Professional Holiday of Workers of the Machine-Building Industry

According to the Decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, dated November 19, 2012, June 24 is annually celebrated in Azerbaijan as the Professional Holiday of Workers of the Machine-Building Industry.

A brief overview of the history of the machine-building industry reveals that the development of electrical machine-building products worldwide has always paralleled the advancement of industrial technology. In the machine-building industry, as the technical support base of the national economy, equipment is produced in areas such as machine tool manufacturing, instrument engineering, tractor and automobile production, shipbuilding, aircraft manufacturing, agricultural machinery, electrical engineering, radio engineering, and automation equipment. Since Azerbaijan is an ancient oil-producing country, the establishment of oil machine-building in the region is a natural development. In 1848, industrial oil extraction began for the first time in the world in Baku. In 1858, the first metal processing plant was built in Baku. In 1859, the world’s first oil refinery was put into operation in Baku. Between 1911 and 1913, twelve machine-building plants operated in Baku, and at the beginning of World War I, 127 mechanical and metal processing enterprises were active in Baku and its surroundings. As an early oil extraction center, Azerbaijan formed the core of the oil machine-building industry in the former Soviet Union. The history of the oil and gas machine-building industry association dates back to 1935. At that time, “Azneftmash” was established by merging enterprises involved in the production and repair of oil-mining equipment and tools. Later, it became part of the All-Union Industrial Association “Soyuzneftmash” and subsequently transformed into the State Company “Azneftkimyamash” on March 22, 2001.

The modern stage of industrialization policy in Azerbaijan was established in the 1970s–1980s by the National Leader Heydar Aliyev. During this period, the oil machine-building industry of the republic entered a new phase of development. Significant structural changes occurred in this field, strategic enterprises were restructured, and new production areas were launched. Enterprises such as the “Sattarkhan Machine-Building Plant”, “B. Sardarov Machine-Building Plant”, “Baku Worker Machine-Building Plant”, “Baku Deep Water Jackets Plant named after Heydar Aliyev”, and “Surakhani Machine-Building Plant” are operating in Baku. These enterprises, whose construction in Baku was made possible by the initiative of the National Leader, currently play an important role in the economy of Azerbaijan. The Baku Deep Water Jackets Plant named after Heydar Aliyev continues to produce numerous offshore platforms and other equipment. The platforms installed at the fields in the Caspian Sea, developed jointly with foreign companies, are constructed at this very plant.

In recent years, as a result of successful economic policy, the industrialization process in Azerbaijan has advanced at an accelerated pace. Within the framework of industrialization measures implemented in recent years across various branches of the machine-building sector, numerous achievements have been made. New production capacities have been commissioned, and enterprises based on modern technologies have been established. Through diversification of industrial sectors, alongside oil machine-building, areas such as machine tool manufacturing, electrical engineering and electronics, instrument engineering, road construction machinery, and other fields have been developed.

In addition, as a result of the implementation of major projects aimed at building a strong defense industry, enterprises specializing in new types of production in this field have been established. All necessary conditions exist for the continued development of the machine-building industry in Azerbaijan. A favorable business and investment environment, a qualified human resources potential, institutional capacity, modernized energy and transport infrastructure, availability of raw materials, access to international markets, and broad financial opportunities constitute the foundation of these conditions. As a result of the systematic and consistent efforts carried out in this sector, new jobs have been created, macroeconomic stability has been ensured, dynamic economic growth has been achieved, and the social welfare of the population has improved.

Today, thanks to the care of our state, machine-building industry workers contribute to our country’s modern industrialization movement, the expansion of export potential, and the implementation of new technologies.

Recommended literature:

1. Əjdərov, Təhmasib Hüseyn oğlu. Bazar iqtisadiyyatı şəraitində Azərbaycan sənayesi və onun inkişafına vergi mexanizminin təsiri / T. H. Əjdərov ; red. Q. R. Qeybullayev. - Bakı : Bakı Universiteti nəşriyyatı, 2001. - 154 s.
2. Sadıqov, Fikrət. Heydər Əliyev və Azərbaycanın kimya sənayesi = Гейдар Алиев и химическая промышленность Азербайджана / F. M. Sadıqov ; tərc. Ü. Hüseynova ; red. T. N. Şahtaxtinski [et al.]. - Bakı : Azərbaycan nəşriyyatı, 2003. - 143 s.
3. Əliyev, Natiq Ağaəmi oğlu. Azərbaycan neft və qaz sənayesi XXI əsrin astanasında = Azerbaijan oil and gas industry on the eve of the XXI century / N. A. Əliyev, X. B. Yusifzadə, E. Şahbazov ; Azərbaycan Respublikasının Dövlət Neft Şirkəti. - Bakı : EksonMobil, 2009. - 70 s.
4. Mustafayev, Əbdül Cabbar oğlu. Azərbaycanın maşınqayırma sənayesi Sovet hakimiyyəti illərində /Ə. C. Mustafayev ; red. C Məmmədzadə. - Bakı: Azərnəşr, 1961. - 39 s.