Match the words with a similar meaning.
| 1. to deliver | a. equipment |
| 2. customer | b. to produce |
| 3. plant | c. manufacturer |
| 4. machinery | d. energy efficient |
| 5. complicated | e. petrol |
| 6. production | f. consumer |
| 7. energy-saving | g. zone |
| 8. to manufacture | h. to supply |
| 9. gasoline | i. workforce |
| 10. area | j. complex |
| 11. producer | k. works |
| 12. labour force | l. output |
Exercise 4.
Match the words that go together. Check that you know the meanings of the phrases. Then complete the sentences below.
| 1. raw | a. fertilizer |
| 2. assembly | b. award |
| 3. potash | c. bulbs |
| 4. wheeled | d. materials |
| 5. payload | e. maker |
| 6. energy saving | f. circuits |
| 7. correspond | g. line |
| 8. tire | h. tractors |
| 9. win | i. capacity |
| 10. integrated | j. the requirements |
1. A new Fiat rolls off the ... in Poland every 90 seconds.
2. Mogilev Steel Works manufactures competitive products which … of the Belarusian and foreign customers.
3. Manufacturing is the transformation of … into finished products.
4. Goodyear is Europe’s second largest … .
5. … is a rich source of potassium and an effective means to improve crop rates.
6. An … otherwise known as a chip is a small electronic device made out of a semiconductor material.
7. The … of an SUV (Sport Utility Vehicle) is between a truck and a car.
8. Belarus exports a wide range of agricultural machinery including combine harvesters, … , potato planters and potato diggers.
9. You can save up to 80% in home energy costs by using … .
10. When you … an industry … you’re seen as a stable and high-quality company.
READING
Exercise 1.
Before you read the text discuss the following questions.
1. What are the most developed branches of Belarusian industry from your point of view?
2. What are the most valuable products of Belarusian industry in your opinion?
3. What industrial cities of Belarus do you know?
Exercise 2.
Go through the text to find this information:
a) the number of people employed in the Belarusian industry
b) payload capacity of the Belarusian mining dump trucks
c) the biggest producer of mineral potash fertilizers in Belarus
d) MAZ vehicles
e) the leaders of electrical engineering industry
f) ‘Naftan’ products
g) the location of the Belarusian Steel Works
Exercise 3.
Read the text carefully. Then discuss the questions below.
1. How is industry defined?
2. What is the share of the Belarusian industry in the country’s GDP?
3. What are the leading sectors of mechanical engineering?
4. What does the Belarusian Autoworks specialize in?
5. What industries is the production of BeLAZ used in?
6. What is Minsk Automobile Plant famous for?
7. Which enterprises are engaged in tractor and agricultural engineering?
8. Which position does Minsk Tractor Works rank in a list of the largest wheeled tractors exporters?
9. What does radio-electronic industry of Belarus produce?
10. What industry manufactures power transformers, energy- saving bulbs, lifts and lifting equipment?
11. What high-tech product does BMZ produce?
12. Why is the Belarusian Steel Works considered to be one of the largest exporters in Belarus?
13. What is the structure of ‘Belaruskaliy’?
14. What do the leading enterprises of chemical and petrochemical industry produce?
15. What are the customers’ requirements to the Belarusian production?
16. What should manufacturers do in order to produce market successful products?
The Industry of Belarus
Industry is the key element in the economic development of any country. Industry is defined as the large-scale production of goods from raw materials. This sector of economy is divided into extractive and manufacturing industries, covering a wide range of branches. The Belarusian industrial sector accounts for nearly 32% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and employs nearly 1 million people (25% of the Belarusian labour force).
Mechanical engineering and metalworking are the largest and most developed branches of the Belarusian industry. The leading sectors of mechanical engineering are automotive industry, tractor and agricultural engineering and a range of allied high-tech industries like radio- electronics, electrical engineering, instrumentation engineering and optical-mechanical industry.
Belarus specializes in truck manufacturing. The Belarusian Autoworks (BELAZ) is a major world manufacturer of mining dump trucks with payload capacity from 25 to 360 tons, as well as the other heavy vehicles, being used in mining and construction branches. The products of BELAZ are supplied to more than 70 countries of the world.
Minsk Automobile Planthas won recognition of its vehicles not only in Belarus but also far beyond.Fifth-wheel tractors, drop-side trucks, buses, chassis under installation of various special equipment roll off the assembly line under MAZ trademark.Modern design along with high level of performance allows MAZ vehicles to compete with the world producers.
37 enterprises are engaged in tractor and agricultural engineering. The largest of them are Minsk Tractor Works, ‘Gomselmash’, ‘Lidselmash’, Minsk Motor Plant, and Minsk Bearing Plant. At present Minsk Tractor Works ranks among the eight largest exporters of wheeled tractors in the world. The enterprise takes leading positions on the markets of more than 60 countries.
A number of companies like ‘Horizont’, ‘Atlant’, ‘Integral’, Instrument-making plant ‘Izmeritel’ dominate in radio-electronics, producing household appliances, consumer electronics, integrated circuits, semiconductor devices, dashboards for trucks, taximeters and other products.
In optical-mechanical industry ‘BelOMA’ company is particularly successful in the manufacturing of optical and laser products, aerospace and military equipment.
The enterprises of electrical engineering industry produce power transformers and transformer substations, lifts and lifting equipment, incandescent and energy-saving bulbs, and more. The leaders of this branch are Minsk Electrotechnical Plant, ‘Mogilevliftmash’ Works, Brest Electric Lamp Plant and others.
The Belarusian Steel Works (BMZ) in Zhlobin is one of the world’s leaders of iron and steel industry. The plant produces such a complicated and high-tech product as steel cord for global tire makers. About 85 % of its manufacturing output is exported to Russia, Poland, Germany, Sweden, the USA, the UK and other countries. The plant has won many national and international awards for its high quality products.
Chemical and petrochemical industry is formed by 70 enterprises of the Belneftekhim Concern. ‘Belaruskaliy’ is one of the biggest producers of mineral potash fertilizers in the world. There are six mines with the factories to produce potash fertilizers in the industrial area of Soligorsk. The production of ‘Belaruskaliy’ is delivered to Europe, East Asia, South and North America – in total to more than 50 countries. Mozyr Refinery and ‘Naftan’ produce fuel oil, gasoline, diesel fuel and other petrochemicals. ‘Belshina’ is one of the largest enterprises in Europe, making over 200 nominal sizes of tires for cars, trucks, buses, tractors and agricultural machinery. ‘Grodno Azot’ is a major manufacturer of polyamide yarns and fibers in Belarus.
Today’s manufacturers face great challenges. Their production must be competitive, reliable and safe, corresponding to the customers’ requirements. To ensure marketplace success they need to increase efficiency and improve their industrial performance. This can be achieved with the use of innovative technologies and flexible, energy-saving production processes.
SKILLS
Exercise 1.