OREANDA-NEWS. June 28, 2007. Byelorussian Steel Works (BMZ trademark) has allocated more than $140 million for buying equipment for its pipe mill, the company’s principal engineer Viktor Matochkin said, reported the press-centre of Gomelinvest.

BMZ bought over $118 million worth of equipment made by German SMS Meer and $24 million worth of equipment made by Baranovichi Machine Tool Plant. The share of Belarus-made equipment in the total purchase stands at around 20-25%, but together with other works, including installation and construction, the figure makes up as much as 70%, said Viktor Matochkin.

BMZ had placed a major order for equipment with a machine tool plant in Baranovichi. SMS Meer’s basic engineering specialists have designed and manufactured the equipment. It will allow Byelorussian Steel Works to have all the necessary technical documents to use, tune and upgrade the equipment in the future. Apart from that, the company will be able to produce proprietary spare parts instead of buying them abroad.

“Today we can talk about creating a major basic engineering industry in metallurgy,” noted the principal engineer. BMZ plans to continue cooperating with Baranovichi-based machine-tool plant Atlant in remodelling BMZ and producing metallurgical equipment.

Viktor Matochkin told, several technical novelties had been used during the pipe mill construction. A hydroshop is usually placed 12 metres below the ground level. After considering several options BMZ specialists decided to move the prime equipment upstairs. Thus all hydroshops are at the ground level. The decision has saved around $25 million in construction costs.