo Agritechnica 2009 in Hanover on 8-14 November. The expo organizer - the German Agricultural Society DLG – has awarded a silver medal to the Belarusian tractor. DLG is the world’s only society, which bestows awards prior to an expo.

With 300 bids filed by designer companies this year, only tractors made by five companies have been awarded. Minsk Tractor Works has been awarded along with John Deere, New Holland, Claas, AGCO companies. Minsk Tractor Works is the first CIS producer to win a DLG award in over 20 years of the expo history.

Minsk Tractor Works was founded on 29 May 1946. The company is one of the world’s top eight manufacturers, which account for 96% of the global tractor sales. MTZ ships its products to over 60 countries across the globe. Nowadays the company offers 24 universal cultivating tractor models, six compact tractor models, eight walk-behind tractor models, 15 special industrial machine models as well as ploughs. The capacity of MTZ tractors varies from 9hp to 350hp.