ТАSHKENT, July 13. /Dunyo IA/.  Today, during a visit to the city of Bekabad, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev attended the commissioning ceremony of a new casting and rolling complex at the Uzbek Metallurgical Plant, reports Dunyo IA correspondent.

According to the press service of the Head of our State, Head of State congratulated the plant's team, labor veterans and foreign partners on this significant event.

In recent years, Uzbekistan has consistently implemented large-scale reforms aimed at bringing the mining and metallurgical industry to a qualitatively new technological level.

Over the past decade, around $2 billion in foreign investment has been attracted to the industry, and 31 major production facilities have been commissioned. As a result of favorable conditions created for the private sector, the number of enterprises operating in the industry has exceeded 150.

During this period, the annual output of domestically produced metal products reached 3 million tons, with a total value of 23 trillion soums. By comparison, in 2016, production stood at 800 thousand tons, valued at 1.5 trillion soums.

Previously focused primarily on supplying rolled metal for the construction sector, the industry now manufactures 80 types of new products for rapidly developing sectors, including mechanical engineering, the electrical and defense industries, and energy.

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev emphasized that the work of the country's metallurgists plays an important role in shaping the modern image of New Uzbekistan, implementing large-scale development projects, and driving the growth of key sectors of the economy.

It was also noted that Uzbekistan aims to transition its economy to a model of technological and innovation-driven development while increasing the country's gross domestic product to $240 billion by 2030.

Over the next five years, Uzbekistan plans to attract $180 billion in foreign investment, implement $27 billion worth of social and industrial infrastructure projects, and provide new multi-apartment housing for 800,000 families.

Such ambitious goals will increase demand for metal products by one and a half times compared to current levels.

In this context, particular emphasis was placed on the role of the Uzbek Metallurgical Plant, whose workforce of more than 5,500 dedicated employees continues to make a significant contribution to the industry's development.

The new casting and rolling complex will elevate the introduction of energy-efficient technologies and digital solutions at the plant to a new level, while enhancing labor productivity and the quality of manufactured products.

The complex will go down in history as Uzbekistan's first facility for the production of hot-rolled steel sheets.

Once fully operational, the complex will produce 1 million tons of hot-rolled steel sheets annually, with a total value of 8 trillion soums. This will fully meet the demand for sheet metal at the metallurgical plants in Tashkent and Samarkand, while creating 1,200 high-paying jobs

Head of State expressed gratitude to the builders, engineers, technologists, operators, workers, employees, labor veterans, and foreign partners who contributed to the construction of the complex.

The ceremony also outlined further plans for the development of the Uzbek Metallurgical Plant.

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev emphasized that the priority task is to meet the plant's raw material needs through domestic resources. Uzbekistan possesses 1.5 billion tons of iron ore reserves.

Over the next three to four years, steel production is expected to reach 1 million tons annually following the commissioning of the Tebinbulak deposit.

The enrichment of ore from the Surun-ota deposit will enable the annual production of 600,000 tons of iron ore feedstock. To process this material, construction will begin on a modern metallurgical plant worth $180 million on the premises of the Uzbek Metallurgical Plant.

Over the next three years, steel ball production lines will be gradually modernized through $30 million in investment, increasing their annual capacity from 250,000 to 500,000 tons.

In addition, the Industrial Park of Ecological Technologies of Uzbekistan will be established on the plant's territory.

This year, the industrial park will begin implementing six projects worth a total of $70 million for the production of large-diameter pipes, overhead cranes, and filtration equipment. These projects will create an additional 660 high-paying jobs.

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev emphasized that metallurgy is a labor-intensive yet honorable industry and that the dedicated and selfless work of the plant's workforce deserves the highest respect and recognition.

He also noted that the knowledge, experience, and high level of professionalism of the plant's specialists, built on a tradition of mentorship spanning nearly a century, serve as a worthy example for many workforces.

Head of State then pressed a symbolic button to officially launch the new casting and rolling complex.

Following the ceremony, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev spoke with industry veterans, plant employees, and foreign partners.