Belarusian BelAZ hits 400,000 visitor mark in industrial tourism triumph

MINSK, 5 May (BelTA) – The Belarusian truck maker BelAZ has welcomed its milestone 400,000th visitor, reaffirming its status as the leader of industrial tourism in Belarus and its reputation as a powerful hub of attraction that inspires genuine awe for the scale and achievements of Belarusian heavy engineering, BelTA has learned. 

The milestone guest was Maria Simonova, a mother of three from Moscow. The company presented her with commemorative gifts and a personalized certificate. Maria visited BelAZ with her husband and three sons. Typically, the male members of the family initiate such industrial tours, but this time was an exception.

“Visiting the BelAZ plant was my dream,” the 400,000th tourist said. “I was born in Tajikistan, where in the 1980s there was a large mining enterprise Tajikzoloto, which used BelAZ trucks. My uncle worked there. As children, we would go there to look at those huge machines. At least, they seemed incredibly huge to me, a little girl. Though now I understand that they cannot be compared with the mining dump trucks we saw today on your exhibition site. I used to beg my uncle to take me for a ride in a BelAZ, but it never happened. And now, my dream has come true – I’ve taken a ride across the testing ground in the cab of a modern 90-tonne electric dump truck. I’m simply over the moon!”

Beyond a ride in the massive, nearly silent battery-powered BelAZ, the guests explored the museum’s unique exposition and learned about the plant’s key historical milestones and current achievements. They were also shown the assembly line in the production workshop, allowing them to truly feel the pulse of the living plant.

Tourists were also given the chance to board the deck of a world-famous 450-tonne Guinness World Record holder and experience the raw power and ruggedness of the 360-tonner, the confidence and strength of the 130-tonne model, a recipient of the State Quality Mark of Belarus, and compare these giants with vintage machinery, turning the tour into an exciting journey into the world of steel titans.

“Such immense scale, such incredible power, and such pride in the Belarusians who built this enterprise and these machines,” the visitor shared her impressions. “I believe BelAZ has bright prospects ahead because it continues to operate, evolve, and stand as a worthy competitor to foreign mining equipment manufacturers. All of this commands respect and admiration. Keep it up, don’t lower the bar – only forward and upward!”

The industrial tourism project BelAZ – the Brand of Belarus has been running for over 10 years. Today, factory tours are incredibly popular among industrial travel enthusiasts. For visitors’ convenience, the plant is open daily from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM; however, the date and time of the visit must be pre-arranged via the tour call center.

Photos courtesy of BelAZ