Uzbekistan has commissioned its first hot rolled steel sheet production complex following the inauguration of a new casting and rolling facility at the Uzbek Metallurgical Plant (Uzmetkombinat) in Bekabad.
President Shavkat Mirziyoyev officially launched the project, describing it as a major milestone in the modernization of the country’s steel industry. Once fully operational, the complex will produce 1 mln tons of hot rolled steel sheet annually, with output expected to fully meet domestic demand for flat steel products while reducing import dependence.
The new complex incorporates energy-efficient technologies and digital production systems to improve productivity and product quality. The project is also expected to create 1,200 jobs.
As part of the next phase of development, Uzbekistan plans to strengthen the plant’s raw material base by developing domestic iron ore resources. The government said the country has around 1.5 bln tons of iron ore reserves, while the Tebinbulak deposit is expected to support higher steel production over the next three to four years. Plans also include developing the Surun-Ota deposit to produce 600,000 tons of iron ore concentrate annually and constructing a USD 180 mln metallurgical plant at the Bekabad site.
Over the past decade, Uzbekistan has attracted around USD 2 bln in foreign investment into its mining and metallurgical sector, commissioning 31 major projects and expanding annual metal production to approximately 3 mln tons. The government expects rising infrastructure and industrial investment to further increase domestic steel demand in the coming years.