“Ruki Vverh!”, “Irina Kairatovna” and 100,000 Spectators: How RWS KZ Brought People Together

In Ekibastuz, Railway Workers’ Day has already become one of the city’s most anticipated events. Every year, the large-scale celebration is organized by RWS KZ Holding with the support of the city akimat. This year, more than 100,000 people gathered in the central square. Residents of Pavlodar, Astana, Karaganda, Semey, and Oskemen came to attend the concert. The atmosphere of the evening was created by the bands “Ruki Vverh!” and “Irina Kairatovna,” Bauyrzhan Issayev, and the hosts — the Astana KVN team.

The main heroes of the celebration were the people whose work drives the development of the railway industry. The official program began by honoring employees, many of whom were at the forefront of introducing new technologies. Today, the history of RWS KZ demonstrates that a modern industrial enterprise can become a driving force for the development of an entire region.

“Thanks to the policies pursued by the state, we have been able to create an entirely new direction for the development of Ekibastuz as a diversified industrial center. More than KZT 1 trillion has already been invested in the creation of the railway holding company, while its turnover exceeded KZT 650 billion in 2025. At RWS KZ, we manufacture 137 types of railway products, most of which are exported, and we are creating ‘Zhana Ekibastuz,’ which is already becoming a center of attraction for new interests,” said Sergey Pavlinger, CEO of RWS KZ Holding, in his congratulatory speech.

For the second year in a row, the holding company has paid special attention to continuity between generations. The “RWS KZ Silver Star” was presented to the Pishchenko, Karimanov, Kartashov, Vovchok, Mironenko, Abrosimov, Makovetsky, Valiyev, Sergeyev, Khatamov, and Karbayev labor dynasties, each of which has a combined employment record ranging from 21 to 32 years.

Long-service awards were presented to employees who have worked for the company for more than 10 years: Deputy Head of Laboratory Saltanat Abildinova; metal structure assembly fitter Sergey Golovko; foreman Andrey Rybalchenko; electric and gas welder Almas Pervayev; equipment maintenance and repair fitter Alexander Silantyev; Head of Repair Planning and Management Department Oleg Shiyan; rolled products and pipes heat treatment specialist Aliya Abdrakhmanova; plasterer Marina Kadina; section head Vitaly Primatov; tooling engineer Oleg Bochanov; Head of the Heating, Ventilation and Compressor Utilities Section Vyacheslav Vydrin; driver Mikhail Shrainer; equipment maintenance and repair electrician Bekbolat Kazhybayev; CNC machine operator Svetlana Slynko; emergency repair fitter Sunat Baibekov; Head of Crane Facilities Section Vitaly Bukhantsev; and Head of Locomotive Facilities Section Ruslan Vedernikov.

The awards ceremony was only one part of the major day of celebration. Events held that day brought together all of the holding company’s enterprises. A live broadcast connected Ekibastuz and Petropavlovsk, where the final of the RWS Dauysy talent competition was held. The North Kazakhstan Region also hosted a festive concert featuring singer Nazima and host Olzhas Rymbayev of the Astana KVN team.

One of the most anticipated moments of the program was the corporate lottery for employees of all RWS KZ plants. Employee identification numbers were selected at random, with the winners receiving three certificates worth KZT 500,000 each, one certificate worth KZT 1,000,000, as well as the grand prize — a car, which was won by an employee of the RWS Wagon facility in Petropavlovsk (formerly ZIKSTO).

The evening continued with a concert program. The first performers to take the stage were members of “Irina Kairatovna,” who performed not only their biggest hits but also the unofficial anthem of Ekibastuz. Sergey Zhukov then took over, turning the square into one huge dance floor. The Astana KVN team kept the audience in a festive mood between the artists’ performances, while a special moment of the evening was the performance by Bauyrzhan Issayev. He sang the main song from the film “Qyzym” (filmed in Ekibastuz in 2025), after which more than 100,000 spectators sang the national anthem of Kazakhstan together — a tradition that has already become an integral part of Railway Workers’ Day celebrations in Ekibastuz.

RWS KZ has organized some of the largest public events held in Ekibastuz over the past several years. The RWS RUN Half Marathon, Nauryz, and Railway Workers’ Day are major public events that broaden the city’s social and cultural agenda and turn Ekibastuz into a destination attracting thousands of people.

Behind the spectacular concert program lies a simple idea: a major industrial enterprise develops thanks to its people. This is why RWS KZ makes Railway Workers’ Day more than just a professional holiday — it is a day recognizing the contribution of employees, their families, and everyone who connects their future with the development of the industry and Ekibastuz.

However, large-scale celebrations are only one part of the company’s systematic work. RWS KZ is implementing major industrial projects that will shape the development of both the holding company and the city for years to come.

“Design work on the construction of an electric steelmaking complex with a production capacity of one million tonnes of steel per year is in full swing. Implementation of a hot-briquetted iron production plant with an annual capacity of 1.5 million tonnes has begun. More than 3,000 professionals from a wide range of specialties will be employed at these facilities. In this regard, we are preparing a major social program that will give recent graduates a solid foundation for their future development. Young people will have a great opportunity to make their mark in life and clearly define the direction of their future development,” Sergey Pavlinger said, outlining the company’s new plans.

The company believes that offering competitive salaries alone is not enough to attract specialists; it is equally important to create an environment in which people want to build their future. According to Sergey Pavlinger, RWS KZ currently employs more than 8,000 people, with an average employee age of 32.

Employees have access to a corporate housing program, the company operates its own training center where employees can improve their qualifications, as well as a sports complex. Sergey Pavlinger noted that construction of a residential complex, hotel, kindergarten, and technical college is planned for 2026. This approach helps attract specialists from different regions of Kazakhstan and other countries, while Ekibastuz is becoming a city where people can find employment and make long-term plans for their lives.

As a result, Railway Workers’ Day in Ekibastuz is no longer merely a corporate celebration. It has become a reflection of how industrial development transforms the city, brings people together, and creates new opportunities for future generations.