Author: GodAdmin

ARBZ LLP is deemed to be an integrated part of railway transport field of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

On the crusp of the professional holiday of all railway workers, we interviewed Mr. Sultanbek Toshkenbai, who is an Employee of a partner company with a huge experience in the field of railway transport. Currently he is Deputy Director of the Western Management Zhol Zhongshuyushi company which changed its name for Integra Construction KZ LLP in 2017 by the shareholder’s decision..

How do you assess the development of railway transport in the Republic of Kazakhstan?:

«If you look at the map of our country, you can see that the whole territory of Kazakhstan is permeated with the threads of the railway lines, and it is not surprising – 94% of passenger traffic falls within the railway. Previously, the rails were imported from various metallurgical plants, mainly rails were supplied from Russia and Ukraine. After the collapse of the Soviet Union and independence, the supply of rails from abroad so far created great obstacles in the form of various duties, additional expenses and taxes and time for issuing various additional documents. The construction of the plant in Kazakhstan freed us from these and other additional problems. The rhythm of life is accelerating, and we are trying to save time that we spend on the road, we choose the shortest routes, the fastest trains and the safest way of transportation, but due to wear of the railway tracks, both the freight and passenger trains go out of tracks, the reliability of transportation depends directly on the state of the railway track and on the quality of the rails»..

Please tell us about your company’s activities:

«Our company is the largest enterprise in the Republic of Kazakhstan engaged in the construction, reconstruction and all types of repair of the track bed structure, main, industrial and access railways, the first private constructor of railway tracks in the history of independent Kazakhstan. The company has a full complex of modern construction machinery and equipment, a certified construction laboratory, a crushed stone plant, a team of professionals and a reliable satellite – Aktobe Rail and Section Works».

Please tell us about your professional way in this field:

«In 1983, after graduating from the technical school of railway transport in the city of Kyzylorda, my work activity in the railway field had begun. I started as a simple worker and grew up to become a manager, while working in the field of railway transport, I carried out many different tasks, for example: construction of railways and ensurance of safety for train traffic, fulfillment of production plans, budget planning for the enterprise, organization of uninterrupted operation of the enterprise and financial and operational activities. Directly participated in the construction of following railway lines:

– 1983-1993: Aktobe -Turkestan, Nickeltau-Kandyagash, Beineu-Opornaya side tracks;      

– 2003-2005: reconstruction of railway line sea port Aktau – Tengizchevroil for passing of bulky cargo from Tengiz oil deposit;

– 2003-2005: Khromtau – Altynsarin;

– 2006-2008: Zhem – Zhanazhol;

– Arkalyk – Shubarkol; 

– Zhezkazgan – Saksaul.

Currently I am representing interests of the company within the territory of West Kazakhstan».

What do you think, what opportunities gives the creation of such enterprises as ARBZ for the economy of the country? And in what projects were rails purchased from ARBZ used?

«I am personally glad that this is the first innovative production of such profile, the only one at the territory of Kazakhstan and the entire Eurasian Economic Union is located in Aktobe.

Acceptance of rails is carried out locally and I have the opportunity to be in the territory where such unique products is produced, which has proven itself on implemented projects, such as:

– construction of the second railway lines Almaty-Shu;

– construction of dry port on railway crossing of state border PR China-Kazakhstan Horgos;

– construction of railroad complex “Nurly zhol”;

– construction of ferry complex “Kuryk”;

ARBZ products were used, namely 25 and 100 meter rails when constructing the above objects. When welding long strings up to 800 meter of ARBZ rails, the rails showed better results than those that were used before. Such factor has a good impact on development of national economy.»

 What do you think, what are the advantages of ARBZ rails?

“Technological processes are know-how, the production process is unique and the equipment of the Siemens VAI company installed at the plant is an integral part of this technology, the rail rolling mill is working within 24 hours, everything is strictly scheduled. The uniqueness of the Plant is the hardening system, which gives to the rails necessary mechanical properties. Such a hardening system exists in one plant only in China, that products are very well established. ARBZ is currently applying such technology to produce the goods that meet the requirements of international standards”

Looking ahead we would like to know plans and future development of interrelations with ARBZ LLP

«Our company is developing a market for services of the other countries and with this purpose representational office in Moscow, subsidiary enterprises in Belgrade (Serbia), Rome (Italy), Abu Dhabi (UAE) were opened. We are planning to use the products of ARBZ when working in the abovementioned countries, as in the future development of ARBZ it is planned to master 60E1 rails according to European standard. I really hope that development of ARBZ in the future will be closely linked with the development of our company, as strengthening our partnership relations».

Sultanbek Tashkenbai

Deputy Director of West Management

Integra Construction KZ LLP

During the visit to the site, B.Sagintayeva was informed about the features of production and demonstrated samples of the finished products. It should be noted that the plant uses new “Siemens VIA Metals Technologies”, which allows using the produced rails on high-speed lines and lines with increased freight intensity.

The plant’s products are used in the construction of the second railway lines Almaty-1-Shu, as well as on the access roads to the under construction projects of the ferry complex at Kuryk port and Astana railway station complex. In general, it is planned to supply more than 600 thousand tons of rails until 2022 to modernize the backbone railway network of the Republic of Kazakhstan within the framework of a long-term contract for the purchase of rails between “NC” KTZ” JSCand “ARBZ” LLP.

In addition to saturating the domestic market, Aktobe manufacturers send rail products for export to Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Belarus, Georgia, Turkmenistan, the Russian Federation, Estonia.

According to the instruction, indicated by the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan N.Nazarbayev in his Message “The Third Modernization of Kazakhstan: Global Competitiveness”, further industrialization in the country will be continued with an emphasis on the development of competitive manufactures with high export potential, such as Aktobe rail and beam plant.

Over 70 thousand tons of rail products of Aktobe producers used in the construction of new Railways.

About 500 kilometres of new rail production of Aktobe Rails and Section Works supplied and was laid on the highway railway network of the Republic.

According to the Manager of the Directorate of highway railway network of JSC “NC “KTZ” Serik Aliyev, Aktobe rails are supplied for track repair work on all departments of the railway.

Products of Aktobe producers from last year is actively used to lay the rail-sleeper grid links at the construction of new second railway line Almaty-1-Shu, as well as on access roads to the projects of the ferry complex of the Kuryk port and the railway station of Astana.

For all three objects in 2016 was delivered about 14 thousand tons of rails.

“Laying of long rails production of ARBZ, which are characterized by high operational and technical characteristics, increases the length of continuous sections of highway. This in turn provides high-speed movement of trains, reducing maintenance costs of rolling stock and also reduces travel time for passengers”- said S. Aliyev.

For the modernization of main railway network under a long-term agreement on the purchase of rail, concluded between JSC “NC “KTZ” and LLP “Aktobe Rails and Section Works “, it is planned to supply more than 600 thousand tons of rails until 2022.

In the current year under the contract will be delivered over 60 tons of rail to Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Belarus, Georgia, Turkmenistan, Russian Federation, Estonia.

Press-office of JSC “NC “Kazakhstan Temir Zholy”

KOSTANAI. KAZINFORM – Laying of first domestic rails started in Track Facilities Administration and Structures Sokolovsko-Sarbaiskoe Mining and Concentration Production Association in Rudnyi. This is informed by correspondent of Kazinform International News Agency.  

Replacement of imported trunk rails for industrial rails of domestic manufacture is performed by Eurasian group. It is new pilot project when the domestic rails are tested in maximum complex geological conditions under extreme loads. Sokolovsko-Sarbaiskoe Mining and Concentration Production Association LLC which is a part of Eurasian group served as a test field. 

As it was explained in press office of Sokolovsko-Sarbaiskoe Mining and Concentration Production Association, total length of permanent tracks of the Enterprise exceeds 507 kilometers. All railway bed is divided into four areas on Rudnenskoe site, including consolidated area of Kacharskaya site and area on Kurzhunulskaya site. Replacement of foreign trunk rails for domestic rails produced by Aktobe Rail and Section Works LLP was carried out by employees of Track Facilities Administration and Structures on each of these areas.

“First portion of Kazakh rails was laid on area of Sokolovskyi mine at the beginning of December last year” – says Mr. Sergey Gorbunov Head of Technical Department of Sokolovsko-Sarbaiskoe Mining and Concentration Production Association.  –  Afterwards, the other areas were included.”

Total length of replaced railway bed on industrial site of Association is 2 thousand 462 meters. In weight comparison, about 320 tons of domestic rails were put into commission. Technical parameters of domestic rails are as good as imported ones but they have one important advantage – they are much cheaper. Kazakh rails are successfully applied on domestic market especially on trunk lines of NC Kazakhstan Temir Zholy JSC.

“Our rails were successfully passed through Test Loop of Railway Research Institute Joint Stock Company and obtained all required certificates”, – says Mr. Andrey Sherin Commercial Director of Aktobe Rail and Section Works LLP. – :”The key feature of our production is application of good quality steel and smoothly running control system to comply with approved Standards. For us it is a great commitment to supply rails to largest Mining Enterprise – Sokolovsko-Sarbaiskoe Mining and Concentration Production Association.”

Test period will last for several months after which a conclusion will be made about the quality of domestic products.  According to Mr. Bereke Mukhanbetkaliyev President of Sokolovsko-Sarbaiskoe Mining and Concentration Production Association, “These tests are very important in tough time of decline in production as they are focused on increase of interests of domestic goods.” 

Please meet Andrey Kuzmin who is General Director of large innovative production Aktobe Rail and Section Works (ARBZ) which was put into operation in the framework of Industrialization Map of the Republic of Kazakhstan and which has no analogues along the whole territory of CIS.

To be in control of such unique plant means a great trust but it is also a huge responsibility. The more so that two years ago production was started personally by the President of the State Nursultan Nazarbayev during nationwide TV satellite bridge.     

Andrey Anatolyevich considers himself a happy man as far as he took part in realization of such largest advanced project since its first days. He himself is a native of Aktobe. Back then he graduated with honors from regional State University. He had worked for TPP (thermal power plant), then in construction industry. He was at the head of one of branches of famous domestic companies. It was exactly that period when by the will of fate he was invited to be a part of team of the main founder of the project for construction of ARBZ.            

Today, Andrey Kuzmin remembers with a smile how a location was selected in 2012 for construction of the future production plant, how the first peg was driven into the ground where free wind is walking in the bare steppe. He fairly confessed that at that time someone even doubted the reality of the construction of such giant plant in a very short time. However, when a big construction operation was started, all these doubts disappeared and it became a truly nationwide construction project. Dozens of companies and hundreds of highly qualified specialists were attracted from all regions of the country, including those from near and far abroad. In short, continuous working process had been provided to all sites. For the construction of the main building only with area of 52,5 thousand sq.m. there were used 110 thousand tons of concrete, 34 thousand tons of steel structures.  On the whole territory of the enterprise equaling to 72 hectares there will be constructed and put into operation 34 facility objects. Huge work had been done during the installation and commissioning of the latest technologies according to European standard, automated rolling mill in the enterprise. The enterprise has been started up in a very short period.

Andrey Anatolyevich says, “The production is unique one, and simply saying, it allows to get rails of various modifications by pressing one button only.

In this spring, the products have been successfully certified and gained Certificate of Conformance and this standard meets the requirements of the customers from the whole countries of the European Union. The first lot of 120 m long rails was supplied to the domestic market by order of National Company Kazakhstan Temir Zholy.”

In order to move away a bit from the production topic, I asked the interlocutor to tell about himself, in particular how is that possible that having pedagogical education in “physics, mathematics, informatics” he suddenly immersed himself in the technical sphere.

He smiled, “The fact that educational work is not for me I understood only at the last years of study at the university. Upon completion of higher educational institute I deliberately went to work for TPP as an ordinary fitter which shall not be amazement to you. I repaired boilers, turbines…. I have no regrets. For me it became as a labour school.”

At that enterprise, he has acquired good skills and experience, he has risen to deputy chief engineer. There were difficult 90s, when it was irregular payment of wages and various difficulties appeared. But this only hardened him, taught to be organized, to believe in his power. In 2006, he moved from the energy sector in construction industry, where he occupied the job title of Technical Director in one of the divisions and then he became Director of Branch. Thus, life consistently prepared him for more harder work, unexpected, but an interesting twist of fate.

Within the years of working in TPP he got married. “We are familiar with Marina since being students. And now already 19 years since we are together.” They are raising a 14-years-old son. His name is Mikhail.

Andrey Anatolyevich says, “Family is sacred. It is my reliable base. I feel its support and understanding in all things. And it gives power. Mikhail is more involved in creation, he practices dancing in theater group. It is his choice. Anyway I cherish hope that he will proceed my business.”

We again proceeded talk about the plant.

A.Kuzmin says, “I have a big staff. Payroll schedule foresees 863 employees. Recruitment of specialists was carried out upon demand of the plant considering its reaching the project capacity. 90% of the staff is local employees. People came to working from Pavlodar, Astana, Kostanai, Karaganda, Almaty, Uralsk… In fine, from the whole country. Also, we attract specialists from near and far abroad countries who have specific skills which are just simply non-available in Kazakhstan. Today, almost 6 families work from Russia and Ukraine. They are rolling professionals who shall teach our specialist to be the same.”

Head of ARBZ company very warmly tells on his labor staff. Average age of its members is 30 years. The guys are competent, many of them are graduators of high educational institutes. It is not surprise that having worked 3-4 months and getting acquainted with commissioning process they successfully go through the way from a sling man to head of shift.

I asked A.Kuzmin, “Since the Certificate is received if the conveyer production is already arranged at the plant?”

He answers, “Definitely. At the first year of startup, we planned to produce about 140 thousand tons. It results from the fact of obtaining additional skills, adjusting the operation process. Total productivity of the plant comprises 430 thousand tons and we decided to reach the designed capacity within the scheduled time. However, to start with 140 thousand tons as a beginning it is also a challenge because maintenance schedule does not foresee it. There is no such practice in the world as to build a plant for 2,5 years, then to master production of rails for 6 months and to reach the designed capacity for 1,5 years. There were no such precedents before. But we will overcome even that.

– If the products will be sold only on domestic market?

– Not only. We have specific contract for selling the rails in significant quantities in Uzbekistan, Tajikistan. Not long time ago we have registered at commodity marker of the Republic of Belarus. They are also ready to buy. Special interest to our products is demonstrated by other potential customers. The product attracts first of all by its high quality, durability and strength. This is confirmed during the process of cycle testing in Laboratory conditions. Our rail is differentiated, heat-strengthened and it can be used on tracks with quite intensive load. And it is its unique. It weathered all tests required for certification according to National standard which in turn is fully synchronized with European standard of quality.

– How many cycle tests can weather the usual rail?

– For simple comparison our rail weathered 7,5 million of cycles and rail of one of the competitors just 250 thousand. So make conclusions.

A.Kuzmin is strongly secured of the fact that technology which is applied at the plant both in rolling of rails and in thermal hardening, cambering, straightening is the best in the world! With its startup Kazakhstan in fact changed the whole market conditions of rails production. It was not occasion that in the nomination The Best Industrial Project of the Year the plant became a winner of special prize of the President Altyn Sapa. This award was personally given by the Head of the State to the Head of Innovative Plant.

Andrey Anatolyevich says, “For me it the unforgettable event in my life and I am proud of that those tasks which were set out for the plant’s staff have been performed with honor – the first rail produced in Kazakhstan came out of the conveyer in the scheduled time. And some time later output of our products consequently enters the phase of usual operating process and the plant every time increases its capacity.”

Extracts: The life consistently prepared him for more harder work, unexpected, but an interesting twist of fate.

7,5 million of cycles  is lifetime of the rails produced by Aktobe Rail and Section Works.

MEDIA RELEASE

Metal Expo – 22^nd International Industrial Exhibition is one of the most significant and major event in metallurgical industry had been held in Moscow on the territory of VDNKh (Exhibition of Achievements of National Economy) from 8 till 11 November. In this year, the forum was participated by 530 companies including 200 foreign companies from 32 countries of the world which are leading metallurgical companies, pipe and hardware production plants, manufacturers of non-ferrous metal and alloys, construction engineers, machine builders and representatives of the other sectors of industry. For four days of work the exhibition was visited by more than 27 thousand specialists. 13 thousand specialists visited the exhibition during the second day and it was a record number.

Metal Expo 2016 is not only image constituent this is also a perfect opportunity to attract new clients and strengthen relationship with the current clients.

ARBZ LLP traditionally takes part in this exhibition, as the largest domestic manufacturer of long rails. For the company it is an important annual event within the framework of which it is possible to present the plant and output products to consumers, meet partners and discuss the prospects of cooperation.

Each time, participating in the exhibition ARBZ LLP pursues two purposes. The first is the image as the appearance on such event characterizes the company as a steadily growing company, which is important. The second purpose is conducting of business negotiations with stakeholders, including companies involved in the design and manufacture of steel structures, industrial associations and unions, the media, enterprises engaged in production of equipment and technology for the steel industry, etc.

During the exhibition ARBZ LLP stand was visited by over 250 people including managers of leading steel trading companies of near and far abroad countries.

ARBZ LLP stand represented the company’s approach to everything including the products. At the plant’s stand that brought together sales divisions of the company, representatives of the company had held more than 100 meetings during which they discussed current issues and prospects of cooperation with the key customers.

A range of business meetings has been held during the work with partners and potential customers, agreements have been reached on further cooperation and business relations have been established with customers.

Representatives of industrial enterprises and metal trading companies had raised specific issues regarding plant output products to be delivered to their destination points and raised the existing problems. ARBZ LLP was observing an unprecedented large interest to the plant from consumers, which characterizes increasing of a number of potential partners both at home and abroad and deepening of relationships with the existing customers, an exchange of views both with suppliers and competitors.

Winners of a number of competitions had been awarded under the framework of the exhibition. The company was awarded a diploma by co-chairs of the Organizing Committee of “Metal Expo 2016” for professional organization of products and services promotion.