News

Victory is not Worth Human Life

The tragedy which happened at the rally Transoriental with the participation of Vladimir Chaguin’s crew made the KAMAZ-master team withdraw from the race.

Although the Board of Sports Commissioners didn’t ascertain Vladimir Chaguin’s guilt in the tragic incident the participant of which he had become in a contingency, the leading racer of the team decided to abandon the competition at the very moment when he actually pretended to the victory.

To his mind, the victory against a background of the tragedy is incompatible with sports ethics. The rest crews of the team also didn’t think it possible to further participate in the race, thereby expressing support of their leading racer’s opinion.

On 22 June the racers came home.

And on 24 June Semyon Yakubov, the leader of the team, met journalists at the press conference.

“Before making a declaration that our company withdrew from the race I had high words with the organizers of the contests who tried to convince me to leave a part of the team to continue competing, – told Semyon Yakubov. – I had to tell my mind more insistently and argue well. Our team’s principle is sports victory shouldn’t go to us at the cost of human life.

According to Semyon Yakubov, even if the crews of Firdaus Kabirov and Ilghizar Mardeyev had stayed in the race, it wouldn’t have relaxed that tension which emerged in the team and among competitors of the rally in whole after these two tragic episodes.

“We all felt as well as Volodya Chaguin did. The team wasn’t guilty, and Chaguin wasn’t to blame either. And it was right to make a decision all together. Because it’s important for the team that we do not lose authority, save faces and show our attitude to things of this nature”.

Semyon Yakubov emphasized that the organizers of such races repeatedly put questions concerning safety. But, as regrettable statistics show, they are not always taken into consideration. However, the conclusion of the team is that in the future it is ready to lose in tempo and speed for the sake of safety.

The statement of the team about their withdrawal from the contests was received by other participants of the rally Transoriental with understanding. “We felt that all participants of the contests supported us and the organizers of the rally were grateful to us for our decision which enabled them to relieve the racers’ stress. Everybody expressed their approval, support and sympathy for us. And they were sorry that we wouldn’t participate in subsequent contests which lost its spice after the withdrawal of the team”, – said Semyon Yakubov.

Answering the question how Vladimir Chaguin felt and if he needed psychological help, the leader of the team said that, to his mind, it would be better for Vladimir to stay with his partners and work more. That’s why the leading racer of the team won’t take a vacation this year, said Semyon Yakubov.

Information about the withdrawal of the team from the competition was received by the managers of the company and sponsors with understanding. The Russian Automobile Federation also sent its letter in support of this decision, many fans expressed their support as well.

In his turn, Semyon Yakubov presented his condolences to the relatives of the French racer Philip Tonin. In particular, the letter reads as follows: “Philip Tonin was a really strong and brave man if he participated in the rally marathon where there are a lot of risky situations at times. The KAMAZ-master team took the tragedy keenly and withdrew from the rally Transoriental. We deprecate when excellent performances in sport cost human life…”

Monday, 30 June 2008

KAMAZ Shareholders Meeting

The annual KAMAZ Shareholders Meeting on 2007 results which took place on 24 June in Naberezhnye Chelny examined all items on the agenda and made decisions.

Holders of 96.5% KAMAZ shares participated in the meeting.

Sergey Kogoghin, Director General of KAMAZ Inc., who chaired the meeting made a current report. He noted that 2007 became a period of change in the KAMAZ history, and the company completely overcame the aftershock of the crisis of the 1990s and managed to regain leadership on the Russian truck market. “To date KAMAZ is on the threshold of the new period of its development – an innovation period”, – said Director General of the auto giant.

Sergey Kogoghin sized up the tasks confronting KAMAZ today as rather difficult. “Not only the future of the company and its 72 thousand employees and their families, but also the future of the Russian truck production in whole depends to a large extent on the investment decisions the company makes today”, – he said in conclusion of his report.

According to Kogoghin, KAMAZ plans to finish elaboration of a new innovation development strategy in 2008. Apparently, innovation growth strategy realization will require considerable investment. In the current year the investment budget of KAMAZ Inc. will make up RUB 6 billion 124 million. It is more by a quarter than the net profit of the company for 2007.

KAMAZ Board of Directors suggested the shareholders meeting allotting the net income in the rate of RUB 4 billion 820 million according to the performance of KAMAZ Inc. in 2007 in the following way:
– 5% to form the reserve of KAMAZ Inc.;
– 29% to pay off last year losses;
– 66% to finance the company’s investment program.

Besides the obligatory issues placed on the agenda according to the articles of KAMAZ Inc. and the RF corporation laws, the annual KAMAZ shareholders meeting on 2007 results also made a decision about liability insurance of KAMAZ board directors and the company’s director general.

The final results of the voting on all discussed issues, including election of the new Board of Directors and the audit commission of KAMAZ Inc., will be published within two weeks.

Friday, 27 June 2008

“EcoWorld” at KAMAZ

The KAMAZ environmentalists with their project “Environmental Protection at KAMAZ Inc.” won in the nomination “Environmental Policy” at the contest of the “EcoWorld” National Environmental Prize.

Besides KAMAZ, 90 Russian, Armenian and Byelorussian enterprises participated in the contest. The exhibition of the KAMAZ environmentalists was popular among visitors, especially everybody became interested in the introduction of alternative, low-waste and environmentally friendly technologies. KAMAZ employees proved that the “green” focus not only lowers adverse environmental impact, but also is economically sound.

Wednesday, 25 June 2008

KAMAZ: under Full Sail

The largest exposition in recent years was exhibited by KAMAZ for potential partners during the exhibition “Construction Equipment and Technologies – 2008” in Moscow.

The KAMAZ exposition embraced an area of 1200 square meters and was situated in the center of the first exhibition hall surrounded by such distinguished firms as MAN, IVECO, RENAULT, Mercedes, etc. KAMAZ presented 10 vehicles and 2 energy-power installations. At the previous exhibitions the KAMAZ exposition was located under the open sky. This year KAMAZ is for the first time located inside the exhibition hall.

The exhibition went off well. The experts of machine building gave constructive assessments. A number of agreements on continued cooperation were signed.

Wednesday, 25 June 2008

KAMAZ Tractor Gains Speed

On 18 June the KAMAZ automobile plant opened the assembling of KAMAZ T-215 farm wheeled tractors.

The delegation of KAMAZ partners from ARGO Tractors S.p.A. headed by the company’s president Valerio Morra participated in the opening of the assembling. On 19 June the Italian guests held negotiations with Director General Sergey Kogoghin and KAMAZ management and came to agreement about the details and time-frames of project realization in 2008. Tatarstan was presented by Prime Minister Rustam Minnikhanov, Minister of Agriculture Marat Akhmetov, the city was presented by Mayor Ildar Khalikov at the opening of tractor production.

KAMAZ takes another step for launching tractor production. For the present the assembly sets for assembly on the stocks are from Italy and France. There are test and run-in benches at the opened production.

KAMAZ workers engaged in the production received training in Italy. Several specialists from this country help KAMAZ employees master the most complicated electronic systems of tractors. At first there will be produced equipment with IVECO engines, in two years Cummins engines of 58 – 285 h.p. produced at the JV CUMMINS KAMA in Naberezhnye Chelny will be mounted.

The automobile plant is supposed to produce no less than 450 tractors till the end of the year. Then the enterprise will shift its base to its own premises located on the place of the company’s former subsidiary KAMAZ-montazh. Gradually production of components for tractors will be located in Naberezhnye Chelny and Russian plants. Only original, the most complicated and high-tech units (transmission, in particular) will be imported.

KAMAZ T-215 is a unique tractor and has no analogs in Russia. One such model can substitute for a tractor fleet of several types of vehicles. T-215 has got the highest performance level in its class and low fuel consumption. And it’s especially important under conditions when the considerable proportion of agricultural production value is the share of fuels and lubricants value. The tractor is very comfortable for a driver and has got an electronic-controlled transmission. Thanks to the climate system, it’s cool in summer and warm in winter in the tractor. Thus, the KAMAZ tractor will set new standards of mechanics’ working conditions and raise quality standards of farm equipment.

Monday, 23 June 2008

KAMAZ for Povolzhye Cities and Villages

Kazan Motor Show “Automobile in the Heart of Russia-2008” opened in the capital of Tatarstan on 17 June.

By tradition KAMAZ Inc. presented a range of new and serial original models at the exhibition.

When preparing the exposition in the exhibition center “Kazan Fair” KAMAZ took into account peculiarities of the regional market. And the company emphasized the most urgent automotive and other equipment for city and village customers from Povolzhye.

In particular, the attendees of the automobile show and experts saw a metal carrier on KAMAZ-65115 (6x4) chassis equipped with a crane-manipulator LB-185-10/OMT-97M at the KAMAZ stands. A rectangular dumping platform with rear unloading is mounted on it. The capacity of the body with the main sides is 24 cubic meters, and with stationary sides it is 28 cubic meters. The tailgate resembles swinging gates which can be opened manually by 270°. Depending on the parts kitting of KAMAZ-65115 chassis with a wheel base of 3690 mm, two models of a metal carrier are produced: 63641 (10380 kg payload) and 636411 (12900 kg payload).

The multipurpose container garbage truck 591100 on KAMAZ-43255 chassis (4x2) can transport cargo up to 6850 kg. The vehicle is equipped with an engine Cummins 6ISBe 210 (Euro-3) of 210 h.p., fulfills mechanized handling of a container and its transportation, and also unloading with a dumping method. The refuse truck can haul up to three empty containers. The dustcart enables to transport small-sized building and automotive equipment on a special platform.

The automobile transporter KMZ RUS with a trailer 847700 on the basis of a prime mover KAMAZ-43085 (4x2) is developed and produced by KAMAZ jointly with Kama Machine Building Plant. The gross weight of the truck is 32 t (18+14). Several schemes of handling of a platform in double decks are provided for in it.

The general-purpose farm tractor KAMAZ T-215 was the focus of attention. Its assembly will start on 18 June at the KAMAZ automobile plant. The tractor which refers to III draft class was presented several times in the Russian and CIS regions, but it’s displayed at the largest international exhibition for the first time. This unique Russian high-tech licensed product will set new standards of mechanics’ working conditions and the quality of farm equipment.

Monday, 23 June 2008

Production in a New Way

The forge plant of OAO KAMAZ-Metallurgy tests SP5000-2-IH wedge rolling mill with induction heater.

The automatic installation is designed for forging production using a rolling method. The new equipment differs from its analogue used at the plant in the presence of a flat operating tool. This will make it possible to receive forgings of higher quality with reduced machining allowance. Heating and rolling processes automation enables to lower laboriousness in forging production.

Experts of the forge plant plan to transfer manufacturing of nine items of KAMAZ product mix and initiative production to the rolling mill. The engineering company (ZAO Beltechnologia and M, Minsk) prepared the full package of operating tools with guaranteed durability of 100 thousand forgings for each of them.

The forge plant plans to finish testing equipment in the second half of June.

Thursday, 19 June 2008

Information about Shareholders Meeting which will take place in Naberezhnye Chelny on 24 June 2008 is available in Shareholders Meeting subdivision.

Wednesday, 18 June 2008

KAMAZ Vehicles Become Lighter

OOO KAMAZavtotekhnika – the subsidiary of KAMAZ Inc. in Zainsk – masters a new technology of wheel production. It will make it possible to produce wheels for profiled tubeless tires of trucks on the equipment unique in Russia.

Thanks to the new technology a wheel for KAMAZ heavy vehicles will consist of only 4 parts instead of 8 ones. Consequently, the weight of a truck will go down almost by 300 kg. Tests proved that the use of new wheels saves fuel as well.

Wednesday, 18 June 2008

Order of Friendship for Director General of NEFAZ

According to the decree of the RF President, Raif Malikov – Director General of OAO Neftekamsk Automotive Plant received the Order of Friendship for hard work of many years.

OAO Neftekamsk Automobile Plant is a subsidiary production unit of KAMAZ. Growth of production volume, industry modernization, new competitive products – passenger buses, trailer equipment, and also – social programs made Neftekamsk Automotive Plant one of the leading enterprises of the Republic of Bashkortostan and Russia.

Wednesday, 18 June 2008

New Technologies

OAO KAMAZ-Metallurgy implements a new kind of phenol-formaldehyde resin in steel casting production.

Testing of Rantal PF-1902 resin (China-England) lasted about a year. Rods for product mix of steel casting production were under test. 500 thousand roubles were saved during a year of their use. Tests of ecological resin for manual manufacturing of rods are next in turn.

Monday, 16 June 2008

May, Threshold of Hot Summer…

For the first five months of 2008 KAMAZ Group realized marketable products for RUB 39 billion 070 million (+11.9% to January-May 2007, in comparable prices).

They include:
– 23299 trucks (+15.7%);
– 29291 engines and power units (+20.3%);
– spare parts for RUB 4 billion 531 million (+2.23%);
– diversification products for RUB 4 billion 158 million (+1.2%).

In addition, there were rendered services for RUB 2 billion 305 million.

There were realized 17111 trucks via the dealer network and direct deliveries on the home market (+13.4% to January-May 2007). Foreign customers received 6188 vehicles (+22.5%). There were modernized 688 KAMAZ vehicles. Besides, 299 assembly sets were shipped for complete overhaul. There were produced 1278 assembly sets for foreign assembly enterprises.

For five months 1841 units of the basic production – trucks, buses and trailer equipment – were leased or delivered with payment by installments. This is by 30.5% more than for the same period of 2007. KAMAZ Group leased 411 NEFAZ buses on the basis of the special KAMAZ chassis.

The largest KAMAZ subsidiaries of a united technological cycle outside Tatarstan solidly improved production and realization volumes as compared to 2007:
– “Avtopritsep-KAMAZ” Inc. (Stavropol) – by 15.3%;
– “NEFAZ” Inc. (Neftekamsk) – by 0.9%;
– “Tuimazy Concrete Delivery Truck Works” – by 1.3%.

KAMAZ is on the threshold of the hot “production” summer. In June over 5 thousand trucks must come off the mother assembly line of the automobile plant. The average daily production rate will make up 245 trucks. According to planners and manufacturers, the peak of the working year will fall on September.

Thursday, 05 June 2008