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The queue for upgraded KAMAZ-5490 Neo trucks is already scheduled for August, and the company plans to increase the volumes of their production since July. Recall, the assembly of the first serial lot of KAMAZ-5490 Neo mainline tractors began in mid-April, and the first 200 cars will enter the parks of the four largest corporate clients, reported KAMAZ’s press service.

According to Andrei Ignatyev, the General Director of the KAMAZ trade and finance company, the first 200 KAMAZ Neo vehicles will be delivered in May to four large fleets of corporate clients. “But in general the queue is already scheduled until August, and from July we plan to increase the production program by them,” – he said.

The new line of dump trucks is also being expanded, which are also in demand on the market, as well as a line of special equipment. “Only the chassis is not very interested now, that’s why we pay great attention to contacts with our partner-plants that are manufacturing special vehicles,” – said Andrei Ignatiev. – “The customer has become more demanding, he wants more powerful, comfortable, economical and environmentally friendly vehicles with greater load capacity. Our new strategy is to increase customer satisfaction”.

The sale of commercial trucks in Russia is showing double-digit growth for the third month in a row. Autostat Analytic Agency, a statistical agency engaged in monitoring automotive sales in Russia, says that March’s figures are up by nearly 40% compared to this time last year, with sales also up an impressive 25% and 28% in January and February.

According to Autostat’s figures, commercial truck sales jump by 39.8% in March 2017 compared to the same period last year, with dealers selling a total of 5,457 new vehicles. Russian truck manufactures Kamaz and Gaz led sales, selling nearly 56% of the new vehicles, with Mercedes coming in third, selling almost 400 new trucks last month. Scania, Volvo, Maz, Ural, DAF, MAN and Isuzu rounded out the top ten.

The Kamaz 43118, a widely used work horse of Russia’s roads, became the top selling model, with GAZ’s GAZon Next, which sells in a variety of configurations, became the top domestic trucks sold. The Mercedes-Benz Actros heavy duty transport truck led the way among foreign manufacturers.

Commenting on the figures, Expert.ru contributor Alexei Grammatchikov explained that the expansion of sales in the commercial truck sector should be seen as one of the first signs of a general economic recovery, with businesses aided by more affordable loans, and taking advantage of a stabilizing exchange rate.

Russia’s GDP grew an anemic 0.3% in 2016, stabilizing following a contraction of 3.8% the year before amid declining oil prices, the outflow of Western capital, the devaluation of the ruble, and sanctions. This year, the Central Bank and the Ministry of Economic Development expect growth between 1.5-2%.

According to Marat Zainetdinov, CEO of the logistics firm Nawinia Rus, the purchases can also be attributed in part to pent-up demand, with major logistics companies calculating that they can no longer postpone upgrading their fleets. The expert noted that this was particularly true for companies such as Magnit and X5 Retail Group, two major supermarket chains which have significantly increased their market share over the last few years, and simply need more vehicles. “Furthermore, haulage quality standards and requirements for hauling stock have become more stringent, demanding the replacement of obsolete equipment,” Zainetdinov said.

Alexander Pavlov, director of operations at FM Logistic, a major haulage company based outside Moscow, noted that based on optimistic scenarios for economic development and the corresponding expected growth in the consumer market, “the existing supply of transport logistics services is very insufficient to meet increased demand. Therefore, supporters of the optimistic forecasts…as well as companies seeking to expand their market share, feel that the tactic of building up their parks to be justified right now.”

Analysts and manufacturers expect the growth in demand to remain stable at the current high levels, with sales expected to grow by 20-30% in 2017 compared to 2016.

KAMAZ PTC (part of Rostec State Corporation) summed up the results of the traditional annual contest on invention and rationalization.

Candidates were considered by a working group headed by Ilgametdin Burganov, Chief of Bureau of Patent-Licensing and Inventive Work at the R&D Center, and the Committee for Invention and Rationalization summarized the results in all prestigious nominations. As a result, Aydar Ziyatdinov, Head of the Suspension and Axle Design Bureau of the R&D Center, became the Best Inventor of the Year. Last year he filed 14 claime for inventions, utility models and commercial prototypes. Renat Gimadiev, Deputy Chief of the Department for Material and Technical Support of the Engine Plant, was recognized as the Best Rationalizer of 2016. He suggested 23 breakthrough ideas, and 17 of them have already been introduced. The economic effect of their implementation exceeded 5.3 million rubles.

Three best inventions of the year are introduced at the foundry. The jury awarded first place to a mold chiller, second place to a semi-automatic machine for dressing of pedestal cap molds, third place to a universal push cart for transportation of small loads. A generator for a Euro 4 engine won in the competition for the best rationalization proposal of the year.

In total, in 2016, more than 1,500 items of invention and rationalization were used in production. The employees of the development unit received 59 titles of protection which is the highest quantity. The engine plant managed to reach the highest saving from the use of industrial property and rationalization proposals among KAMAZ’s plants – over 222 million roubles.