NUR-SULTAN (TCA) — A new Chinese-Kazakh cement plant with designed daily production capacity of 2,500 tons of clinker cement was officially put into operation last Friday in southwest Kazakhstan’s Kyzylorda region, Xinhua news agency reported.
The joint cement plant, founded by China Gezhouba Group Cement Co., Ltd, is one of 55 China-Kazakhstan production capacity projects.
“The Kazakh government at all levels has strongly supported the construction and operation of the plant,” said Li Ming, chairman of China Gezhouba Group Cement Co., Ltd, in the inaugural ceremony.
“With the alignment of the Belt and Road Initiative and Kazakhstan’s Bright Path economic policy, we firmly believe that the China-Kazakhstan production capacity cooperation has great prospect,” Li said.
The new plant produces nine types of cement. Its major product — oil well cement — will help Kazakhstan change its dependence on imported oil well cement.
The plant is Kyzylorda’s first cement factory, and offers 260 jobs to local people.
Ruslan Utibaev, 25, works as a technician at the plant. After graduating from the Kazakh Agro Technical University in the capital Nur-Sultan, he joined the new cement plant and was sent to China for five-month training.
“Such a big plant was built in my hometown for the first time. It provides lots of jobs to young people … Since the opening of the plant, I can now work at doorsteps with a good salary,” Ruslan told Xinhua.
The plant’s construction began in April 2017, with a total investment of 178 million U.S. dollars.
