For the better in the Russian bus market, the decline has slowed, and in May, sales even managed to show noticeable growth. Although stability is still far away, domestic producers have already won from the crisis, which have strengthened their positions and supplanted foreign competitors.
The best result belongs to Volgabas under the leadership of Aleksey Bakulin - according to the results of May 2016, its market share grew multiple and came close to the top three.
Ambitions of Alexey Bakulin
The general director of the Volgabas group of companies Aleksey Bakulin sets an ambitious goal - to produce 500 buses a year. Despite the difficult situation on the market, the company systematically implements what was planned: if in 2014 162 buses were produced, then in 2015 - already 238, and in the first half of 2016 - 196 units.
Every year, the geography of supplies of Volgabas Group of Companies LLC is growing, and in some megalopolises they dominate. So, in St. Petersburg already run 500 Volga buses, and 70 more are being prepared for delivery.
The company is actively implementing an import substitution program. More recently, trim materials, armchairs, glass, doors and other components were supplied from Turkey and Western Europe. Today, almost all of the Volgabasov’s parts are made in Russia, with the exception of engines.
“Bus engines are really a sore point for our industry,” notes General Director of Volgabas Group of Companies Alexey Bakulin. - Only a few companies supply gas ICEs: MAN, Mercedes, YUCHAI. We tried everything and came to the conclusion that the Yuchai engine is best suited for operation in Russia ”(information )
One of the company's trump cards is a bet on alternative fuels and innovation. Only half of the models in the Volgabas line run on gasoline and diesel, the rest on gas engine fuel. And Alexey Bakulin intends to develop this area - the company continues to develop buses using alternative fuels, and this is not just about gas.
"Volgabas" adds speed
The past 2015 turned out to be difficult for the industry - according to its results, only 8.88 thousand buses were sold (-23.5%). Of the 16 manufacturers of this type of transport, only two showed growth - the Bashkir NEFAZ plant and Volgabas. And if the first failed to significantly strengthen its position this year, the Volga producer continues to gain momentum at an accelerated pace.
This year the situation looks less stressful, however, the launched processes of redistributing market shares between domestic manufacturers do not stop. So, the long-term leader - PAZ continues to lose customers. In 2015, its sales fell by 23.6%, in January-May of this year - by another 14% (data from Avtostat Info). As a result, the share of Pavlovsky Bus in the market by June 1 decreased from 49.6% (a year earlier) to 44.4%.
LiAZ took second place, which occupied 20.6% of the market in May, and third was NEFAZ, whose share fell slightly (to 10.9%) compared to what it was last year.
However, the company of Aleksey Bakulin, which is growing ahead of the competition, is already ready to argue for the “bronze” with the Bashkir plant. Volga company today demonstrates an impressive leap in the market among domestic manufacturers. If in May last year its market share was a modest 0.2%, then this year it is already 8.1%.
In January-May, the company sold 135 buses (+ 84.9%) - Volgabas supplies to Orenburg, Togliatti, Moscow, native Volzhsk, Volgograd and several other regions helped.
Volgabas - the bus of the future
Experts predict that this year, bus sales will remain virtually unchanged at 8.7 thousand units. True, this is subject to continued government stimulation of the market - because this year, as in the past, municipal and state orders will remain the key driver of growth. And here Alexey Bakulin’s company has good prospects - Volgabas participates (and not unsuccessfully) in all tenders that are announced for bus deliveries to Russia.
Partly, the growing popularity of Volga buses in the regions is a consequence of the company's customer focus. “Volgabas Company is promptly responding to requests from drivers and passengers,” explains Alexey Bakulin. - Last year, we delivered half-low-floor buses to the Volgograd region. Pensioners complained about an extra step in the cabin. The governor supported the passengers, additional funding was allocated. And this year, the plant delivered fully low-floor buses to the region. ”
In addition, Alexey Bakulin's company Volgabas is an active participant in the state program to stimulate demand for gas buses. This year, the Ministry of Industry and Trade extended its operation, which creates a good basis for the sale of the gas engine line of the company.
So far, Volgabas occupies a confident fourth place in the market, but does not intend to stop there. Aleksey Bakulin, the company's general director, is betting on domestic innovations so demanded today - he recently introduced first to the Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, and then to President Vladimir Putin, an unmanned chassis, on the basis of which it is planned to create a number of transport models.
According to Alexei Bakulin, Volgabas does not create an unmanned bus. “We do not want to follow the path that has already been traveled in different countries. Our task is to be the first to release a bus into the urban environment, ”he stressed.
It is possible that the new unmanned buses will carry the guests of the 2018 World Cup in a couple of years. But even if this, more than any aspiration, does not happen, the Volga company has already made a serious bid for leadership. Given its strategy, significant innovation base and steady growth, getting into the top three strongest players looks like only a matter of time.