Nice to Minsk you

Vehicles from Belarusian truck manufacturer Minsk Automobile Plant (MAZ) will soon be finding their way onto South African shores. The company has been producing ten- to 72-t medium and heavy vehicles and buses for over 60 years.

“We pride ourselves upon successfully merging tradition with modernity in our business practices and always look at human development together with wealth creation and reputation,” says Andrei Huskou, director MAZ representative office in South Africa.

Tasked with introducing the brand to South Africa and ensuring homologation for future local vehicles, Huskou says the company is also looking at setting up a plant at the Coega Industrial Development Zone. MAZ currently has a large presence in the northern part of Africa, with an assembly plant in Egypt. It also supplies small volumes of vehicles to Mozambique.

“At the moment, MAZ supplies vehicles to numerous countries all over the world. It is gradually expanding its sales areas and has joint assembly productions operational in Lithuania, Latvia, Serbia, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Iran, Egypt, Vietnam and Venezuela. It appears very effective, highly profitable and mutually advantageous for our partners.”

With annual production output of 22 000 vehicles, 7 500 trailers and semi-trailers and 2 500 busses, MAZ is one of the largest enterprises in Europe producing heavy-duty motor vehicles and busses.

These include two- and three-axle truck tractors; dump trucks and dump-truck road trains (10 to 20 t); timber carriers; two- and three-axle drop-side trucks capable of working with trailers; waste collectors; fuel tankers (8 000 to 37 000 l); vacuum and watering machines; concrete-mixers (four to 12 m3); jib auto cranes (15 to 25 t); automobile chassis for mounting various special equipment; trailers and semi-trailers; city and intercity busses.

While local specification will be available in due course, Huskou says MAZ will begin by introducing trucks only (and not buses) which will be powered by Cummins engines.

“MAZ has rather broad obligations to the buyer; including conformity of MAZ vehicles with the international and importer country’s requests and standards, organisation and realisation of guarantees and after-sales service, delivery of spare parts and tutoring operating personnel in the maintenance enterprises,” he concludes.