MAZ to assemble Euro-5 trucks in Vilnius

The Belarusian automaker Minsk Automobile Plant (MAZ trademark) has plans to assemble Euro-5 trucks from machine sets at a joint venture in Vilnius, head for foreign economic links at the Industry Ministry of Belarus Anatoly Pavlovich told reporters on 11 April, BelTA has learnt.

He noted that the joint venture assembling MAZ trucks was set up together with Lithuanian company Ziemgalos Automobiliai in Vilnius. The joint venture is operational now. “We want to suggest assembling vehicles compliant with Euro-5 emission standards; we are holding intensive negotiations with our Lithuanian partners,” Anatoly Pavlovich said. Supplies of Belarusian trucks to Lithuania are to be expanded. MAZ vehicles will be presented at the international Belarus-Lithuania Economic Forum on 17-19 April in Klaipeda.

Anatoly Pavlovich added that many Belarusian farm machines are sold in Lithuania. About 1,000 tractors were shipped to Lithuania in 2012. About 250 Belarus tractor sets made by Bobruisk Plant of Tractor Parts and Units have been assembled there. “We are going to boost the production of these tractors,” Anatoly Pavlovich said.

Besides MAZ and MTZ, other companies are going to showcase their products at the economic forum in Klaipeda. A task has been set to find new partners in Lithuania. To reach out to the European market, companies affiliated with the Industry Ministry should certify their products in compliance with European standards. This work is currently underway at Belarusian companies. “We have products that might interest our Lithuanian partners and we are well-positioned to expand our presence in the region,” the Industry Ministry representative said. For example, Belarusian Steelworks has expanded its presence on the Lithuanian market; a trading house BMZ Baltic was set up there. Mogilevliftmash and Atlant also export their products to Lithuania.