Distinguishing characteristics of construction are a reflection of the identity of the Uzbek people, centuries-old traditions, Eastern mentality. This is evidenced from the architecture of ancient cities, fortresses, palaces, madrassas, mosques, minarets. The historical centres of cities of Uzbekistan, famous architectural monuments are deservedly included on the UNESCO World Heritage List and respectfully recognized as places of pilgrimage and tourism centres. The experience in construction gained over the centuries and also the desire to build and create are inherited through generations, enhanced and developed. Today the construction is one the leading economic sectors of the country.
Quality construction materials are required to build modern, beautiful and convenient objects. As it would be said in the army, the ability to march in formation is a key concern on this count: to keep pace with current requirements, apply the latest technologies and harmoniously combine them with historical traditions. This is precisely why, since the very first days of independence, the government of our country has placed special attention on the development of construction sector, building materials production and meeting the demand for them.
“Uzqurilishmateriallari” Joint-Stock Company (Uzbek Building Materials Company) has been established on the basis of the Resolution No. PP-2641 of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan dated October 25, 2016 “On measures for further improvement of management of construction materials producing industry” and for the purposes of further development and diversification of the structure of construction materials producing industry, extensive attraction of foreign investments for modernization, engineering and technical retooling of enterprises of the sector and enhancement of its export potential, introduction of advanced methods of corporate management corresponding to the international requirements and standards. Presently the company includes over 120 enterprises of small, medium and large businesses.
If in 1991 enterprises, specializing in manufacture of construction materials, produced 48 kinds of products for the amount of 1.3 billion UZS or 36.7 million USD in a currency equivalent, then over a quarter of a century there has been increase both in the range and scope of products. Moreover, the production of modern import-substituting and export-oriented kinds of building materials, including power saving ones, has been launched. Only in 2015 consumers were provided with products worth 2.2 trillion UZS or 760.1 million USD. Therefore, production volumes in the industry of building materials have grown in 20.7 times since gaining independence.
Improvement of modern building materials production, including implementation of perspective projects, technical and technological modernization of enterprises are call of the times. As a consequence, throughout the years of independence, in addition to implementation of more than hundred projects, great efforts have been made to modernization of production, technical and technological re-equipment and reconstruction. New kinds of import-substituting products have been set in operation: sandwich-panels, cladding panels based on polystyrene, aerated concrete, roofing materials, plastic extrusions, moisture resistant plasterboards, dry building mixes, cement, clinker, white and Portland cement, ceramic tiles, maiolica, paving flagstones, etc.
Private, joint and affiliated enterprises of “Uzqurilishmateriallari” company provide construction objects with necessary building materials: cement; lime; gyps; walling, roofing and decorative materials; finishing agents; glass; marble and granite products. Waterproofing and thermal insulating materials are also manufactured. Totally enterprises produce over 100 kinds of basic construction products.
Today more than 6 thousand manufacturing enterprises of the country are involved in building materials industries. The largest of them include: “Quartz” JSC – with capacity of 10 million sq. m. of glasses per year, “Bukharagips” JSC JV – 60 thousand tons of dry building mixes, “Knauf Gips Bukhara” FE LLC – 20 million sq. m. of plasterboards, “Moderna Ceramic Industries Fergana” JV LLC – 3.5 million sq. m. of ceramic tile, “Grand Art Ceramics” JV LLC – 75 thousand units of sanitary wares.
Over 900 enterprises have well established manufacture of 3.6 billion units of walling materials. The annual volume of output of a ceramic tile is increased from 6 million to 11 million pieces, and cement production – from 3.6 million to 8.2 million tons.
Joint-stock and liability limited companies, private, joint and foreign enterprises have been created as a result of denationalization and privatization. Such business entities are free in decision-making, carry out their activities basing on market requirements and swiftly react to the changing market trends. This enables to expand available capacities and, if necessary, to rebuilt production structure.
Currently such joint-stock companies as “Kyzylkumcement”, “Bekabadcement”, “Quartz”, “Akhangaranshifer”, affiliated under “Uzqurilishmateriallari” JSC, have put out the state share to tender. Continuing efforts are being undertaken to encourage foreign investors.
It is noteworthy that since achieving independence, the construction materials producing industry has been fully reconstructed and develops rapidly now. This economic branch has become the most attractive to foreign investors. The overall volume of attracted funds has surpassed 270 million USD over the past 10 years and average investment growth is equal to 49.2%.
In order to saturate the market with competitive locally produced building materials, increase import substitution and provide export growth, “Uzqurilishmateriallari” JSC constantly implements marketing research and identifies market demands, monitors and carries out the analysis of export and import of building materials.
The production volume of building materials has more than doubled in recent years. For example, total production capacity of plasterboards makes over 60.0 million sq.m. The domestic demand of the country is met completely, the products are exported abroad.
“TashKSM” JSC manufactures 2.0 million sq. m. of ceramic tile, and the yearly output of the same materials of “Moderna Ceramic Industries Fergana” JV is equal to 3.5 million sq. m. The volume of all operating capacities makes about 13 million sq. m.
It is expected to commission new capacities to produce ceramic tiles. Production facilities of “Prime Ceramics” LLC located in Samarkand will be capable to produce 2.75 million sq.m. and “Ehsan Maybod Manufacturing Group” FE LLC based in Jukorichirchik region of the Tashkent province will manufacture 2.1 million sq.m. of tiles per year.
Such enterprises as “Art Mosaic” LLC, “Azia Mosaic” LLC, “Bill Tosh” LLC and “Fiammata Maiolica” LLC have mastered manufacture of maiolica. “Boston Tekstil” and “ARM Composite” LLC have started production of fiberglass armature. These two enterprises are included in the Localization Program for 2015-2019. Besides, in the Djizak province “Mega Invest Industrial” LLC is implementing the project on arranging the manufacture of basalt continuous fiber and basalt plastic armatures with the capacity of 2.5 thousand tons. Investment value of the project makes 51.8 million USD. The project is being implemented in phases covering the period 2016-2018.
In 2015 “UZMETKOMBINAT” Joint-Stock Company produced the first thousand tons of basalt fibre. The capacities are designed to produce to 10 thousand tons or over 120 thousand m3/yr of basalt-based thermal insulation materials. The list of customers includes enterprises of construction, chemical, oil and gas and electric power industries. The total cost of the project amounts to 16 million USD.
“Eco climat” LLC has started producing fiberglass thermal insulation materials. The enterprise located in the “Djizak” Special Industrial Zone will annually produce to 10 thousand tons of production.
Presently two enterprises of the republic specialize in production of sanitary engineering ceramic products. They are “Grand Art Ceramics” JV LLC located in the Chinaz region of the Tashkent province, with annual capacity of 75 thousand pieces and “Kapsantex” LLC in Angren, with annual capacity of 25 thousand pieces.
“Knauf International Gmbh” Company (Germany) has planned to construct the enterprise to produce dry building mixes with annual capacity of 120 thousand tons. The company also intends to increase in volume the production of plasterboards and invest 52.5 million USD.
With aim of meeting the domestic needs of cement, “Bekabadcement” JSC has upgraded its operating production line and commissioned a new dry process cement production line with a yearly capacity of 850 thousand tons. As a result, it was possible to create about 220 new jobs.
The enterprise that produces white cement and Portland cement has been put in operation in the Zafarabad region of the Dzhizak province. This ensured the employment for 340 people.
To improve competitiveness of local products and increase their export potential, the particular emphasis has been given to introduction of quality management systems meeting the international requirements. Today 30 enterprises of “Uzqurilishmateriallari” JSC have introduced the ISO 9001:2008 international quality management system. It is planned to implement this system in “Jahongir Servis” JSC, “Akhangarancement” JSC and “Kuvasaycement” JSC as well. The ISO 50001 energy management system will be introduced in “Bukharagips” JSC JV.
The enterprises of “Uzqurilishmateriallari” JSC not only meet demands of domestic market for construction materials but also export their greater part. In the period 1991-2016 50 enterprises of the company have exported their products for a total amount of 885 million USD.
In pursuit of improving export of the products the “Uzqurilishmateriallari” management has been actively working towards establishing dealer networks and opening representative offices in such countries as Russia, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Azerbaijan.
Therefore, over the last 25 years the construction materials producing industry, providing timely and qualitative accomplishment of the specific assigned tasks and achievement of set goals, has developed into modern economic branch – modernized, technically and technologically renewed, economically steady and competitive one. This has particularly been reflected in significant success achieved in the branch and acknowledged by many foreign specialists and experts.
Zukhra ERGASHEVA,
Special Correspondent of “EBU”