The engineering industry is developing rapidly in Kazakhstan. As part of the comprehensive development of the mechanical engineering sector in the Kostanay region, unique factories are being prepared for launch, united by one brand - KamLitKZ. The project will operate using technology that has no analogues, and will be the only enterprise in the CIS and Central Asia for the production of automotive components for commercial vehicles.
KamLitKZ factories are located in the industrial zone of Kostanay. One of them will produce drive axle components (beams and main gears), and the second will produce cast iron cylinder blocks and cylinder heads for heavy-duty vehicle engines and cast axle housings using a unique core package technology.
“The need for such factorys lies in the fact that there is a shortage of foundry blanks in the country. Taking into account the specifics of the Kostanay region, which is an agricultural region and has a machine-building cluster, it was decided to build a factory here. Manufacturers of large vehicles will be consumers of our products.
The launch of enterprises will radically improve the situation in terms of the technical competence of the region and country. The equipment is imported from advanced countries, and this brings a new spirit to the thinking and development of local specialists,” said Dmitry Gurtovoy, general director of the KamLitKZ factory.
The enterprises will engage in casting of complexity groups V and VI - this is the highest level of complexity that exists in the foundry industry. For this purpose, about 200 equipment with a high level of automation and robotization of production is also installed. About 30 robots are located at the iron casting factory and 20 robots at the main gear factory.
In March of this year, the company carried out the first melting of metal, and on November 11 they managed to make a test casting of a block. Serial production of the product is planned for the second quarter of next year.
“Production begins with the smelting site, where raw materials are brought, that is, scrap metal, which is added according to a certain recipe. In the production of liquid cast iron, scrap steel, alloying additives and modifiers are used to obtain the metal of the desired quality.
Next comes the pouring of the mold, after which it is placed on a rack warehouse to cure for a certain amount of time. Then the product enters the conveyor system, where it undergoes beating, that is, shot blasting, which allows the required surface quality of the workpieces to obtain the desired geometry,” added Dmitry Gurtovoy.
Every year, 45 thousand tons of foundry products for the automotive industry and 74 thousand gearboxes for trucks will be produced here. As for technological localization, it will be about 90 percent.
In addition, up to 1,300 jobs will be available at KamLitKZ enterprises, which will create the basis for the development of Kazakhstani specialists: foundry workers and machinists.
The project is being implemented with the support of Baiterek National Holding JSC through the Industrial Development Fund JSC.
