The range of kazakhstani suppliers is expanding

The other day a group of JSC AlES specialists returned from a business trip to East Kazakhstan, where they took part in the verification audit of “Ust- Kamenogorsk Industrial Valve Plant” LLP. This is one of the young machine-building enterprises in Kazakhstan producing valves and oilfield equipment with a ten-year history.

The plant is considered as a potential supplier of shut-off valves, various types of gate valves, valves, valves and other components for the equipment of JSC AlES plants.

Kazakhstan’s program to increase domestic content is developing in several directions. These are: development of internal economic ties between domestic enterprises; supply of goods and services produced by them; comprehensive professional quality control of local products. And here the issue of quality and safety is a criterion, an indicator of the success of the whole process of increasing Kazakhstan’s content. Since it is impossible to give priority to domestic goods and services only on the basis of their local origin. It is important that in terms of technical requirements, standards, safety they are not inferior to imported analogues.

In September 2019, the Guidelines for Auditing and Monitoring, including verification audits, were adopted. The document defines the procedure for potential suppliers of organizations directly or indirectly belonging to JSC “Samruk-Kazyna” to pass the preliminary qualification selection. According to its positive results there is inclusion in the register of qualified potential suppliers for participation in procurement for the group companies. The Guidelines define the procedure for monitoring the compliance of qualified potential suppliers with the criteria established for a certain category of goods, works and services.

– Ust-Kamenogorsk Industrial Valve Plant LLP (UZPA LLP) is not yet a supplier for JSC AlES, so we were interested to see what equipment this enterprise produces that we need, says Tatiana Vlasova, Leading Engineer of the Metals and Welding Service of Production and Repair Enterprise “Energoremont”. – Our main task, as profile specialists, was to take part in the work of the monitoring group of Samruk-Kazyna Contract LLP. Mikhail Novokshenov, foreman of the Armaturno-mechanical shop of Production and Repair Enterprise “Energoremont” and Alexey Makarov, senior repair foreman of the turbine shop of CHPP-2 n.a. A.Zhakutov also took part in the audit – this was the choice of the audit team made by the management of JSC AlES.

It was important for us to understand how gate valves of different sizes are manufactured and to see the main points of the production cycle. The plant is equipped with modern equipment, numerically controlled machines, stands for hydraulic tightness tests of stop valves. We also saw the means of measuring the products, observed the process of checking the finished products. The representative of the plant familiarised us with the production charts of the parts, besides, each part of the product has an accompanying sheet. We were also shown all the relevant documentation. I had good impressions about the plant, I am very glad that there are such modern enterprises in Kazakhstan. Among the auditors were representatives of “Samruk-Kazyna Contract” LLP, Ekibastuz GDES-2, “MMG” Atyrau, from NCE “Atameken” of Ust-Kamenogorsk.

Alexey Makarov shared his impressions about the enterprise and the processes he saw. He was interested in this trip as a specialist – operator.

– The audit of the process and products of the industrial valves plant of UZPA LLP left a positive impression, – says Alexey. – We were shown the equipment for the production of only small-grade valves up to 300 mm. Although large-grade valves over 300 mm are produced and assembled at another plant Ust-Kamenogorsk Industrial Valves Plant JSC on the principle of outsourcing, the enterprise UZPA LLP is fully responsible for the products supplied to it.

As the audit participants emphasised, the trip to Ust-Kamenogorsk Industrial Valves Plant was very useful from a practical point of view. Power engineers are glad that UZPA LLP passed the professional audit, the protocols were signed.

In case the proposal of UZPA LLP wins on the price and quality parameters – AlES JSC may have one more reliable domestic supplier.