The foundation stone for the full-cycle ecological wood processing industrial park EcoForest was laid in Semey today, reports infohub.kz. The ceremony was attended by Abai Region Governor Berik Uali and Zhang Likai, general director of Xinjiang Chunzheng Aosi Trading Co., Ltd.
In his welcoming speech, the governor noted that the project will boost the region's industrial and investment potential and create new jobs. "Head of State Kassym-Jomart Tokayev constantly emphasizes attracting investment as a priority of economic policy. In the Abai Region, special attention is paid to creating favorable conditions for investors and developing industrial infrastructure. Today's project is a concrete result of international partnership. This initiative is being realized thanks to negotiations that began at the 'Greater Altai' conference held in China last year. The project has received support from the regional coordination council, necessary state support measures have been provided, and land plots have been allocated. This will make a significant contribution to the industrial and environmental development of the region, allowing the introduction of modern technologies and waste-free use of wood raw materials," said Berik Uali.
The project is aimed at efficient processing of fire-damaged wood and wood subject to sanitary felling, producing high-value-added products, and recycling production waste. The total investment is $67 million. A full-cycle industrial-ecological wood processing park will be built on 50 hectares in Semey, and a primary wood processing complex on 4 hectares in the village of Mikhailovka, Borodulikha district.
At the Semey complex, up to 2 million cubic meters of wood raw materials will be processed annually, producing 800,000–900,000 cubic meters of finished products. The complex will include a plant for E0, E1, and ENF class boards with a capacity of 250,000–300,000 cubic meters per year; an OSB and FOSB board plant with the same capacity; a furniture module producing up to 100,000 cubic meters of finished products per year; production of thermally modified and antiseptic-treated wood; plants for Euro pallets, wood pellets, and biofuel; an organic fertilizer plant; a construction and logistics center; and engineering infrastructure. At the Borodulikha complex, up to 500,000 cubic meters of wood will be processed annually, producing 120,000–150,000 tons of pellets. This site will handle raw material reception, sorting, debarking, sawing, drying, crushing, and preparation for deep processing, with the prepared wood sent to Semey.
The project will launch modern automated production, with wood raw materials processed using waste-free technology. The enterprises will produce OSB and FOSB panels, MDF, particleboard, plywood, veneer, engineered panels, furniture blanks, wood pellets, biofuel, and organic fertilizers. When fully operational, about 900 permanent jobs will be created, and products will be exported to the Kazakhstan market as well as international markets in Central Asia, Europe, Japan, South Korea, and others.