The President Shavkat Mirziyoyev toured the East Can Solutions production unit in Yangi Avlod special industrial zone in Tashkent's Yangihayot district, where Uzbekistan's first aluminum can production facility has been set up.
Shavkat Mirziyoyev reviewed product samples and the project's prospects, after which the official launch took place.
The $90 million facility located on 21 hectares is comprised of $52 million in equity and $38 million in loans from the International Finance Corporation and other banks.
The company said that production capacity is planned to be expanded in phases:
In phase I, annual manufacturing capacity will be brought to 1.1 billion aluminum cans, while in phase II it will be upgraded to 2.2 billion.
As part of the vertical integration, the company will setup canned soft drink bottling (500 million units in the first phase, 1 billion in the second).
The company expects the project to fully supply the domestic market with 0.25-liter and 0.45-liter cans and expand exports to countries in the region.
The project will replace $60 million in imports and create an export potential of $100 million, East Can Solutions stated.
East Can Solutions was registered on April 4, 2023 and is solely owned by Ajasi Holdings.
One of the company owners Shukhrat Ergashev dwelled upon the project in an interview with the Uzbekistan 24 TV channel. He also owns equity shares in soft drink manufacturer International Beverages Tashkent (IBT, which produces Pepsi, 7UP, Mirinda, Mountain Dew, Adrenaline Rush, and Lipton), as well as Holten Group, which owns the Baraka Market supermarket chain. This company is introducing the Burger King fast-food chain to the Uzbek market.
"We produce aluminum cans, and next year we plan to launch a bottling line across the entire complex." "This will ultimately provide greater convenience to customers, as cans will be purchased and filled on-site. There will be no can logistics costs, making planning easier," the company noted.
Product prices will vary depending on order volume. Furthermore, the cost depends on the design: some customers choose cans with pre-printed labels, while others prefer to order unprinted and apply their own labels.
East Can Solutions assured that local production will allow them to offer more favorable terms—both in terms of price and logistics and supply chain planning. Furthermore, settlements are possible in the national currency.
When importing similar products, in addition to transportation costs, customs clearance costs must also be taken into account.
Previously, Qazalpack in Kazakhstan was the first and only aluminum beverage can production plant in Central Asia, which launched in 2021. East Can Solutions stated that their complex, which includes not only can production but also bottling, will be unique in the region.
IBT is among the top 10 taxpayers among private companies in Uzbekistan. In 2024, it paid 342.8 billion soums in taxes, ranking 9th. Its turnover for the first 11 months of last year amounted to 3.24 trillion soums. By comparison, Coca-Cola paid 634.2 billion soums, while its turnover for the same period reached 6.15 trillion soums.
