Kamaz aims to produce over 50,000 trucks in 2023, agrees on steel supplies from MMK

MOSCOW. March 1 (Interfax) - Kamaz plans to produce more than 50,000 trucks in 2023 compared to over 44,000 in 2022, Magnitogorsk Iron & Steel Works (MMK) , with whom the truck maker agreed on steel supplies, said.

The two companies' coordination council held a meeting at MMK at which managers and professional from their technical and commercial divisions reviewed the results of cooperation in 2022 and mapped out plans for the future. One of the central subjects was import substitution.

Kamaz's plant has replaced some imported products, particularly high-strength steel, with steel from MMK, the latter said in a press release.

"Before, Kamaz often used foreign-made steels. Now their import into Russia is closed and we are actively working on replacing them. In the past year we have mastered three new grades of steel and now we're mastering one more that surpasses not only foreign but also Russian analogs by many indicators," MMK's head of external economic activities and sales to the auto industry, Nikita Avdonin was quoted as saying in the press release.

The main result of the coordination council meeting was the signing of a letter of intent that is essentially an operating plan for 2023 with specific dates and responsible parties.

Kamaz "intends to increase production from more than 44,000 automobiles in 2022 to more than 50,000 this year," MMK said.

MMK shipped 628,800 tonnes of steel products to the auto industry last year, including over 100,000 tonnes to Kamaz. MMK has about a 57% share of flat steel shipments to the truck maker. MMK steel supplies encompass longeron steel and metal for truck cabs.