Leading Belarusian enterprises MAZ, MTZ and Dorelectromash have been celebrating the 65th anniversary of Cherepovets Casting and Mechanical Plant, in Vologda Region. However, the delegation arrived not only for the anniversary celebration but for business, signing protocols of intent, to establish a machine building cluster.
Cherepovets has a history of such co-operation, having made the first ‘Belarus’ brand tractor (under its own license) in 2009. Since then more than 6,000 ‘wheeled-horses’ have been assembled at Cherepovets.
“Today, we’ve launched a new page in relations between our countries!” said the Governor of the Vologda Region, Oleg Kuvshinnikov. “We’re launching the CIS’ largest centre for producing tractor equipment, for agriculture, construction, municipal sectors and forestry. The cluster will create production with high added value, as well as new jobs, and will help to diversify the region’s economy.”
The first projects have been announced, with Dorelectromash and Cherepovets Casting and Mechanical Plant planning to launch the joint manufacture of loader-excavators. MAZ also plans to set up an independent maintenance centre at Cherepovets Casting and Mechanical Plant and to organise a major transport and logistics company, equipped with tractor trucks with Yaroslavl-made engines: another example of co-operation.
“All of this points to growing inter-regional co-operation,” says the Deputy Speaker of Russia’s Federation Council and Deputy Chairman of the Parliamentary Assembly of Belarus-Russia Union State, Yuri Vorobyov. “There are many huge opportunities open to our businesses, not just for engineering, but relating to other areas. I’m sure that new productions will arise soon, and the Vologda Region will start to produce even more high-quality and marketable products.”
By Ivan Nikolaev
