The SOYUZ observer visited the Barnaul factory, where the wheels of Belarusian tractors are produced Fox News

In the industry of the Altai Territory, several optimistic trends emerged last year. One of them is related to the expansion of contacts of local companies with Belarus. According to estimates by the regional Ministry of Industry and Energy, two dozen companies are already cooperating with the Republic. Among them is Barnaul Plant of Mechanical Presses LLC, which launched the production of rims for tractors and combines in 2021. The company is the only manufacturer of such discs in Russia.- We have been working with Belarusians since Soviet times, we have provided them with press materials, – explains Anna Ferapontova, Deputy Director of Marketing. – A year and a half ago, our factory entered into an agreement with Gomselmash for the supply of two types of wheel discs. At first there were trial batches of 100 pieces, the Belarusians liked the quality, and deliveries began on an industrial scale. By mid-February, for example, we had already covered 90% of Gomselmash’s needs for 2023 in 32-inch discs (about 7,000 items per year). They bought them in Poland and Turkey. These discs are mounted on combines for the front wheels. The rear wheels require 24″ rims. We cover 20% of their needs for the Belarusians – they take the rest from the factory in Bobruisk.The plant has now started preparations for the production of two more rim sizes, which will be useful for both the Gomel plant and the St. Petersburg plant. In addition, the plant has a forge, the products of which are in demand at many Russian enterprises, and now in Belarus.- The residents of Gomel recently organized a tender for the supply of three types of forgings. Our factory won two kinds of tenders. The preparation of their production takes two to three months. We deliver them with rims, thus optimizing delivery costs. There are cooperation projects in the distant future. In general, it is easy to work with Belarusians. Nice and calm people who know how to keep their word: if they promise something, they will do it for sure. They expect the same from their business partners. Would you like to see our production?
There really is something to see in the wheel shop. The birth of a product with perfect contours from an ordinary rectangular sheet of steel makes a fascinating impression. Rolling, robotic welding of a seam, reminiscent of New Year’s sparklers, the inexorable pressure of various presses, under the pressure of which steel, like plasticine or clay, flexibly takes on the necessary configurations and is overgrown with notches, splicing a disc with a rim, grinding surfaces, priming, drying, painting. The last operation is still done manually, but an automated paint line will soon be operational.At the same time, promises the factory management, there are no plans to reduce the number of painters.- Serious and strong people work in the workshop, many of them have higher education, long production experience. Such shots are not scattered, we will find what to do, – Anna Ferapontova is sure of this.Workers at the mechanical press factory treat their colleagues in Gomel with respect. However, Belarusians evoke the same emotions in workers at other Altai companies.In mid-February, residents of Barnaul already covered 90% of Belarusians’ annual demand for rims- We are happy to cooperate with Belarusian companies, – says Alexander Kostin, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Agrocenter LLC. – With them, of course, you have to work very carefully on all documentation. But if the contract is already concluded, the Belarusians will fulfill it 100%. Their harvesters have two advantages. 84% of them are made of Russian components (which cannot be said about Russian combines). And the second advantage: Belarus has a well-developed product quality protection system: with personal stamps, a large technical control department and serious monitoring by government agencies. In addition, Belarusians regularly make improvements to combine harvesters, every year something new.When Anna Sergeevna and I left the workshop, the workshop was loading a huge wagon of white rims. The road from Barnaul to Gomel takes six days.Direct speechVyacheslav Khimochka, Minister of Industry and Energy of the Altai Territory:- In our plans to expand contacts, Belarus seems to be one of the most promising. It is possible to increase the volume of supplies of wheel disks produced by Barnaul Plant of Mechanical Presses LLC, injectors and fuel systems from LLC Management Company Altai Precision Products Plant, as well as chemicals and electrical equipment. By the way, AZPI recently received a proposal from Belarusian colleagues to produce fuel equipment for BelAZ trucks. It is very difficult, but also very tempting. Barnaoul accepted the challenge. It is very far from Barnaul to Minsk, 4286 kilometers along the highway. However, stable partnerships, built cooperation and business cooperation level the complexity of logistics.