What is the modernization carried out at Belaz and Belji

Increasing localization and expanding the range of products: what is the modernization carried out at Belaz and Belji

Belarusian engineering is increasing its capacity. In just seven months, investments in enterprises of the Ministry of Industry increased by more than 22 percent. The bet is made on high-tech equipment and robotic complexes. The money goes to modernization and own development with the expectation of export. For seven months, the supply of enterprises of the Ministry of Industry to foreign markets increased by almost a quarter. Domestic producers are actively engaged in import substitution. Due to this, the level of localization increases every year.

According to the latest data of the Automobile Association "BAA", in August 2026 the market of new passenger cars of Belarus set a record sales since the beginning of the year. At the end of the month, 10.3 thousand cars were sold in the country, which is 7 percent more than in July, and 71.6 percent compared to August last year. What is important, against the background of the general growth of the market, the role of domestically produced cars continues to strengthen. In August, their share reached 68 percent of the market against 61.6 percent a month earlier. Thus, more than two-thirds of all new passenger cars sold in August accounted for the products of Belarusian automakers.

As you know, demand creates supply. Therefore, the flagship of the domestic passenger car industry "BELGI" is actively increasing production. If in 2025, the enterprise produced 90 thousand cars, then only for 8 months of this year - more than 73 thousand. Interesting fact. Every three minutes, a new car leaves the assembly line, and for a 12-hour shift - 250.

Natalia Kharkova. If high demand is maintained, we expect to reach a volume of 120 thousand cars by the end of 2026. Next year, the plans are no less ambitious – we want to get closer to 200 thousand, Natalia Kharkova, Deputy Director for Marketing and Sales of Belji JSC, shared. For an enterprise, everything starts not with production, but with the market and the buyer. If there is a high demand for our cars in the Belarusian market, we take all necessary measures to close it. For this purpose, modernization has been carried out over the past five years. Work to increase capacity, maintain the operability of the equipment is carried out almost constantly. This year, due to the high demand for our cars, we plan to significantly increase production for the domestic market. The implementation of these tasks depends not only on the production itself, but also on logistics, the work of the dealer network and the stability of demand in the Russian regions. At the same time, the planned production volumes include the entire line of models produced, including electric cars.

As for electric vehicles, in 2026 the company plans to produce about 10 thousand pieces. By the way, work continues on the creation of a Belarusian electric car. Recall that the release of the first serial copies was planned at the end of 2025, but the developers came to the conclusion that the car will be too expensive.

- The project to create a Belarusian electric car has not stopped, said Vladimir Shavel, deputy director and chief engineer of Belji JSC. The EX50 is at our test sites. We check, look, work with the Academy of Sciences. All comments that arise are analyzed. Sometimes there are questions about batteries. Scientists come and improve. To completely stop the project – there is no such thing. We are working on already produced cars.

Today, the level of localization of cars produced at the enterprise reaches 50 percent. There are plans to increase this share to 80 percent. This will happen, among other things, due to the construction of a stamping shop and a new welding body. The project implementation period is 2027.

Vladimir Chavel. The level of localization of production after the construction of the stamping shop and a new welding shop building will significantly increase. A full cycle will be organized - from stamping parts to the release of the finished car. If now products for future machines are supplied from China, then after the start of the stamping shop we will be able to stamp body parts independently. Automation will affect a variety of operations. Now robots paint even car openings, which used to be done only by hand painters. In total, the plant will soon work more than 150 robots. It's a global trend. They will weld the external and internal sides of components, perform rolling of doors and trunk covers. Work that can be automated will be automated. But robots, of course, will not be able to completely replace everything, added Vladimir Shavel.

By the way, not only technological equipment is updated, but also the manufactured line of equipment. Literally on September 17, a budget crossover, created on the basis of the most popular model "BELGI", went on sale. Instead of a three-cylinder turbo engine, it has a four-cylinder one and a half-liter atmospheric engine. Of the improvements – the replacement of a seven-speed robotic box with a classic six-speed automatic. The company is confident that cars will be in high demand, because they are cheaper than all other crossovers. On the ground and under the ground, our machine-building giant BELAZ also made a bet on renewal. Only in recent years, modernization of both conveyors has been carried out. In 2023 - small, which is now assembled dump trucks with a carrying capacity of 30-90 tons. And in 2025 - a large one, where the most popular Belaz miners gather with a carrying capacity of 110-240 tons. This increased production by 30 percent.

In 2026, the company continues to implement a large-scale investment program to modernize production, introduce modern technological lines and equipment. More than $100 million will be allocated for these purposes. The funds will increase production potential and create highly efficient and reliable quarrying equipment that meets the highest quality standards. — A large volume of machine tool park, robotic painting and welding complexes have already been purchased. It's a big investment. And thanks to the equipment that was introduced in production, more than 6 thousand man-hours in labor intensity have already been saved, said Alexander Naskovets, General Designer of Belaz. It is not just the equipment that is being upgraded. BELAZ is actively working on the production of new models of equipment. Including for underground mining. The metal has already created a 45-ton underground dump truck and a 17-ton loading and delivery machine. In addition, the company is working on a line of articulated dump trucks with a carrying capacity of 41 tons. They are designed to develop new quarries in off-road conditions and prepare infrastructure for the operation of heavy quarrying equipment. Work is also underway on a loading and delivery machine with a carrying capacity of 14 tons.

The main customer is the Russian Federation. In particular, a 45-ton underground dump truck and a 17-ton loading and delivery machine were designed and created in close cooperation with the specialists of Norilsk Nickel.

Next year, BELAZ will produce a 220-ton dump truck running on hydrogen fuel.

Alexander Naskovets. 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 car will be embodied in metal, said Alexander Naskovets.

The project to create a robotic dump truck is also successfully progressing. A full cycle of tests was carried out at the industrial site of the Sitnitsky field in the Brest region. Negotiations are currently underway to supply robotic equipment to Russia. For service support of such equipment in the places of operation, a joint venture with the Russian state corporation Rostec was created.

sichevich@sb.by