/ / News
21.05.2013

MAZ to supply 900 knock-down kits to Vietnam

MINSK, 21 May (BelTA) – MAZ will supply 900 knock-down kits for trucks to Vietnam, MAZ Deputy Commercial Director for Marketing Ilya Subbotin told media on 21 May.

“As for today contracts envisage the delivery of 900 knock-down assembly units to Vietnam,” Ilya Subbotin noted. The plant is also considering supplies of knock-down units to Venezuela. Contracts are being prepared for the delivery of buses to Kazakhstan. MAZ is trying to redirect its exports supplies to the markets of the CIS and non-CIS countries because of the difficulties with selling products to its main market in Russia. “We are working hard to increase our exports, actively using the markets of the non-CIS countries,” Ilya Subbotin said.

The plant is eyeing the African market in an effort to diversify its exports. There are plans to open MAZ outlets in the Republic of South Africa, Ghana, Nigeria as well as the United Arab Emirates. “We are moving forward in this direction and believe that supplies to these regions will increase,” Ilya Subbotin said.

Speaking generally about MAZ’s performance, he said that in Q1 2013 the output was at the level of the same period last year. Negative trends on the Russian market have affected the sales. "The market of 8-40 tonne trucks sank by 25%. The market capacity has decreased. So did our shipments,” he stated. However, MAZ’s share on the Russian market has decreased insignificantly: it was 11.8% in 2012, 13% in Q1 last year, and 12.9% in Q1 this year.

“Russia’s accession to the WTO and introduction of the Euro-4 environment standard in 2013 had a negative impact on MAZ supplies. These were the two main factors that affected the capacity of the market and the state of affairs in the automotive industry,” said Ilya Subbotin. Now MAZ is waiting on another negative thing: the introduction of the car recycling fee in the Single Economic Space. “So far the issue is under discussion, but it can further affect our sales in Russia,” he added.