South African private-sector defence group Paramount announced on Tuesday that it had started production at its new armoured vehicle plant in the Central Asian country of Kazakhstan. The start of production was marked by a visit to the plant by Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev and Defence Minister Imangali Tasmagambetov.

The plant was built and is operated by Kazakhstan Paramount Engineering (KPE), which is a joint venture between Paramount and local company LLC Kazakhstan Engineering Distribution. The creation of the factory involved technology transfer and followed Paramount’s model of local manufacturing through strategic alliances (with companies and countries).

The facility covers an area of 15 000 m², and has a production capacity of more than 200 vehicles a year. The programme has so far created 70 skilled jobs, a number which will increase to 120 over the next few months and thereafter to 150. The factory is intended to serve the regional as well as the national markets.

The plant is starting by manufacturing a locally-adapted and winterised version of Paramount’s Marauder armoured combat vehicle design. The indigenisation of the design was carried out in cooperation with the Kazakhstan Army and included tough tests to ensure it met the required operational capabilities. Paramount’s Mbombe 6 armoured infantry vehicle will also be made at the Kazakh facility.

“As a leading company in the global aerospace and defence industry, Paramount Group partners with countries such as Kazakhstan and co-invests in developing new manufacturing capabilities, transferring technologies, advancing skills development and creating new products and services through long-term collaborations such as this one,” affirmed group executive chairman Ivor Ichikowitz. “We take pride in the contribution we make in working with governments to improve security and the protection of their citizens and their sovereign territory.”

“The KPE factory is designed for complete end-to-end fabrication and the local manufacture of finished products,” highlighted Kazakhstan Engineering chairman Yerlan Idrissov. “Through this investment we are actively going to create substantial local capability by training young engineers in armoured vehicle manufacturing and other skills.”