Business news

2 Mar 2023

Belarusian MTZ eager to step up cooperation with China

An archive photo

MINSK, 2 March (BelTA) – The Belarusian tractor manufacturer MTZ is ready to step up cooperation with the People’s Republic of China, BelTA learned from MTZ Director General Vitaly Vovk.

Vitaly Vovk said: “Cooperation with the People’s Republic of China advances along three main avenues. In particular, the project to organize the assembly of MTZ 350hp tractors in China continues. The first prototype went through trials in 2020-2021. In 2022 MTZ shipped two more MTZ 3523 tractors to China for the sake of installing a CRRC electric drive with consequent certification. Once certification trials are over, the decision on localizing the assembly of Belarusian tractors will be made.”

Trials of an MTZ 3523 tractor powered by a diesel engine made by the Chinese company Weichai continue in Obchak, Minsk District. As a result of testbed trials specialists made a conclusion. The tractor is now waiting for the beginning of the spring sowing campaign and will get to work then. Meanwhile, MTZ’s prototype testing shop No.1 is busy assembling a second MTZ 3523 tractor with a Weichai engine. The transmission drive has been assembled and trialed, the engine has been installed as well as a front bar with a cooling unit and the front drive axle.

“One can say that the project has been successfully completed: MTZ will soon get a batch of 100 Weichai engines. After that a contract on deliveries till the end of the year will be prepared and consequent shipments will follow,” the MTZ CEO said. Vitaly Vovk stated that the company’s experimental design office No.1 is working on installing stepless transmission made by CVT into MTZ tractors with the engine power of 240-280hp and 300hp. Specialists of the experimental design office are expected to visit China in April to discuss details of the project.

Another area of work involves the import of components from China. Import from China amounted to $1.8 million in 2022 and $400,000 in January-February 2023.

MTZ is also interested in the implementation of major joint investment projects. Belarusian and Chinese specialists are actively working on it, Vitaly Vovk said.



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