New MAZ bus plant launched - scale and technologies of production impressive

A new chapter in the history of domestic machine manufacturing. In April, industrial production of passenger vehicles started in the modern building of Minsk Automobile Plant (MAZ). The first model was a third-generation bus, which will soon join the fleet of Mogilev region. The new production facility will gradually increase its capacity and is scheduled to reach full capacity in January 2026.

The new project implementation at Minsk Automobile Plant was announced in 2023. Immediately, a large construction project was started absolutely from greenfield. The site has grown ahead of schedule - in just a year and a half. This is one of the examples of what our country is investing in: new jobs for people, export opportunities and a world-class production.

At the very beginning of this year, the new production site was shown to the President. At that time, the head of state emphasized that he was proud that our country had managed to preserve this enterprise. The core thing is to improve quality in order to be competitive.

Yes, reliability and price are the main criteria that determine demand in the market. MAZ has a big stake on the new workshops. This project will enable to double the capacity. It is planned to produce up to 3 thousand units of passenger vehicles of various modifications annually, although the main focus will be on the third generation buses.

Vladimir Dormash, Deputy Commercial Director for the Sale of MAZ Passenger Vehicles -Managing Company of BELAVTOMAZ Holding:

"This is a fundamentally new model. It has a completely new design, a completely new concept of manufacturing this type of transportation. It has an increased glazing area. The advantages can be enumerated a lot. And there are huge changes in the interior. In this model of bus, we have achieved the best indicators of low-floor passenger seats among the manufacturers, let's say, of the Euro-Asian region. Over the last five years, we have been growing annually in terms of the volume of equipment. We have no stock of ready products at all. We all work as Manufacture-to-Order. All the vehicles built -everything that we can in our workshop today - have already been sold".

Another feature is the universal space frame. It is designed so that the bus can be quickly adjusted to different technical solutions, whether it has a gas-fueled internal combustion engine or an electric motor. Such technology in cooperation with the capabilities of the new site reduces the bus production time by half. 40 thousand square meters. A complete assembly cycle from cutting out parts to the finished bus. All is under a single roof. Just half a dozen countries in the world nowadays possess such technologies. And Belarus is among them.

Valery Ivankovich, Director General of OJSC MAZ – Managing Company of BELAVTOMAZ Holding:

"Technological assembly, the ability to apply flexible production approaches and production capabilities allow solving any economic and technical tasks. This is the technological sovereignty of Minsk Automobile Plant, BELAVTOMAZ Holding of the Republic of Belarus in terms of development of own segment of the passenger vehicles in action".

Multilift units, three self-contained passenger vehicle production lines, diagnostic and adjustment boxes and advanced equipment. And also modern boxes for paint. By the way, there are six of them now, when there was only one before. All this opens a new chapter in the history of Belarusian machine building.

Alexander Neskoromny, Chief Engineer of MAZ bus plant - Managing Company of BELAVTOMAZ holding:

"The main thing is that we used to have frames that had to be moved between shops. They would get hit by precipitation and so on. Now we have a closed assembly cycle. The bus does not go outside."

Alexander Solomakha, head of the welding shop of MAZ bus plant - Managing Company of BELAVTOMAZ holding:

"The modern production building enables us to assemble almost the entire model range in parallel without interruption. This was difficult in previous buildings. Now there are three in-line conveyors. We are expecting the arrival of young professionals. I hope that they will form the basis, the core team of our production".

The new plant was built just in time. The demand for the equipment is growing not only in Belarus. Today, the geography of supplies is about 40 countries.

A heavy sales level is created in Russia and the CIS, at that the far arc of MAZ' exports is growing in Latin America, South-East Asia and the African continent. This year we expect to see a significant increase in foreign markets. And having such high technologies our country today can louder proclaim its brands to the whole world.