What was 2017 for KAMAZ? Here are the key achievements and milestones of KAMAZ's activity for last year.
The year started with a triumphant finish of the KAMAZ-master team in the 2017 Dakar Rally. "The Blue Armada" won a victory in the Africa Eco Race too, and later won the Silk Way Rally.
In April, an upgraded long-haul KAMAZ-5490 NEO truck tractor came off the main assembly line at the automobile plant of KAMAZ.
In May, the employees received a lump-sum reward – an annual productivity-linked bonus, in October rates and wages grew by 6%.
Together with the Research and Development Center of NAMI, KAMAZ developed an unmanned SHUTTLE bus. The new unique vehicle that can be called from a smartphone, was presented at the INNOPROM-2017 show in Yekaterinburg. The vehicles can transport passengers independently, based on the data on a destination and desired stops sent to its electronic system.
The prototype of the KAMAZ-54901, the first K5 vehicle, was unveiled at the COMTRANS-2017 exhibition in September. The start of its production is scheduled for 2019.
KAMAZ became the first Russian producer who mastered and introduced to the Russian market the unique model of battery-powered vehicle. The KAMAZ-6282 electric bus is charged from the ultrafast recharge station within 8-12 minutes and can travel up to 70 km on one charge. The model successfully underwent tests in Russian cities.
In October, KAMAZ handed over the building of the new cab frame plant to its strategic partner. The production ground was built only for a year and a half. It's now Daimler's turn – to mount and launch necessary equipment. Cab frames made there will be delivered both to the KAMAZ assembly, and the Mercedes-Benz truck manufacturing line.
The forge plant excellently underwent an audit organized by representatives of Volkswagen Group Rus and was certified to produce new serial products – crankshafts for passenger cars.
In November, a KAMAZ delegation returned back from the VI National Championship of Cross-Industry Working Professions of High-Tech Industries under WorldSkills Hi-Tech Standards with a silver medal.
The 1000th heavy truck running on compressed natural gas was produced in the gas vehicle department of the automobile plant.
Each sixth truck produced at KAMAZ is from the new lineup. In 2018, their share will grow by 25% to make up more than 10 thous. vehicles.
In December, the first samles of the new KAMAZ-branded straight-6 R6 engines were manufactured at the engine plant. These engines will power trucks of the K5 generation.
The Group totalled the manufacture of over 39.5 thous. vehicle sets for 2017, which is a 12% increase year-over-year.