The total economic impact of ERG’s digital transformation projects amounted to 55.7 billion tenge by the end of 2025. The Group’s digital strategy is implemented by its in-house IT company, Business & Technology Services (BTS), which develops and implements industrial IT solutions, automation systems, and artificial intelligence technologies.
Today, BTS is responsible for creating digital tools that improve production efficiency, industrial safety, and the manageability of key business processes.
Erken Shnazbaev, ERG Deputy CEO for Digitalization and AI:
“Today, digitalization and artificial intelligence are not just a trend, but a strategic choice for the country. The President of Kazakhstan has declared this year the Year of Digitalization and AI, and for us at ERG, this is a clear call to action. We are consistently transforming the industry, relying on our own digital developments. Today, they provide measurable economic value for the Group. BTS solutions — from ERG MES and digital maintenance management to Computer Vision and ERG Rail — are already in use in real-world production, are being scaled within the Group, and form a unified digital control loop for ERG’s industrial assets.”
Digital Production Management: ERG MES
One of the team’s key developments is the ERG MES (Manufacturing Execution System)—a digital platform that integrates production and business processes. The solution enables real-time tracking of production output, process parameters, losses, and equipment downtime.
ERG MES has already been implemented at the Aktobe and Aksu ferroalloy plants, the Kazakhstan Electrolysis Plant, and the Don Mining and Processing Plant. Implementation is underway at the SSGPO.
The system features the built-in digital assistant MES Alina, which opens the necessary reports and screens and retrieves data from equipment in response to voice or text requests. This reduces response time to production deviations and improves operator efficiency. The economic benefit from the implementation of ERG MES in 2025 amounted to approximately 1.5 billion tenge.
Digitization of repairs: a unified management loop
To improve the efficiency of repair processes, BTS developed the “Operational Planning” and “Mobile TORO” services. These solutions integrate defect recording, equipment inspections, and shift handoffs into a single digital loop.
Repair planning is managed on the corporate qollab platform: teams are formed, tasks are created, and schedules and staff workloads are visible in advance. Data is automatically transferred to SAP and used by technicians directly at production sites.
Through a mobile app, employees record defects with photos and descriptions right on site. All information is instantly fed into the system, creating a history of inspections and repairs. Managers receive a transparent, real-time view of equipment condition and work progress.
ERG Rail: Digital Fleet Management
Another significant project is the ERG Rail (Dispatch) platform — BTS’s proprietary solution for managing railcar fleets at industrial facilities. The solution, featuring computer vision and built-in AI, enables real-time tracking of railcar movement and positioning within plant premises.
Today, the system is operational at the Aksu Ferroalloy Plant, where up to 900 railcars are present daily. Dispatch is integrated into the qollab platform and provides employees with an interactive track diagram, electronic waybills, reports, and notifications—all information is accessible with a single click.
The key advantage of the solution is cost-effectiveness. Unlike traditional traffic light control systems, which require significant capital expenditures, Dispatch is based on software logic, AI, and CV mechanisms. This makes the system significantly cheaper and faster to scale. The economic benefit of the project for 2025 exceeded 245 million tenge.
Computer Vision: Applied AI for Industry
BTS is systematically developing its Computer Vision (CV) division. Today, the team is implementing more than 10 projects with AI elements for ERG enterprises in the fields of manufacturing, energy, logistics, and industrial safety.
CV solutions are used to monitor conveyor loads, control product quality, digitize geological data, improve safety in quarry operations, and prevent accidents. All projects are focused on practical results — reducing risks, minimizing downtime, and improving production discipline.
BTS’s proprietary digital solutions demonstrate that the Kazakhstani IT team is capable of creating scalable industrial AI products and delivering measurable economic value to large enterprises.
Source: erg.k
