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BelAZ to unveil 450-tonne dump truck in August-September

ZHODINO, 5 March (BelTA) – BelAZ will present a dump truck with the load capacity of 450 tonnes in August-September 2013, Prime Minister of Belarus Mikhail Myasnikovich told reporters as he visited the company on 5 March, BelTA has learnt.

In line with the company’s investment program, $644 million will be channeled into building up capacities and expanding the output and sale of dump trucks with the load capacity of 90-450 tonnes. “It is a very ambitious task, because BelAZ will produce 450-tonne trucks for the first time in the history of domestic mechanical engineering,” the Premier noted.

Mikhail Myasnikovich toured the construction premises of a new shop floor. The project is progressing ahead of schedule in some parts, and falling behind the schedule in other parts, however this does not threaten the final deadline. The new dump trucks will be rolled out in August or September, as planned.

All technological equipment has already been ordered and is being delivered. Equipment is the focal point of the project. “It is a bottle neck; we have learnt to construct walls, roofs, floors, but when it comes to technologies, we might get stuck,” Mikhail Myasnikovich said.

The quality of the construction works will be of paramount importance too, after all, the company is implementing the project out of its own funds. “It should be noted that BelAZ is one of the few companies, unfortunately, that do not apply for loans or budgetary funds, but construct facilities using their own resources,” the Premier said.

During the visit to BelAZ, Mikhail Myasnikovich held talks with the Industry Minister and the Architecture and Construction Minister. They discussed in detail all the matters related to technological equipment, its mounting and commissioning, and the release of the 450-tonne dump trucks. “We need to make sure that everything is all right with the dump trucks and design documents. We do not want a situation when the production facilities are ready, but the vehicle is not,” Mikhail Myasnikovich said.

The construction project was launched at the end of 2011. About $45 million will be invested in constructing production facilities to manufacture the 450-tonne dump trucks. The company has already signed equipment supply contracts estimated at $27 million.

The general contractor of the project is Soligorsk Construction Trust No. 3. Some 200 construction workers and 22 construction vehicles are currently involved in the project.

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