OREANDA-NEWS. April 2, 2009. The managers and specialists of KAMAZ Inc. held negotiations with the delegation of OAO Gazprom Neft in Naberezhnye Chelny.

OAO Gazprom Neft is an old and reliable partner of KAMAZ Inc. developing and operating KAMAZ equipment at its daughter enterprises. The both companies forming the basis of economy in their spheres have a rather great potential for cooperation.

One of the Russian leading oil companies was represented by 26 managers and specialists of the mother company and 12 daughter enterprises from various Russian regions.

KAMAZ presented its potential at the meeting which took place on 26 March. Then the guests visited the automobile plant, Remdiesel, KAMAZ R&D Center and saw exhibitions of modern equipment on KAMAZ chassis.

On 27 March the representatives of Gazprom met with Sergey Kogoghin, Director General of KAMAZ Inc., and visited OOO RariTEK, KAMAZ’s partner producing gas-powered vehicles and rendering their after-sales service. The representatives of the Russian oil giant also met with Ravil Zaripov, Minister of Economy and Industry of the Republic of Tatarstan.

Describing the state of the Russian automotive industry and KAMAZ Sergey Kogoghin said, “Now our customers are worth their weight in gold. You, oil and gas industry workers, corporate clients and a public sector, are our platinum. Tomorrow it was a salesman’s time, now it’s already a purchaser’s time. And all automobile plants – not only in Russia and CIS countries, but in the whole world – can hardly go out of the recession in this keen competition. But KAMAZ is, was and will be.”

Director General told how the government assisted the automotive industry and the company made efforts to stimulate customers’ demands and help clients. Now it’s important to receive information about all KAMAZ buyers’ demands at first hand and in time.

Ravil Zaripov reminded of the advantages of work with KAMAZ which become even more significant as things go. The Tatarstan Minister noted a widely ramified and modern network of sales and service as well as the fullest model range of special equipment. This circumstance is especially important to northerners and Siberians considering their manufacturing entities are remote from large industrial centers. He also offered the oil industry workers new opportunities of their cooperation with other enterprises in Tatarstan – one of the regions with the most developed industries.

Taking into account that many negotiators from Gazprom Neft came to KAMAZ for the first time, an extensive and instructive work program was offered. At the presentation of KAMAZ’s opportunities the speakers told about the production portfolio of KAMAZ Inc., development of KAMAZ automobile equipment for oil-and-gas producing industry, service maintenance of KAMAZ vehicles, suggestions of KAMAZ Inc. that enterprises’ fleet replacement should be carried out with application of Trade In schemes and capital repair.

Those guests who had earlier been at the KAMAZ automobile plant were pleasantly surprised that changes took place at the mother vehicle assembly conveyor and the cab assembly conveyor. Improved working conditions and a good process organization are a result of an implemented KAMAZ Production System.

Design Manager of KAMAZ answered very interesting questions at the exhibition of current KAMAZ automotive equipment in KAMAZ R&D Center. Danis Valeev told that he hadn’t met such active partners for a long time. All suggestions made by the representatives of Gazprom Neft were noted and will be taken into account when developing and producing new models.

In OAO RIAT (development and production of automotive equipment) the participants of the meeting talked with the specialists of the enterprise about elite special equipment on KAMAZ chassis produced for oil and gas industry workers.

The guests also visited OOO RariTEK – the only Russian specialized service center for gas-powered vehicle and bus equipment. Gas equipment is produced, assembled and fitted on KAMAZ vehicles and NEFAZ buses there.

Besides, the enterprise organized a dedicated production of KAMAZ vehicles for arctic service. There were produced 150 such vehicles in 2008. RariTEK is ready to take orders from other regions as well.

Rafael Batyrshin, the manager of the enterprise, noted obvious benefits from automotive equipment transferred to gas fuel. For example, effectively operating a gas-powered high-capacity bus during 5 years one can buy… another similar bus only at the expense of a price difference between diesel fuel and gas.

RariTEK also offers northerners and Siberians “a transition variant” – KAMAZ vehicles working in diesel and gas modes. This enables to operate the automotive equipment even in remote districts, with very few filling stations.

The negotiators from OAO Gazprom Neft were pleased to note that they had received in-depth information about the auto giant and established very useful business relations.