By Lilia Krapko
The design for the new dump truck should be ready by the end of this year, allowing a prototype to be built in 2013, notes Mr. Katerinich. BelAZ has also made a unique, remotely operated tipper-robot which recently received an award at an international exhibition in Yekaterinburg. Alongside other Belarusian companies, such as MAZ, the enterprise is focusing on innovative technologies, launching high-tech competitive products: new models of buses, cars and cranes are all being created.
Minsk Tractor Works is now testing its latest high power tractor with electromechanical transmission. Mr. Katerinich stresses, “To date, no other world producer has anything similar.” He notes that the nation’s mechanical engineering goals for 2012 are being met, allowing a sufficient supply of agricultural machinery for the domestic market, and allowing 60 percent of goods to be exported. In addition, the President’s task of modernising machine-building in Belarus is being fulfilled. “I hope we can handle this task, save our position and expand,” notes the minister.
Congratulating the mechanical engineers, the Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration, Andrey Tur, noted that their work is vital to the nation’s economy. “Machine-building is at the core of our economy, relying not only on giants but on small enterprises; co-operative ties are helping create these amazing pieces of machinery,” Mr. Tur asserted. He is confident that our mechanical engineers are meeting the challenges set by the head of state to upgrade enterprises. “Mechanical engineering deals with more than just cars; you have the intellectual potential to design any new machinery, creating the foundations not only of the economy but of society.”
