Kazakstan President Visits InterKomShina

The President of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, has visited InterKomShina JSC in Shymkent, South Kazakhstan. This company is engaged in the production of tyres for light vehicles and road freighters, agricultural machines and special equipment. InterKomShina claims to be the only tyre manufacturer in central asia.

Opened in 1975 under the name of Shymkentshina, the tyres produced were once delivered to vehicle assembly plants GAZ, VAZ, KRAZ. At this time tyres were also exported to Hungary, Bulgaria, China and Afghanistan. Some years ago, the plant was shut down.

Then last year Ordabasy Corporation invested $48 million in the site, adding a further $50 million this year. The plant produces 200 different types and sizes of tyres as well as automobile inner tubes. Currently the facility produces 3.037 million automobile tyres and 5.014 million tubes annually. Raw materials are supplied from Southeast Asia, Russia and other CIS states.

InterKomShina also claims to be one of the most modern, as far as technology is concerned, of the 17 tyre plants in the CIS. The factory is equipped by well-known firms such as Buller, Krupp (Germany), Repique (France), Pirelli, FATA (Italy).

As a result the factory is capable of producing H-rated car tyres and a range of truck products. In the first half of 2005 preparation works on mastering production of tyres for underground machines were made. There is a high demand for tyres for mining machines in Kazakhstan.

More than 3000 people are employed at InterKomShina, with a monthly payroll totalling 66 million Kazakstan tenge (£2.5 million).