Work has started on the QazCem Industries cement plant in the Baiganin district of Kazakhstan's Aktobe region. According to KAZAKH INVEST on 5 June, the plant will produce 1.3 million tonnes a year and the total investment is $176.9 million.
The partners are Kazakh investment holding Primus Capital and Sinoma Cement, the building-materials investment arm of China National Building Material Group (CNBM). Zhao Xinjun, board chairman of Tianshan Materials, called it the company's first strategic project in Central Asia.
Most of the money is front-loaded: about 75% of the cost, roughly $132.7 million, is planned for 2026.
Capacity and timeline
When the time capsule was laid in May 2025, the regional investment portal cited a clinker line of 3,500 tonnes a day, a start-up in the second half of 2027 and an estimated cost of about $200 million. The figure announced at construction start is $176.9 million.
In November 2025 the Investment Committee of Kazakhstan's Foreign Ministry reviewed the project. The plan is 1.3 million tonnes first, with later expansion to 2.5 million tonnes, using local chalk, clay and marl.
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Why western Kazakhstan
Officials say the plant should cut the western regions' reliance on cement imported from Russia and Iran. It will employ 250 to 300 people permanently once running.
What it means for Chinese companies
Chinese building-materials groups are increasingly entering Kazakhstan as equity investors with a local partner rather than as contractors alone. Suppliers of kiln equipment, refractories and bulk logistics may want to watch procurement around the Baiganin site. Timing and cost of the second phase have not been disclosed.
Sources:
KAZAKH INVEST, https://invest.gov.kz/ru/media-center/press-releases/v-aktyubinskoy-oblasti-startovalo-stroitelstvo-tsementnogo-zavoda/
KAZAKH INVEST, https://invest.gov.kz/ru/media-center/press-releases/implementation-of-a-cement-plant-project-in-aktobe-region-discussed-at-the-kazakh-foreign/
Aktobe Region Investment Portal, https://aktobe.invest.gov.kz/ru/amp/news/38365/
Ratel.kz, https://ratel.kz/raw/v_aktjubinskoj_oblasti_startovalo_stroitelstvo_tsementnogo_zavoda_stoimostju_1769_mln_dollarov
Key facts
- The QazCem Industries project is located in Baiganinsky District, Aktobe Region, Kazakhstan, and has entered the construction and installation phase.
- The QazCem Industries project has a designed capacity of 1.3 million tonnes of cement products per year.
- The QazCem Industries project has officially disclosed total investment of US$176.9 million.
- The QazCem Industries project's clinker production line has a designed daily capacity of 3,500 tonnes and is planned to commence operations in the second half of 2027.
- The QazCem Industries project plan is to build an initial annual capacity of 1.3 million tonnes and subsequently expand it to 2.5 million tonnes.
- Upon completion, the QazCem Industries project will provide 250 to 300 permanent positions.
FAQ
Where is the project located, and what is its designed capacity?
The QazCem Industries project is located in Baiganinsky District, Aktobe Region, Kazakhstan, with a designed capacity of 1.3 million tonnes of cement products per year.
When is the project scheduled to commence operations?
The clinker production line is planned to commence operations in the second half of 2027, subject to the company's subsequent announcements.
Who are the project partners, and what is the total investment?
The two project partners are Kazakhstan Investment Holding Company Primus Capital and Sinoma Cement, with total investment officially disclosed at US$176.9 million.
What impact will the project have on the local market?
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Investment Committee said that the project aims to reduce western Kazakhstan's dependence on cement imports from Russia and Iran.
Has the project announced an expansion plan?
The project plan is to build an initial annual capacity of 1.3 million tonnes and subsequently expand it to 2.5 million tonnes, but the expansion timetable and investment amount have not yet been disclosed.