President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, during a working visit to the Karaganda Region, visited Temirtau, where he reviewed the restored tram service system and the operations of the converter shop at Qarmet. The Head of State was also presented with data on the enterprise's production indicators and investments.
HOW TRAMS RETURNED TO THE STREETS OF TEMIRTAU
The President rode a tram along Republic Avenue to the Inzhenernaya stop and assessed the condition of the upgraded transport infrastructure.
Qarmet resumed tram service in 2024. Since then, passengers have made more than 1 million journeys. 30 kilometres of track were restored and replaced in the city, and 8 new carriages were purchased. The trams run to schedule, and an electronic fare payment system has been introduced. Qarmet employees and veterans use the transport free of charge.
In a conversation with the enterprise's management, Tokayev described the tram as a "link between times" for Temirtau. He noted that residents had campaigned for the restoration of the service, and the company had responded to their request. The President also emphasised the need to continue improving the city.
WHAT CHANGED IN QARMET'S STEELMAKING PRODUCTION
During the visit to the converter shop, the Head of State was shown one of the key stages of steelmaking. Liquid pig iron coming from the blast furnace is processed into steel, which is then sent to continuous casting machines and to the rolling shops.
In 2024, Qarmet carried out major overhauls of converters No. 1 and No. 2. The work included the complete replacement of the vessels and the installation of more modern structures. According to Akorda, the modernisation of the equipment will make it possible to expand the product range, increase steel output and improve the reliability of production capacity.
WHAT PRODUCTION PLANS AND INVESTMENTS WERE PRESENTED TO THE PRESIDENT
The Chairman of the Board of Directors of Qarmet, Andrey Lavrentyev, reported on the growth of production indicators and the implementation of the investment programme. According to him, the plan for 2026 envisages the production of 4 million tonnes of steel, 3.6 million tonnes of coal concentrate and 3.9 million tonnes of iron ore concentrate.
Since the company began operating, investment has exceeded $2.7 billion. The funds were directed towards the modernisation of existing capacity and the construction of new production facilities.
Qarmet has a full production cycle and its own coal, iron ore and energy base. The company employs around 35,000 people, of whom more than 14,000 work at the metallurgical plant in Temirtau.
