As part of its next package of sanctions, Japan is imposing a ban from June 17 on exports to Russia of products that help strengthen Russia’s industrial infrastructure.
“In connection with the decision of the Council of Ministers of June 7 to ban the export to Russia of products that help strengthen the industrial infrastructure, a ban will be imposed on the supply of trucks, dump trucks, bulldozers and other equipment from Russia. June 17,” Japanese publications quote Koichi Hagiuda, Japan’s Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry.
A similar export ban to Russia has already been introduced by the European Union. In detail earlier on the naming of equipment whose supply has been interrupted. Wrote “socialbites.ca”.
A document published on the Japanese Ministry’s website mentions various industrial equipment whose export to Russia is prohibited.
trucks, trailers and semi-trailers with a gross weight of 5 tons or more, special vehicles on vehicle chassis and dump trucks designed for off-road use.
In addition, spare parts for bulldozers, excavators, loaders and wheeled vehicles used in ports, warehouses and airports have been banned by the Japanese authorities. In the cargo segment of the Russian market, there are Japanese Isuzu, Fuso, Hino truck brands, Komatsu dump trucks, Hitachi and Kato excavators and special equipment.
According to the analytical agency Avtostat, by the end of 2021 truck sales in Russia increased by 33%, reaching about 100,000 vehicles.
At the same time, 36% of the market is occupied by the Russian KamAZ. Isuzu, which has the largest sales volume among Japanese truck manufacturers weighing more than 3.5 tons, until recently had an assembly plant in Ulyanovsk and deliveries of imported vehicles. By the end of 2021, Isuzu has sold about 3,000 cars in the country.
socialbites.ca asked the Russian representatives of Japanese truck and special equipment manufacturers about further activities, as well as warranty support and service for vehicles already sold. No response was received at the time of publication.
“Fuso as a brand owns approximately 80% of the Daimler brand.
The Isuzu lineup is quite extensive, but the Russian market is mainly represented by medium-duty trucks with a gross weight of 6 tons, ”says Alexander Solntsev, editor-in-chief of the magazine Commercial Transport and Technologies, in an interview with Gazeta .Ru.
According to him, despite the suspension of assembly of Hyundai commercial vehicles in Kaliningrad, Korean Hyundai and Daewoo trucks may serve as alternatives to Japanese vehicles in this segment, whose supply has not been announced.
The Russian Valdai Next (with the cabin of the Chinese brand Foton) and KamAZ Compass (localized Chinese JAC) from GAZ perform in the same class. But Solntsev should not forget that the KamAZ plant is designed primarily for the production of heavy equipment, and the light commercial version of the Compass is not yet ready.
According to Sergey Burgazliev, an independent consultant, due to the cessation of the supply of Japanese special equipment and trucks, operating organizations will have to take measures to extend the service life of the existing one, since it will not be possible to quickly replace it. automotive industry.
“Japanese manufacturers of mining and construction equipment are not as widely represented in the Russian market as those in Europe and America, but their total share can reach 20%,
Burgazliev takes notes in an interview with socialbites.ca. “This is a problem for everyone because the technique is reliable and the Japanese have carefully honored their warranty obligations.”
Hitachi has a line of loaders and excavators, Komatsu has sold mining dump trucks in Russia, experts list. In the case of Isuzu, the company localized in our country two models with a small and medium load capacity, and the company imported dump trucks and tractors to Russia. And he adds that the biggest problems will arise if the import of components as well as the supply of finished cars are banned. Since its products are imported from abroad, the ban is completely valid for the Hino brand.
“Alternatively, we can consider products from Chinese companies, especially if there is a tolerance for paying the recycling fee. However, this is not a fast process,” Burgazliev concluded.
Chinese auto companies have already received the news with a positive attitude that Japan is giving up on Russia’s special equipment market.
“We are pleased with Japan’s plans to withdraw from the Russian market for excavators and bulldozers. The simple reason why our company supplies special equipment from a Chinese manufacturer and factory. We expect the demand for our equipment to increase. Indeed, it has already increased in recent months, so this decision is already affecting us, ”said socialbites.ca at the Russian office of Foton Machinery Group (Foton brand).
When asked if Chinese imports can match Japan’s share of the Russian market, Foton says yes. The company estimates that the overall increase in demand for its equipment in Russia will be between 10-20%.
Japanese equipment, of course, can be replaced by Russian or Chinese equipment, Grigory Bolotin, shareholder of the Cheboksary Power Units Plant, agreed in a conversation with socialbites.ca. He believes it will be less productive and comfortable, but more optimal in price and quality than premium Japanese technology.
Bolotin hopes that with the advent of new Japanese technology, official channels for the supply of spare parts will also disappear, but the vast majority of consumables and parts will be able to be mastered in Russian factories within a few months.