The ability to solve problems improves with every new challenge. Mistakes make us stronger — as long as we don’t repeat them!

Three key qualities of leadership:
Hard work · Self-confidence · Determination

What helps us find a way out of difficult situations?
Good ideas often come after a short break, when emotions no longer affect the ability to make the right decisions.
Recommended books: “No B.S. Ruthless Management of People and Profits” by Dan Kennedy; “Saodat Asri Qissalari” by Ahmad Lutfiy.

What was your journey to the UMPT plant like?
After completing my Master’s degree in Internal Combustion Engines at Tashkent State Technical University in 2001, I got a job at the Tashkent Motor Plant in my field. There, I climbed the career ladder from an assembly fitter to the position of Chief Mechanic. Things were going well, but I didn’t feel fulfilled. Something inside me said that I should look elsewhere.

In 2009, while passing by the under-construction UMPT plant, my son asked, “Dad, what are they building here?” I jokingly replied, “They’re building the factory where I’m going to work.” That moment sparked a strong desire in me to join the factory and be part of a world-class enterprise.

After submitting my resume and successfully passing all stages of the interview process at UMPT, I started working as a Senior Supervisor on the engine assembly and testing line. I finally began to feel the fulfillment I had been searching for. UMPT opened up a new world for me, with immense opportunities for learning and exposure to modern production management. Every employee here receives an individual approach to development, and each mistake is seen as an opportunity to strengthen one’s skills and knowledge.

I believe that if a person enjoys doing routine work, it means they have truly found their calling in life.

Tell us about the very first engine that came off the assembly line.
Today, our plant produces 1,000 engines per day, and we don’t even think about how it all began ten years ago. Back then, it took us a whole day to assemble a single engine. That achievement was the result of the hard work of the entire plant launch team.

The first Uzbek engine off the line wasn’t meant for sale and never reached the consumer, but it will forever remain in our memories as a symbol of the joint effort between foreign partners and our young, ambitious team. Just imagine the development path a company must take to produce world-class engines at a pace of 1,000 per day.

We officially achieved “world-class” status in 2018, when, following an international audit, our plant was awarded the BIQ4 level — the highest rating for General Motors facilities at that time.

Continuous improvement is the key to success in business.
We never rest on our laurels. We constantly set new goals to remain a flagship in our industry and a model enterprise in our developing nation.

How do you see our plant in the context of increasing competition in the automotive industry? Are we ready for change?
UMPT is the only enterprise in Uzbekistan producing internal combustion engines. In the face of growing competition, having a well-prepared technical base and specially trained professionals in engine manufacturing gives us a strong advantage in the industry.

Our plant is also a benchmark in the use of modern management methods, thanks to the implementation of the Global Manufacturing System (GMS) and our relentless pursuit of process improvement.

In the medium term, we will update our product portfolio and launch the new CSS Prime engine, which is more efficient and environmentally friendly. In the long term, we are preparing for industry transformation and a full shift to a market-driven system. To achieve this, we must be ready for change and capable of making important decisions quickly and decisively — especially in light of the global shift from traditional vehicles to electric cars.

Our experience in launching and scaling internal combustion engine production, along with the evolution of our manufacturing system to BIQ4 level, shows that we are fully prepared to put in the effort necessary for continued success.