Russia’s Kamaz to expand geography of truck production

KAZAN, December 24. /TASS/. Russia’s largest truck maker Kamaz plans to expand the geography of its production in 2015, Kamaz spokesman Oleg Afanasyev said on Wednesday. Kamaz intends to expand into the south Caucasus and farther to south-east Asia, with Azerbaijan expected to become a starting ground for increasing the sales of the company’s off-road vehicles on Asian markets, the spokesman said. “The volumes of Kamaz truck production at the Gyandzha auto works in Azerbaijan will reach up to 1,000 trucks a year and this output will be sold not only in Azerbaijan but also in neighboring countries,” he said. This project is based on a framework agreement on truck assembly in Azerbaijan from vehicle sets of the Kama auto plant signed between Kamaz and the Gyandzha auto works. The truck assembly will start in the first half of 2015. The license agreement has been signed for the production of six series of trucks. Kamaz will provide maintenance services at maintenance centers that will be opened in Baku and Gyandzha. Kamaz holds the 16th place among the world’s leading heavy truck producers and the eighth place in the world by the output of diesel engines. Kamaz incorporates 11 large plants. Kamaz holds a 44 percent share on the Russian truck market. Kamaz sold 2,500 trucks in November or 500 vehicles more than in October, the company’s spokesman said. Kamaz CEO Sergei Kogogin has said a weakening ruble is favorable for the company to strengthen its positions on foreign markets and the truck maker is set to expand into Asia and Latin America. Read more