Visit to Belarus: PM impressed by largest mining truck manufacturer

Says Pakistan can benefit from company’s advancement

MINSK: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday visited Belaz, the world’s largest mining truck manufacturer with the latest model capable of carrying over 450 tons, and was impressed with what the equipment could achieve in the mining sector.     

He said Pakistan could benefit from the company while he was shown around the plant that manufactures one in three of the dump trucks produced globally.

The PM evinced keen interest and asked several questions about the various processes involved. The company produces majority of the components at the local plant.

He was also briefed about the manufacturing facility and informed that the company had made it to the ‘Guinness Book of World Records’ and had no competitors.

“I am very impressed to see the facility, the expertise and technological advancement and I am sure Pakistan will be one of the countries benefitting from Belaz trucks,” said Sharif.

Belaz 75710

The Prime Minister was also shown the company’s showpiece - Belaz 75710 the biggest dump truck in the world, capable of moving 450 tonnes in one go.

The 26ft (8.2 metres) high truck has a top speed of 40mph (64km/h) and can still travel at 25mph (40km/h) while climbing a 10 percent gradient.

The monster truck has a diesel-electric transmission system. Two 16-cylinder diesel engines drive generators which produce electricity to power four electric motors.

The truck consumes an estimated 1,300 litres of fuel per 100km. The ‘Belarusian Autoworks’ is one of the leading producers of construction machinery and vehicles for open-pit mining.

In 2013, the company rolled out the world’s largest mining truck with carrying capacity of 450 tonnes and recorded a lifting capacity of over 503 tonnes.

Since established, the company has designed more than 500 modifications of vehicles and manufactured over 135,000 huge trucks that are now being operated all over the world.

Belaz branded equipment operates in 70 countries around the world.

The company also manufactures road construction vehicles and mining and transport equipment service vehicles like loaders, bulldozers, concrete mixer trucks, scrapers and tow trucks.

The Prime Minister was presented a model of the truck.

The delegation also included Minister for Information and Broadcasting Pervaiz Rashid, Minister for Defence Production Rana Tanveer, Minister for National Food Security Sikandar Hayat Bosan, Minister for Commerce Khurram Dastgir and Special Assistant to PM on Foreign Affairs Syed Tariq Fatemi. 

Published in The Express Tribune, August 13^th,  2015.

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