New models of equipment, sales markets and cooperation projects: how the domestic engineering industry is developing

President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko:

- Keeping our giants safe was my top priority. As a very young President, I promised myself to preserve everything that was gained by previous generations before us. And you, who are older, remember: we started the epic with you. MAZ, BELAZ, elevators in Mogilev, Integral, for which demand today – only give, and all enterprises – all this had to be saved. Frankly speaking, when I see a MAZ car, our bus, our trolleybus, it is pride. And I am happy that we have preserved our country as a machine-building country.

During communication with the staff of the Minsk Automobile Plant, January 21, 2025. Traditionally, on the last Sunday of September, Machine Builder Day is celebrated in Belarus. This is a holiday for more than 140,000 people – that’s how many people work in the industry. In our country, there are hundreds of enterprises that produce cars and auto components, agricultural machines, road and municipal equipment. And even in difficult geo-economic conditions, machine builders show a decent result. New sales markets are being developed, comprehensive modernization is being carried out. Belarusian engineering products are already a world-famous brand. Our technology works on almost all continents.

About the most significant achievements of the industry and further development plans - in our review.

From cars and components to the heaviest dump trucks in the world. Today Belarus is considered a machine-building country. We not only cover the needs of the domestic market in high-quality and reliable equipment, but also successfully supply it for export. Needless to say, a small area of Belarus occupies 8 percent of the world output of tractors and is in the top 3 countries - manufacturers of heavy dump trucks. And what is important, domestic manufacturers meet modern market demands. We have in-demand electric buses and robotic quarrying equipment coming off the conveyors. Today, almost every third ruble from the proceeds of Belarusian engineering enterprises receive from the sale of innovative products.

Andrey Kuznetsov. Mechanical engineering is one of the key sectors of the Belarusian economy, providing a significant part of industrial production and exports. New production facilities are being introduced, the range of passenger cars is expanding. This year, the enterprises of the Ministry of Industry are steadily increasing the volume of products. So, in January-September 2026, the production volume is expected to exceed 20 billion rubles. Production programs of organizations are formed on the basis of demand, specific obligations, marginality of products and without the growth of stocks of finished products. In general, the growth rate of exports of goods in the department is 102 percent, in countries of the far arc - 148 percent. This year, the export geography of the Ministry of Industry includes 50 countries of the world, including renewed supplies to five markets (Togo, Benin, Madagascar, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia). The industry works profitably and with net profit, said Industry Minister Andrei Kuznetsov.

For seven months, investments in enterprises of the Ministry of Industry increased by more than 22 percent. It is based on high-tech equipment and robotic complexes.

- It is worth emphasizing the main thing: there is no goal for a robot to replace a person in production. At the forefront is the robotization of processes. At the end of 2025, the organizations of the system and subsidiaries of the holdings of the Ministry of Industry used 692 robots. Thus, the density of robotization was 52 robots per 10 thousand workers. In order to ensure by 2030 an increase in the density of robotization to 100 units per 10 thousand workers, holdings and organizations of the Ministry of Industry are implementing an Action Plan for the introduction of robots and robotic systems at enterprises of the Ministry of Industry for 2026-2030. For 8 months of 2026, the organizations of the Ministry of Industry introduced 56 robots, the minister added. In the conditions of incessant external pressure from the collective West against Belarus and Russia, our countries relied on industrial cooperation. Joint projects can replace critical imports. It’s also about jobs, taxes, and, most importantly, strengthening technological sovereignty.

- Large import-substituting projects are also being implemented, which will give us new products. Projects for the production of bridges, boxes, assemblies and assemblies for combine harvesters, bearings, chrome blanks for hydraulic cylinder rods, quarry dump trucks, construction, underground and special equipment are being completed. Thus, our task is an integrated approach to the search for new models of interaction, taking into account accumulated and preserved competencies, expanding the range of manufactured equipment, said Andrey Kuznetsov.

By the way, this year, the organizations of the Ministry of Industry have developed more than 250 names of new models and modifications of products - prototypes have been manufactured, their development in production continues, work is underway with potential consumers. By 2030, it is planned to develop more than 2 thousand names and modifications.

- Let me give you an example. BELAZ is a machine-building flagship, which is famous for dump trucks all over the world. But we have all heard the latest news that BELAZ and Norilsk Nickel have signed a cooperation agreement, within the framework of which efforts will be combined to develop scientific and technological potential for the creation of new generation mining equipment – new generation underground machines, including innovative models using environmentally friendly energy sources. Constantly on the agenda are all machine-building flagships that continuously expand and update the range of products, – said the head of the Ministry of Industry. Recently, Belarusian machine builders have released a number of innovative new products, for which queues from foreign consumers are already lining up. First of all, I would like to name the 500-horsepower tractor BELARUS-5425, created on the basis of domestic components. Next year it will be put into serial production. Another novelty of this year is a combined roll press baler made by Bobruiskagromash. The unit is designed to work in various operating conditions and is able to press fodder and technical crops. The level of localization is about 82 percent. Next year, it will also be put into serial production.

In 2026, OJSC BELAZ carried out large-scale work on the production of new quarry and mine equipment. Eight types of machines with a carrying capacity of 90 to 140 tons were developed and tested. In the future, taking into account the greening of the mining industry, it is planned to produce machines on alternative engines: gas and gas diesel, as well as on batteries and hybrid power plants.

- A 130-ton hydrogen dump truck has already been created. He is completing the tests and preparing for shipment to one of the Russian enterprises. Pre-design work on the 220-ton hydrogen dump truck is being completed. We are starting to develop design documentation. It is assumed that in February next year the machine will be embodied in metal, said the general designer of Belaz Alexander Naskovets.

During the All-Belarusian People’s Assembly, the President set the task to create the entire range of engines that will be in demand in Belarus and have a good export potential. And now in our country is actively developing and introducing new powerful engines.

- Work is underway on the creation of a 9.5-liter engine, the production of a prototype of 14 liters has been completed, and the 2.5-liter engine is also being worked on, said Mikhail Klesso, chief designer of the Minsk Motor Plant. We are engaged in marine, river themes, expanding the use of our engines on various types of equipment. A prototype was manufactured and a complex of tests of the 4-cylinder engine MMZ-2.5DTI was carried out. The development is an extension of the line of serially produced small engines, which allows to achieve a high degree of unification of components. A prototype of the MMZ-14D6 6-cylinder engine was also manufactured. This is a fundamentally new family of power units mastered at the plant. Its design includes technical solutions that were not previously used in serial production of the enterprise. Bench tests were carried out, the external speed characteristic of the engine for 450 horsepower was formed. This engine is intended for use in agricultural, construction, special equipment, in diesel generator sets. The strategic step is the creation of high-tech modern engine production. Construction and installation works on the site of assembly and testing of these engines, commissioning work on the test stand have been completed. In recent years, about six new models and about 30 modifications have been created, which are actively used for the production of the final product by our consumers both in Belarus and abroad.

In addition, it is planned to create a joint product of OJSC MAZ and OJSC UKH BKM - a large-capacity trolleybus with autonomous operation. On the "Amkodor" is tested self-propelled mixer - feed distributor. For the first time, the country will have its own development of such a machine, which will have higher performance and better maneuverability. An experimental sample of a precision seeding planter from Lidselmash is being tested, which allows to increase productivity.

- Separately, it is worth noting the work of Horizon Holding to create a domestic milking robot using artificial intelligence technologies, said Industry Minister Andrei Kuznetsov. In the development of the Institute of digital television “Horizon” artificial intelligence helps the robot “see” the cow. The camera determines the location of the udder and milking nipples, after which the robot independently performs the necessary operations. That is, the machine does not just make a predetermined movement, but analyzes the environment and adapts individually to a particular animal. In 2026, the production of new types of export-oriented computer products - tablets, monoblocks - was started at MPOVT. The line of manufactured laptops, monitors and mini-PCs is constantly updated. CJSC "Atlant" in March 2026 organized the production of innovative freezers such as "Lar", which have a number of advantages in terms of ease of operation and storage of products.

sichevich@sb.by