Olga Erashova

A large delegation from Germany representing “Zaenrad Fabric” - the world leading manufacturer, was visiting KAMAZ Inc. this week. KAMAZ and German engineers have in detail discussed issues of mutually beneficial cooperation. Later, the delegation members and their KAMAZ colleagues have split into three groups and discussed various problems of engineering design, production processing, and those of service and quality support.

On February 10, there was arranged a briefing at the Company’s International Club. Jerar Pion, project manager represented «Zaenrad Fabric» at it, and his colleague Victor Konopkin - KAMAZ Inc. It should be indicated that among the members of the German delegation there were two journalists: Thomas Vagner and Pieter Vogler, who planned to publish information about this visit in mass media “all over Germany”.

The reporters were keen to find as much as possible about everything that happens at KAMAZ: from the Company’s position at the European truck market up to cooperation between KAMAZ Inc.’s management and the Trade Union. When German reporters asked Victor Konopkin when would it be possible to see KAMAZ trucks powered with a ZF transmission at autobahns, he answered that “this has already happened at the end of last year when KAMAZ Inc. has commenced transporting in Europe”.

The present visit is one among the many planned in the context of the cooperation agreement that was signed last year by the strategic partners. The Agreement will be valid till 2010.

As per V.Konopkin “… a ZF transmission is one of the best in the world. The choice of KAMAZ Inc. was stipulated by a competitive price and a high quality of this component that has been confirmed by results of a thorough comparison survey.” German transmissions powering KAMAZ heavy-duty trucks – this is already a reality. The strategic partners have developed joint plans for future introduction of ZF transmissions on KAMAZ buses, light-range trucks, and new truck models powered with “Euro-2” and “Euro-3” engines.

Apart from this, ZF and KAMAZ Inc. are also sports partners as they are supporting a KAMAZ-Master racing team. As its sponsor, ZF supplies its transmission to power KAMAZ racing trucks.