YILDIRIM Group Establishes the World’s 1st Zero Waste Soda Ash Production Factory in Kazakhstan

YILDIRIM Group of Companies first started activities in Kazakhstan with the Voskhod Chrome Mine in the city of Aktobe in 2014. Since then, the Group has invested 1 billion dollars in Kazakhstan in about 10 years and continues its endeavors with the world's 1st and only zero-waste soda ash production factory, QAZAQ SODA.

Based on the Industry 4.0 model, QAZAQ SODA’s investment will amount to 440 million dollars and have an annual production capacity of 500 thousand tons. QAZAQ SODA will produce soda ash used in the industries of glass, chemical, metallurgy, mining, and textile, as well as raw calcium chloride (CaCl2) of 500 thousand tons and salt (NaCl) of 100 thousand tons.

Robert Yuksel YILDIRIM, President and CEO of YILDIRIM Group of Companies, elaborates on QAZAQ SODA, explaining that the Group took its initial steps in Kazakhstan in 2014 by acquiring the Voskhod Chrome Mine, which produces the world's highest quality chrome ore. He says that negotiations are proceeding to acquire a copper mine in Kazakhstan, announcing that they are working on developing nickel projects in the country this year.

Stating that the second biggest project they are proud of in Kazakhstan will be the QAZAQ SODA facility, Robert Yuksel YILDIRIM says that it is a significant investment that aims at reducing the foreign dependency of Kazakhstan, adding: "Soda ash, used especially in glass making and chemical industry, is imported to Kazakhstan today. There is a huge amount of foreign currency spent on this. Therefore,
we believe that the QAZAQ SODA facility, to be established to meet the soda ash consumption in Kazakhstan, will multiply the socioeconomic impact that we have created so far and reduce the country's trade deficit.”

Robert Yuksel YILDIRIM addresses that the 25-year dream of Kazakhstan will come true when the project comes to an end, as the foundations of the facility were laid in September 2021, and basic engineering works are currently ongoing. “The country will have transitioned from being a soda importer to being the leading soda exporter in the region. We aim to make the region an inorganic chemical production base along with our other chemical investments, besides soda ash”, he says.

1,500 workers have been employed for the QAZAQ SODA factory to be established in the Jambyl region of Kazakhstan. Once the factory comes into operation, 300 additional workers will be employed. The contribution of QAZAQ SODA to the local economy has various folds. Stating that they have five joint venture green field projects established in cooperation with Kazgeology, Robert Yuksel YILDIRIM says, “Even if the budgets in green field projects are not high, the fact that we use local drilling companies for the drilling activities required by the projects and work with local geologists and local surveyors is an indication of the continuation of our socioeconomic impact”. He also underlines that they are more willing to seek investment opportunities in Kazakhstan, depending on the attention they received from the government, ministries, governorships, and local government, especially after our Voskhod Chrome Mine operations. He says they have also grabbed wide attention with QAZAQ SODA and informed Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of Kazakhstan, about the project in person.