KamAZ wants to start assembling trucks and buses in South America. In Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, a memorandum of understanding was signed between PJSC KAMAZ and JC Internacional 2004 CA. As part of the memorandum, the Russian manufacturer undertakes to provide the country with trucks and passenger transport. The partners will also launch a local plant for the assembly of KamAZ trucks.
The countries are interested in establishing production in Venezuela of KamAZ chassis from ready-made car kits. In particular, we are talking about the delivery of chassis for buses with an average passenger capacity, dump trucks with a load capacity of 20 tons and utility equipment. Delivery volumes have not yet been announced.
The residents of South America are well acquainted with KamAZ, notes Sergey Kogogin, general director of the plant in Chelny. From 2009 to 2019, the Dakar Rally was held there, in which the Russian KamAZ-Master team participated and won. In 2020, the race moved to Saudi Arabia.
It is worth noting that in 2022 KamAZ is also negotiating with Argentina for the construction of a local plant. Foreign partners assured that the sanctions did not affect their willingness to cooperate. Both a partner and a location for the project have been selected, but its implementation has not yet started.
Now KamAZ is suffering serious losses. For the period January - September 2024, the loss of the plant amounted to 3.8 billion rubles, which is approximately equal to 36,538,000 euros. Management explained the collapse as a “high base effect” and also calls to wait for the annual results.