As part of the event, a show of commercial vehicles CTECA 2018 was held, as well as the third international automobile forum KIAF. Delegates from China, Russia, Belarus, India and Kazakhstan gathered at the Korme exhibition complex.
Not only representatives of spare parts manufacturers, but also domestic automakers, businessmen, officials and experts gathered in Astana. The event was opened in a solemn atmosphere - Vice-Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kairbek USKENBAEV, Automechanika brand manager Michael JOHANNES and AKAB President Andrey LAVRENTYEV delivered welcoming speeches.
At the forum, they talked a lot about the domestic automobile industry, localization, and production of auto components in our country. From the stands they encouraged participants in the auto business not only to trade, but also to develop the production of components, including with Chinese partners.
The share of Kazakh cars in the market, according to AKAB vice-president Anar MAKASHEVA, will only grow, and in the near future every second car will be produced in Kazakhstan. Last year, the market finally stabilized, with 49 new cars sold from January to December (052% more than in 6,1). Domestic car manufacturers made a significant contribution; for the first time in history, the share of cars assembled in Kazakhstan reached 2016%.
In 2017, 17 cars were sold for over 416 billion tenge! In his speech, technical director of SaryarkaAvtoProm Sergey MOGILATOV noted that the Kostanay enterprise is actively searching for partners; the production of cars using CKD technology (welding, painting + complete assembly) opens up unprecedented opportunities for using components from outside. In its development, the enterprise has passed the stage of large-unit assembly, has mastered small-unit assembly, and an increase in the share of localization is ahead.
«Now we have three options for further development - to create bases for the production of automotive components in Kostanay, to use the free capacity of factories in the Urals, or to cooperate with auto cluster enterprises in Tatarstan and Samara", noted Sergei MOGILATOV.
Along with this, experts noted that the auto industry needs to actively work not only with global suppliers with existing production sites in the EAEU, but also with local local manufacturers.
“We have no future without producing cars with export potential. We will be constantly dependent on currency quotes and oil prices. The share of Kazakhstani content needs to be increased. Today, the working group is addressing issues of revising some provisions in the legislation in order to further stimulate localization and the auto industry as a whole. Automakers are ready to consider applications from local suppliers, and our secondary market for consumables and spare parts is huge.”- said Vice-President of AKAB Anar MAKASHEVA.
“The secondary market for spare parts is huge, but not transparent - it’s all due to smuggling and gray supplies of spare parts from China, Russia and the UAE,” — Marat SHOTBAEV, head of the largest chain selling Phaeton DC spare parts, continued the topic. According to the speaker, in Kazakhstan, according to the company’s estimates, only 18 euros worth of spare parts are officially sold per car per year, while in developed countries the specific turnover is 100-150 euros per year.
“In a good way, we should be at the level of Russia, where the specific turnover of officially sold spare parts for each car is 36 euros per year. Half of the market is in the shade,” — Marat SHOTBAEV noted.
The prospects for the automobile industry in our country are more than favorable. Investments and government support in the automotive industry entail an increase in production volumes in related industries. And, undoubtedly, the development and government support of the auto components industry will reduce the risks of dependence on external supplies and increase the percentage of localization.