BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 25. Uzbekistan is seeking to modernize its construction materials industry by encouraging higher-value manufacturing, attracting new investment, and accelerating energy-efficiency measures across the sector.
This was reflected in the statement by the Press Secretary to the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
Speaking at a videoconference meeting, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev noted that existing production capacities for cement, basalt, glass, ceramic tiles and several other products are already sufficient to meet domestic demand through 2035. As a result, authorities intend to focus less on expanding output and more on modernizing facilities and developing products with higher added value.
One example is a project in the Forish district, where new basalt fabric production facilities are being established alongside an existing basalt fiber plant. While a ton of basalt fiber is valued at around $340, basalt fabric sells for approximately $900 per ton, significantly increasing value creation.
Officials also pointed to opportunities in the cement industry. Uzbekistan primarily produces standard grades of cement, while 17 currently inactive cement plants could potentially be repurposed to manufacture specialized cement products with stronger domestic and export demand.
To support the sector’s transformation, the government has instructed responsible agencies to approve a dedicated program and attract investors to at least 50 underutilized construction-material enterprises by the end of the year.
At the same time, authorities are intensifying efforts to improve energy efficiency in industrial production. Over the past decade, the volume of conventional fuel consumed by construction-material enterprises has been reduced by half. Energy audits conducted at 34 major companies, which account for 65% of the industry’s electricity consumption, helped save 240 million kilowatt-hours of electricity last year alone.
However, officials stressed that additional progress is needed. Regional administrations have been tasked with launching a large-scale modernization program aimed at reducing energy consumption through the replacement of outdated equipment. Enterprises that switch to energy-efficient kilns, drying furnaces, mills and other high-consumption machinery will be eligible for compensation covering 7% of interest costs on loans denominated in local currency and 4% on foreign-currency loans.
“Under current conditions, when competition in foreign markets is intensifying and every dollar matters, unconventional solutions are needed to increase exports,” Mirziyoyev said.
The government has also set a target of introducing energy-saving technologies at another 38 major enterprises this year, a move expected to save an additional 400 million kilowatt-hours of electricity.
Officials believe that combining technological modernization, greater energy efficiency and the production of higher-value construction materials will strengthen the industry’s competitiveness and expand its export potential in the coming years.
