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MINSK, 22 July (BelTA) – The Belarusian automobile manufacturer MAZ completed half of the year on a good note, Valery Ivankovich, Director General of Minsk Automobile Plant - Management Company of BELAVTOMAZ Group, told the media following a meeting chaired by Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko to discuss the development of the Belarusian manufacturing industry, BelTA has learned
“We reported to the head of state that we finished the half-year on a good note. We met all key targets. As of today, we have contracts to supply cargo trucks to the Russian Federation, and we have proposals for passenger vehicles. We are actively working on distant markets, which was what the head of state drew attention to. I have literally just returned from a business trip from Nicaragua, where we signed a contract and formed a new point of export growth and trade in Latin America,” Valery Ivankovich said.
The company is working on developing a service network abroad. “This is certainly one of the key points. We have a program. We implement it all markets where we sell machinery. For example in the Russian Federation, we are building a service center in Rostov and another one in the Far East. In the long term, we are considering three or four more promising markets where we will build outposts to promote Belarusian equipment together with Belarusian industrial enterprises,” he added.
Valery Ivankovich stated that in the truck segment there is serious competition on the market from Chinese manufacturers. “We feel pressure both in terms of price and technical parameters. Chinese manufacturers have done a lot to improve the quality of their equipment,” he said.
In addition, if we talk about the Russian truck market, they have their own brands, which additionally strengthens competition, These are KAMAZ and Ural manufacturers and they receive all kinds of preferences on the Russian market.
“As for passenger vehicles, we are currently focused on Belarusian programs. We are present in the regions where we have supplied our equipment. Today we are working out [the agreements] to supply buses and trolleybuses. “Jointly with Ufa Tram and Trolleybus Plant we are implementing an innovative project in the Russian Federation. These are the points of growth to consolidate our foothold in the Russian market,” Valery Ivankovich noted.
As for the development of the enterprise itself, the president was informed about the progress in the construction of the bus plant. The project is on schedule, the equipment is being mounted.
“We reported to the head of state that we finished the half-year on a good note. We met all key targets. As of today, we have contracts to supply cargo trucks to the Russian Federation, and we have proposals for passenger vehicles. We are actively working on distant markets, which was what the head of state drew attention to. I have literally just returned from a business trip from Nicaragua, where we signed a contract and formed a new point of export growth and trade in Latin America,” Valery Ivankovich said.
The company is working on developing a service network abroad. “This is certainly one of the key points. We have a program. We implement it all markets where we sell machinery. For example in the Russian Federation, we are building a service center in Rostov and another one in the Far East. In the long term, we are considering three or four more promising markets where we will build outposts to promote Belarusian equipment together with Belarusian industrial enterprises,” he added.
Valery Ivankovich stated that in the truck segment there is serious competition on the market from Chinese manufacturers. “We feel pressure both in terms of price and technical parameters. Chinese manufacturers have done a lot to improve the quality of their equipment,” he said.
In addition, if we talk about the Russian truck market, they have their own brands, which additionally strengthens competition, These are KAMAZ and Ural manufacturers and they receive all kinds of preferences on the Russian market.
“As for passenger vehicles, we are currently focused on Belarusian programs. We are present in the regions where we have supplied our equipment. Today we are working out [the agreements] to supply buses and trolleybuses. “Jointly with Ufa Tram and Trolleybus Plant we are implementing an innovative project in the Russian Federation. These are the points of growth to consolidate our foothold in the Russian market,” Valery Ivankovich noted.
As for the development of the enterprise itself, the president was informed about the progress in the construction of the bus plant. The project is on schedule, the equipment is being mounted.