Heroes of Belarus. Pavel Mariyev. Legend of BELAZ

The Minsk Times project is dedicated to people awarded the highest Hero of Belarus title

On the last Sunday of September, Belarus celebrated Machine Builders Day. The current issue of The MT project is dedicated to Pavel Mariyev — the Hero of Belarus, Doctor of Technical Sciences, Honoured Worker of Industry, and recipient of the state prize in science and technology. This remarkable person once breathed new life into Belarus’ automotive giant BELAZ, whose dump trucks have become a symbol of independent Belarus.

Pavel Mariyev is an engineer, director, scientist — Doctor of Technical Sciences, the author and co-author of 30 research papers, and the holder of 13 patents and copyright certificates in Belarus. His name is inextricably linked to the history of BELAZ, where he started as a technician technologist and left as the general director, having dedicated almost half a century to the work at the enterprise. He managed to demonstrate his talents both as a gifted engineer and as a remarkable manager with outstanding organisational skills, thus becoming the locomotive that pulled and strengthened the plant’s position during the challenging for the industry years of the 1990s.

Awards
• By Decree of the President of the Republic of Belarus No. 360 dated June 29th, 2001, Pavel Mariyev was awarded the Hero of Belarus title for his selfless work and exceptional contribution to the development of domestic automobile manufacturing
• Badge of Honour Order
• Order of Friendship of Peoples
• Order of the Fatherland 3rd class
• Belarus’ Honoured Worker of Industry
• In 2002, Pavel Mariyev became an honorary citizen of Zhodino, and in 2008, he was named an honorary citizen of Minsk Region

Every third quarry dump truck in the world is manufactured at BELAZ — it is the pride and symbol of Belarus, one of the world’s
largest manufacturers of quarry equipment and the only one in the CIS           Yelizaveta Kobetskaya

Step by step

Pavel Mariyev began his career at the Ural Automobile Plant, where he received thorough training. “The word ‘automobile’ has been etched into my life since childhood. After finishing seven years of school, I chose to study automobile engineering at college. The Ural Automobile Plant was my first plant, where I went through a serious training regimen, joining just as they were preparing to produce the updated model of Ural-355M truck. I started at BELAZ in 1959. Almost before my eyes and with my involvement, all models were brought into production, starting from the 27-tonne vehicle to the 320-tonne dump truck,” recounted Pavel Mariyev. 
At BELAZ, he worked in the positions of Deputy Chief Technologist, Deputy Chief Engineer, Chief Engineer, and from 1991 to 2007 — General Director.

Plant tours to BELAZ leave unforgettable impressions        Aleksei Bibikov

We did not let the country down!  

In the troubled 1990s, when hundreds of plants and factories were falling into decline, taking the helm of an automotive enterprise was no easy feat, to put it mildly. According to Pavel Mariyev, it was a time when a transition from a socialist economy to a market economy was required since a multitude of issues had to be resolved — two incompatible systems collided and there were no ready-made solutions, “At a time when no one had any money, we decided to develop production. For the first time, we acquired an international bank loan backed by government guarantees. As a result, we successfully carried out a reconstruction that breathed new life into the enterprise, and repaid the loan on time. We worked meticulously, calculating every step, developing schemes for settling accounts with suppliers and customers. We did not live extravagantly, saved every penny, and did not let the government or the country down!” 
Behind these words are years of intense and precise work on new vehicles. The implementation of a large investment project from 1998 to 2001 allowed for the introduction of computer technologies in the design and production of a new series of mining dump trucks. Following the technical re-equipment, several dump trucks appeared at the enterprise — with carrying capacities of 55, 130, and 220 tonnes, and later a 320-tonne dump truck. The first three models facilitated the exit from the crisis. It is no surprise that the enterprise and its active leader caught the attention of the President of Belarus who planned the state visit to the successfully developing automobile plant. By that time, the enterprise had already gained recognition — by 2001, BELAZ products were selling well. Aleksandr Lukashenko held a meeting attended by almost half of the Government. Everyone was unanimous — the work carried out at the plant and its results could be assessed as positive. A week later, on Independence Day of the Republic of Belarus, Pavel Mariyev was honoured with the Star of the Hero of Belarus.  
The hero himself was humble when speaking of the honorary title, referring to it as an ‘advance award’, “At the ceremony, I said that this was an ‘advance award’ that I would definitely work off. I wanted to direct my efforts towards the further development of the enterprise, the international recognition of its products, and the enhancement of social benefits for the team. I was engaged in all of this until I retired.”

New BELAZ-7513E electric dump truck and world’s first 130-tonne BELAZ-7513R truck with gas engine   Belta

At the forefront

This was followed by the victorious march of the enterprise, which gradually became a giant and a global leader in the production of large-scale automotive machinery. This did not go unnoticed beyond the country’s borders — BELAZ received international Diamond Star of Quality, the international award For Technology and Quality, and many other awards. The load capacity of the dump trucks produced at BELAZ has increased. The holding company retains a third of the global market for the production and sale of heavy-duty dump trucks. The enterprise has created more than 450 models of quarry dump trucks, which successfully operate on almost all continents. Currently, BELAZ produces 450-tonne vehicles — the most powerful dump trucks in the world, the concept of which was developed back in the years when Mariyev was at the helm of the enterprise. The Hero of Belarus, with his inherent modesty, noted that the diamond stars were not a means to an end, “We were all captivated by the vibrant work. People began to take pride in being at the forefront. They gained confidence — solid ground beneath their feet, and felt needed and recognised. As for awards… Each one represents a new level of responsibility, an internal drive to solve yet another task, to create another more advanced machine… Otherwise, the award dulls instantly.”
Last year, the Hero of Belarus celebrated his 85th anniversary. Despite his age, his heart and soul remain with the enterprise. Mariyev is a member of the supervisory board of the holding company, monitors the changes taking place at the plant, and rejoices in its successes, “Today, the enterprise demonstrates high technical and scientific levels. It rapidly adapts to the complex conditions, taking into account the whims of the West, which has stopped supplying very important components and engines to BELAZ. However, the team of engineers at BELAZ has managed, within a short time, to find alternative solutions, which are now successfully implemented. The plant continues to ramp up its production volume. It is encouraging that the enterprise has developed a solid research technical and human resource potential capable of addressing such challenges.”  
Moreover, the Hero of Belarus is pleased that BELAZ remains, in essence and spirit, an enterprise that has managed to preserve the continuity of generations — several family dynasties work at the enterprise. Pavel Mariyev believes it is a good thing when a beloved profession is in the capable and reliable hands of new generations.

Belarus-made mining dump trucks are known all over the world                 Daria Titova

Based on materials of sb.by, belta.by and Heroes of Belarus by Nikolai Machekin