Bitumen plant launched in South Kazakhstan

SHYMKENT. April 9. KAZINFORM /Tatyana Pylayeva/ A bitumen plant has been launched in Tolebi district of South Kazakhstan region.

The Bitum LLP management plans to perform the designed capacity of 500 tons/day before June 1 2009. This will create about 100 jobs. The demand for bitumen in Southern Kazakhstan makes 20,000 tons/year. Countrywide the demand for this material is 35 times more. The major part of bitumen is imported. However long distance transportation comes expensive. After two years of unsuccessful attempts to provide technical conditions for gas and electricity supply Bitum LLP has managed to launch the plant with the help of South Kazakhstan Akim Askar Myrzakhmetov. The company promises to provide bitumen for the region for a fixed price.