Ruslan Mazurkevich: The success story of an engineer and businessman

The economic landscape of the CIS countries has been a difficult one to navigate. The countries have been constantly developing in the last few decades, but many of them were left with the technological remnants and equipment of a bygone era. However, this hasn't stopped Ruslan Mazurkevich, a young entrepreneur-engineer from the small town of Kalinkovichi, Belarus. Mazurkevich has built more than one business from the ground up, starting in Russia, then in China, and is now making the move to join the marketing and manufacturing industry in the US.

Mazurkevich's story is one of perseverance, dedication, and hard work. After finishing school with a silver medal in 2009, he went to Belarusian State Technological University, majoring in mechanical engineering. Even in his first year, he proved to be a gifted student who was always eager to learn and evolve. He had a modern outlook on the solution of many learning processes, which was noted by the dean of the university. His first opportunity to prove himself came in his third year, where he started working remotely for a large Russian company. He quickly mastered the specifics of production supply, logistics, and spare parts and equipment supplies.

Mazurkevich’s determination for his career and his interest in learning about the world's complexity, beauty, and possibilities led him to work in a large company in Belarus as the head of the department of purchasing spare parts, tools, and equipment, and then as the head of supplies for production lines. As a result of his experience, recommendations from partners, speeches at events, and achievements with international companies, he was quickly accepted into such a responsible position. He said goodbye to science and dove headfirst into the prospects that promised the re-equipment and modernisation of old production lines, units, equipment, tools, and spare parts in factories, plants, and enterprises in the CIS countries.

As a result of business trips to leading companies in the fields of development, sales, and further operation of machinery, Mazurkevich built strong partnerships with Asian partners. A few years later, Mazurkevich founded his own company. Business and trade relations between the CIS countries only grew stronger, and he was tenacious in his will to capitalise on this opportunity. The region saw tremendous economic growth as a result of the commonwealth, with most member states enjoying annual real GDP growth between seven per cent and 15 per cent, and Mazurkevich’s business was in the middle of this economic activity. His upgraded machines, production lines, and units allowed companies in CIS countries to reach a much higher level of production. This allowed customers to significantly increase turnover and sales, reduce production costs, receive lower market prices for tools and equipment, and have access to modern machinery and spare parts.

Starting with the summer of 2015, Mazurkevich began actively studying the Chinese market for the next big expansion of his business activities. Constant business trips, visits to major international exhibitions, productions, participation in scientific conferences, and exchange of experience with Asian colleagues expanded his outlook, increased his marketing skills, and changed his perception of many engineering processes and technologies. In 2019 alone, the growth rate of China's economy was 6.1 per cent, which was nothing short of a miracle for many experts. And at the very climax of this development, in 2020, Mazurkevich opened a Chinese company, Guangzhou El Paco Trading Co. He began to actively cooperate with the CIS countries, directly supplying a large range of goods. Within a year, the company showed excellent financial results.

Namrata Thakkar is a CMO of Kingdom Corp.

• KT Network