Kamaz official: Kamaz will live through crisis in any case

Before the Kamaz auto maker resumed operation, the company’s deputy general director Yuri Klochkov summarized the results of the last year’s performance and spoke of the plans for 2009, reports the press service.

He noted that despite the global financial crisis, Kamaz had reached a production rate close to the 2007 one. 51,005 new trucks and 53,791 vehicle sets have been manufactured. With the production rate, achieved by September, Kamaz could make another 10 thousand autos or more. Sales on all the markets have sharply decreased, however, and there was no sense to work for stock.

In 2008, the company solved two big tasks related to a massive transformation in many of the production chain’s links. First, a transition to manufacturing Euro-3 environmental standard engines began. It necessitated full renovation of the entire range of serial models. Second, Kamaz completed the shift to installing Euro-3 Cummins engines on autos, supplied by the Cummins Kama joint venture. Kamaz fulfilled a yearly plan with the engines, making 12 thousand vehicles.

The deputy general director said in the conclusion: "We will live through the crisis anyway. We will do everything for the Kamaz working teams to live to it without losses. We are now building our future, post-crisis success.