Business

Muratkhan Tokmadi did not enter business by chance. He was always drawn to real work — construction, manufacturing, and creating things built to last. That is why, in 2003, he founded KazStroySteklo. As early as 2004, the first industrial glass processing plant in Kazakhstan began operating in Almaty.

KazStroySteklo

"KazStroySteklo" has become one of those projects that has appeared at the right time for the country. The construction market of Kazakhstan at that time was still dominated by imports: flat glass and many ready-made solutions came from abroad. The emergence of its own enterprise meant that a modern production base was beginning to form within the country, capable of operating according to international standards and producing products for large construction facilities.

The key direction of "KazStroySteklo" from the very beginning was the tempering of glass on modern world-class equipment. Specifically this was of fundamental importance for the industry. The company did not produce primary sheet glass from scratch: large-format glass sheets of different thicknesses and colours were supplied from the USA, Russia, China, Turkey, England, France and other countries, and a full cycle of high-precision processing took place at its own production site in Kazakhstan. Here, glass was turned into a ready-made product for modern architecture - durable, safe, energy-efficient and designed for serious operational loads.

It was hardening that became the technological heart of the enterprise. After preparation, the glass was processed at a temperature of 650-700 degrees and became 5-7 times stronger than usual. Such glass belongs to the category of safe: when destroyed, it breaks down into many small fragments with blunt edges, which sharply reduces the risk of serious injuries. For social, public and commercial facilities, this was of particular importance. In fact, it was not just about the release of building material, but about the introduction of a modern culture of safe glazing in Kazakhstan.

On this technological basis, the company has mastered the release of a wide range of products. "KazStroySteklo" produced tempered glass, triplex, energy-saving double-glazed windows, glass partitions, doors, shower cabins, products for interiors and furniture, and also used digital printing technologies on glass.

An important direction became specifically energy-efficient glazing - double-glazed windows, which simultaneously increased safety and helped to reduce heat loss of buildings. For Kazakhstan with its sudden climatic changes, cold winters, wind loads and the high role of facade glazing, this was not just a modern solution, but a response to a very specific request of time.

From the very beginning, production was built as technological and disciplined. The company used modern computerised equipment that allows processing products of any complexity with high accuracy and in a short time. Glass cutting was performed with a minimum percentage of waste; if necessary, cutouts and complex shapes were made; the edge was processed; then the glass was sent for hardening, lamination and assembly into double-glazed windows.

The company has implemented an ISO 9001 quality management system, and raw materials and finished products have undergone laboratory control at different stages - from tightness and moisture absorption checks to sealants and material compatibility tests. It was no longer a craft format, but a full-fledged modern production with a built-out quality system.

The significance of "KazStroySteklo" was determined not only by the very fact of the factory’s appearance, but also by how quickly the company took its place in the market. According to available data, already at the first stage, the company established the production of safe glass and energy-saving double-glazed windows in the country with a capacity of 300 thousand square metres per year - products that were previously fully imported.

In one of the interviews, it was also noted that the company was able to occupy about 40% of the architectural glazing market, taking this share from foreign suppliers. This shows the scale of the project: it was not about niche production, but about a noticeable redistribution of the market in favour of a Kazakhstani enterprise.

Gradually, KazStroySteklo became one of the largest enterprises in its industry in Central Asia. The company worked not only with private orders and interior solutions, but above all with large public, commercial and infrastructure facilities. In Almaty, it participated in the glazing of the Palace of the Republic, Mega and Mega-2 shopping centres, AFD Plaza, Dostyk Plaza, Almaty Arena, Puppet Theatre, Baiken Mosque, where digital colour printing technology on glass was used, as well as other significant buildings of the city.

In Astana, among the realised objects were the KEGOC building, the National Museum, the Music Hall and the EXPO facilities. One of the most famous projects was the Sphere of EXPO-2017 with a diameter of 80 metres - one of the most recognisable symbols of the exhibition. In addition, the company performed work for the Sports Palace in Taraz and the Damas Hotel in Bishkek.

A new stage of development began in 2014, when the company opened a second factory in Astana. It was no longer just an expansion of business, but a transition to another level of presence in the country. The new production complex was built in the free economic zone, provided more than a hundred people with jobs and strengthened the company's position in the capital, where large-scale construction of large state and commercial facilities was underway at that time.

During the same period, the company's factories were included in the number of objects of the Industrialisation Map of Kazakhstan, and the company itself modernised the production of energy-saving glass, as well as due to an innovative grant. At the same time, a network of regional branches was built in major cities.

The high level of the enterprise was also officially recognised. On November 20, 2008, "KazStroySteklo" LLP became the laureate of the award of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan "Altyn Sapa" in the nomination "Best Production Enterprise" in the category of small and medium-sized enterprises. For a manufacturing company, this is one of the most important forms of state assessment: it confirms not only the quality of products, but also the maturity of the entire management system, technological discipline and sustainability of the enterprise.

If we look at the history of "KazStroySteklo" more broadly, it was a project not only about business, but also about industrial modernisation. It arose at the junction of engineering interest, construction practises and an understanding that Kazakhstan needs its own modern production facilities that can work in difficult climatic conditions and meet international requirements. The factory created by Muratkhan Tokmadi has become part of this new industrial logic: not just to buy a ready-made solution abroad, but to create a domestic product with high added value, complex technology and a real impact on the architectural appearance of cities.