How Kazakhstan’s industrial sector changed over 7 years

Investment in industry, energy and infrastructure is increasing in Kazakhstan. In the first eight months of 2026, investment in fixed capital rose by 17%. In recent years, hundreds of new production facilities have been commissioned across the country, creating tens of thousands of jobs, El.kz reports citing the analytical portal Ranking.kz.

Companies are building new plants, modernising existing facilities, and developing transport and energy infrastructure. A significant share of investment is directed towards expanding domestic production and processing raw materials within the country.

At the same time, real investment growth stood at 8.1%. This indicates that the increase in investment reflects both higher project costs and an actual expansion of investment activity.

Industry Attracts the Largest Share of Investment

The industrial sector remains the primary destination for capital investment in Kazakhstan. In January–August 2026, it accounted for more than 40% of total investment in fixed capital.

Manufacturing accounted for the largest share of investment among industrial subsectors. Enterprises in this sector attracted 1.9 trillion tenge, equivalent to 14.1% of total investment across the economy.

A comparable amount was invested in mining and quarrying, where investment reached 1.87 trln tenge.

The energy sector, including the supply of electricity, gas, steam and hot water, received 1.3 trillion tenge in investment. A further 388.2 billion tenge was allocated to water supply, waste management and remediation activities.

Investment in manufacturing has been growing particularly rapidly, with real growth reaching 39.9%. The corresponding figure for the energy sector was even higher, at 49.3%.

This trend points to increased investment in production capacity and energy infrastructure. For industry, it means greater opportunities to commission new facilities, modernise equipment and increase output.

Over 1,000 plants and production facilities commissioned in recent years

Investment is gradually translating into operational enterprises. According to data cited by Ranking.kz, 1,226 industrial projects with a total value of 8.7 trillion tenge were implemented in Kazakhstan between 2019 and 2026.

The commissioning of these production facilities created 106,800 permanent jobs. New enterprises have been established in mechanical engineering, metallurgy, petrochemicals, food processing and the manufacture of construction materials.

Most projects have been concentrated in manufacturing. A total of 1,072 initiatives were implemented in this sector, with investment exceeding 6.1 trillion tenge.

These projects created 93,700 jobs. The largest number of projects was recorded in the food industry, where 265 production facilities were commissioned.

A further 242 projects were implemented in the construction materials sector, 187 in mechanical engineering and 57 in the chemical industry.

The expansion of these sectors is enabling Kazakhstan to increase domestic output. For example, the development of mechanical engineering generates demand for metals and components, while the production of construction materials supplies housing and infrastructure projects with the materials they require.

From tractors to automotive tyres

In recent years, Kazakhstan has established enterprises manufacturing products that were previously imported from abroad in substantial volumes.

In Shymkent, the Asia Trafo plant began operations, producing power transformers. Production of Kirovets tractors has been established in Kostanay Region, while QazTehna, based in Karaganda Region, manufactures buses, mining equipment and road construction machinery.

In Kyzylorda Region, Orda Glass Ltd commissioned a plant specialising in the production and processing of flat glass. This sector is important for the construction industry, which requires a reliable supply of materials.

In Atyrau Region, Kazakhstan Petrochemical Industries Inc. operates a petrochemical complex specialising in polypropylene production. Polypropylene is used to manufacture packaging, pipes, household goods and automotive components.

Karaganda Region has also seen the implementation of the TengriTyresKZ project for automotive tyre production.

At the same time, Kazakhstan is developing facilities that manufacture ferroalloys, specialised coke, iron castings, sulphuric acid and equipment for the oil and gas industry. Capacity is also being expanded for the processing of gold-bearing ore and the production of oil-country tubular goods.

Kazakhstan expands automotive manufacturing

Automotive manufacturing has emerged as one of the notable areas of industrial development. In 2025, the Astana Motors Manufacturing Kazakhstan plant was commissioned in Almaty, with production capacity designed to accommodate Chery, Changan and Haval vehicles.

The facility has created 3,600 jobs. Its operations focus on assembling vehicles for several international brands and further developing local content.

In Kostanay Region, the KIA Qazaqstan plant also commenced operations, creating an additional 1,500 jobs.

The development of automotive manufacturing facilities creates opportunities for component manufacturers, logistics companies and service providers. However, the level of localisation and production volumes will depend on the further development of domestic supply chains.

Which regions lead in the number of industrial projects?

New industrial facilities are being established across different parts of Kazakhstan. Shymkent leads in the number of completed projects, with 130 production facilities commissioned during the period under review.

Astana ranks second, with 91 projects. Akmola Region and Almaty Region each recorded 81 initiatives.

A total of 76 projects were commissioned in Zhambyl Region, while Almaty recorded 71. These figures illustrate how new production facilities are distributed between the country’s largest cities and its regions.

The annual number of projects implemented has also increased in recent years. In 2019, Kazakhstan commissioned 81 industrial projects; by 2025, the number had risen to 190.

The highest number of new permanent jobs during the period under review was recorded in 2025. Industrial projects created 22,531 jobs that year.