Belarus links its future to the growth of high-tech industries

November 16, Vitebsk / Diana Kurilo - BELTA /. The creation of high-tech industries, as stipulated by the draft main provisions of the Program for Socio-Economic Development of the Republic of Belarus for 2011-2015, will ensure the competitiveness of Belarusian products on world markets and become the basis for improving people's well-being. This point of view was expressed in a conversation with a BELTA correspondent by Valery Korshak, General Director of RUP "Vistan", a participant in the IV All-Belarusian People's Congress. The interlocutor believes it is fair that high-precision machine engineering has been included among the priority sectors where innovative production facilities using science-intensive technologies will be developed, and among the main tasks of industrial production development, the government names the improvement of the technical and technological level based on the rapid renewal of fixed assets. "The country links its future with the growth of high-tech industries. Technological renewal, coupled with the development of the material and technical base of science, will help the Belarusian economy embark on an innovative path," Valery Korshak is confident. At the Vitebsk machine-tool plant "Vistan", a business plan for the coming years is being created, with particular attention paid to the renewal of active assets - machines and equipment. It is expected that the implementation of the development plan will reduce the wear and tear of fixed assets from 94% to 40%. In turn, the renewal of the material base will make it possible to master new types of products, including import-substituting ones, increase exports, and supply products to new sales markets. As a result, the enterprise's profitability will grow, and employees will receive real high wages, the General Director shared his plans for the five-year period. RUP "Vistan" is one of the oldest machine-tool building enterprises in the republic and traces its history back to 1914. The plant's product range includes over 850 basic models and modifications of cylindrical grinding, center and centerless grinding machines, gear-cutting machines, CNC machining centers, lathes, special-purpose machines, and woodworking machines. The quality management system for the production of machine-tool products is certified in accordance with ISO 9001-2001. In January-October of the current year, the growth rate of production volumes was 119%, and profitability was 9.4%. The export growth rate reached 134% compared to last year. The main buyers of Vitebsk machine tools are Russia, Ukraine, Iran, and India. This year, "Vistan" supplied equipment to Vietnam and Venezuela for the first time. More than 800 people work at the plant. -0-