Photo: Kazakh government
ASTANA, Kazakhstan, February 4. Kazakhstan’s Astana Motors, U.S.-based Open Element, and South Korea’s Hands Corporation signed a memorandum on establishing a joint venture to produce aluminum alloy wheels in Kazakhstan, Trend reports via the press service of the Kazakh government.
The project envisions the establishment of a state-of-the-art, high-tech manufacturing facility, developed in collaboration with Astana Motors and its international partners. This new enterprise will represent Kazakhstan’s first full-cycle production plant for aluminum alloy wheels, encompassing the transfer of cutting-edge engineering and manufacturing technologies.
The initiative is expected to significantly enhance localization within the automotive sector, reduce reliance on imports, foster the growth of related industries, and fortify Kazakhstan’s industrial base. Foreign partners highlighted that Kazakhstan was chosen as the site for this project due to its consistent growth and progress in automotive manufacturing.
According to the country’s Bureau of National Statistics, Kazakhstan’s industrial sector grew by 7.4% in 2025 compared to 2024. The manufacturing sector showed growth at 6.4%, driven by increases in the production of food products (up 8.1%), petroleum products (up 5.9%), chemical products (up 9.8%), metallurgy (up 1.2%), and machinery (up 12.9%).
