Amkodor to step up efforts to start assembling loaders in Lithuania
02.09.2010 19:57
MINSK, 2 September (BelTA) – The Belarusian mechanical engineering company Amkodor will step up efforts to set up an enterprise in Lithuania to assemble Amkodor-designed machines, Amkodor First Deputy Director General Alexander Nakhayenko told media on 2 September.
According to the source, a land plot has been bought in Vilnius. A project to remodel it to fit in an assembly line is available. There is a certain intention to create a distribution chain, primarily in Eastern Europe, in order to sell Amkodor machines. It will be a component assembly enterprise.
The company has completed certification of the two-tonne vehicle Amkodor-320. It is quite possible to get the loader Amkodor-211 certified for compliance with European norms, said Alexander Nakhayenko. These models have been earmarked for assembly in Lithuania as they are most interesting for the Lithuanian market. The loader Amkodor-211 is very versatile and can use over 20 mountable tools ranging from concrete mixers to excavating equipment. The vehicle Amkodor-320 is designed for agriculture and public utilities. Later on the product range will be expanded.
The main problem is the lack of qualified blue-collar workers in the Baltic States, said Alexander Nakhayenko.
Amkodor also plans to step up its operation in Bryansk where the company’s assembly enterprise has made several vehicles. Russia is still the key market for the Belarusian company. In Russia there are around 60 dealerships that sell and offer maintenance for Amkodor machines. The company plans to reach into Siberia – Krasnoyarsk Territory and Irkutsk Oblast.
Alexander Nakhayenko also informed about the company’s imitative to launch a new Union State program for designing forestry machinery. The proposal has been discussed at the Union State Permanent Committee and has found approval. It will be further discussed at the forthcoming Moscow-based expo Lesdrevtech.
Amkodor is eager to reach into other CIS countries, including Ukraine. “We have registered a trading house in Kyiv and hope that in 2011 a distribution chain will be created there. The Ukrainian market is rapidly growing and we believe that in Ukraine we can sell at least a third of what we export to Russia,” said Alexander Nakhayenko. Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan look attractive and are being examined.
At present Amkodor’s finished goods inventory is close to zero. In August the company shipped 230 machines and manufactured around 200. In January-July fixed-capital investments totaled 194% as against the same period of last year. Pretax profit reached Br12 billion in January-July. In January-August the output growth rate reached 100% as against the same period of last year. In 2010 Amkodor plans to raise the output growth rate to 120-133% as against 2009.
Amkodor is one of the CIS’ and Europe’s largest manufacturers of road construction vehicles, municipal vehicles, snow-removing, timber industry machines, agricultural machines and other special vehicles. The product range includes over 80 models and modifications. Amkodor vehicles are used in more than 30 countries across the globe. The company employs 2,500 people. It is part of the system of Industry Ministry enterprises.
