Igor Anatolyevich Komarov
Igor Anatolyevich Komarov Igor Anatolyevich Komarov
July 24, Tuesday, 12: 00-13: 00
Line B0, quality meeting
“Be-null” is the Logan platform, that is, we are talking about the newest line of the plant on which Largus is being assembled.
Today they speak of three single defects that have already been defeated, the French (on the VO line there are many specialists who arrived from Renault) report: the electrode was moved here, changes were made to the technological map there. Komarov, without waiting for the translator, clarifies in English: “That is, he should hear two clicks?” - “Rather, feel the two fixations, because the workshop is noisy.” “It’s clear, further,” the president does not let go of reasoning. We will hear this phrase more than once.
“There are few problems,” Komarov was pleased. - And most importantly - they are almost all isolated and not serious. No start of production can do without defects - nowhere else in the world.
Now quickly to the presidential Priora - and to paint VO: the line is now being debugged, because here it is one of the most important places in the factory. The first "Largus" paint in the shop "Kalina" and "Grants", involuntarily restraining their production … Komarov is extremely specific: "What are the problems? Do I need my help? If something is holding back, people are needed - contact us immediately.” The president intends to meet the deadlines for reaching the planned volume of Largus and the launch date of Nissan; Now, when you read this material, they are already very close.
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14: 15-15: 00
Development strategy talk
At a large table in the office of the head of AvtoVAZ there is Irina Baklashova, Director for Strategic Management, Igor Burenkov, Director for External Relations and author of these lines. Komarov is viewing a presentation.
On the launch schedule, the president is delayed. Restyling of Kalina, Grant station wagon, 4x4 project, Lada V and Lada S … Here you can see all the points of the development strategy: strengthen the leadership position, confirm competitiveness, and enter new segments.
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- Twelve launches in five years, and this is only for the Lada brand, without Nissan, Renault and engines. It's about H4 engines, there is a new aluminum casting …
Is it licensed by Renault?
- Yes. Family from 1.2 to 1.8 liters. We will remain the current sixteen-valve, will be our 1.8 liter. And the H4 motor is for about 500 thousand cars annually, and some part of the output will go to Avtoframos and, possibly, to the Nissan plant in St. Petersburg. By the way, in total at AvtoVAZ, on our own two sites in Togliatti and Izhevsk, we will make 1.4–1.5 million cars.
Three brands?
- Yes. "Lad" of them about 900 thousand.
And the terms?
- 2017 year.
Here my face, apparently, has changed somewhat, and Komarov reads on it: "Get fucked, right?" By the way, this is the strongest word that we heard from the president during the day.
3 p.m. - 4 p.m
Conciliation Commission
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This is a meeting of the employer and employee to resolve current issues. There are about fifty people in the hall: representatives of labor collectives, trade union, AvtoVAZ management. At first, everything is smooth: the union asks to increase the number of cars allocated to factory workers this year to 6.5 thousand. Accepted.
Then the main question: in 2011, according to the results of the first half of the year, employees received bonuses - will there be additional payments now, in 2012? Moreover, housing and communal services prices have risen significantly …
Komarov takes the floor:
- As you know, this year we have two important events - the start of sales of Grants, the launch of Largus. The results of the first half of the year have not yet been officially approved, but there is a figure - 469 million rubles of losses. These are the first losses in the last two or two and a half years. They were planned because both we and our partners are well aware that launching a new model is always fraught with serious costs.
In this regard, recklessly and short-sightedly promise a prize. The last two meetings of the board we devoted to this issue: how to get profit and save the opportunity to increase salaries? Now I ask for two months to carry out all the necessary activities and allocate the necessary amount.
The head of the trade union committee Nikolai Karagin:
- Of course, we cannot but take into account the financial and economic situation. We’ll work with the team and are ready to postpone the decision for two months. But there is still a question about money. In June-July there were hot days when the temperature at workplaces was above normal. Maybe we’ll find an option to encourage people?
Mosquitoes:
- Two years ago, in extreme heat, we agreed that it was necessary to reward AvtoVAZ employees who provided the plant with work in extreme conditions. Prepare a document - get a resolution within 24 hours.
I saw how Komarov worries, postponing six-month bonuses. Here are his words: “I believe that pleasant news will always be announced for us. And if it’s unpleasant, the leader must come, sweat and blush.”
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16: 00-17: 00
Check out
Vice President for Security and Regime Pavel Zhukalin shows an X-ray unit at one of the checkpoints. Mosquito looks at the screen with a translucent truck. “Well, what are you paying attention to?” Asks the operator girl. Here are some round devices in the doors, and these black rectangles are batteries. “So in them,” I get in, “and we need to take out the good!” Then Komarov shot a glance at me, caught by the photographer. Well, I didn’t.
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And Zhukalin later showed me a collection of photos - what and how they drag from the factory. The fake batteries were already there … The security service is working actively - cases of theft have been reduced significantly.
By the way, the presidential Priora Premier is stopped at the checkpoints just like the rest of the cars. There is no search, of course, but the driver shows a pass.
19: 30–20: 00
Behind the wheel
Today, the president admits, it’s an easy day - half past seven, and he is already going home. Usually at work until ten to eleven in the evening … Komarov pretty dashingly drives a “Grant” with a gun in the streets of Tolyatti, so the journalists’s favorite question: “What kind of car do you have?” - the answer has already been partially received.
You, I know, still have a Nissan GT-R. Where do you ride?
- In Moscow. And in Tolyatti - “Grant” sports, made on the basis of the cup, with a 200-horsepower engine. We are thinking of releasing a small series. Usually, I go either to her or to Largus to work. If there are business meetings from outside - I do not sit behind the wheel, so as not to hustle in search of parking.
20: 00-21: 00
Football
Once a week, Komarov tries to play football; True, there is not always enough time. At work, colleagues on the field rivals: the French are desperately fighting with the Russians, directors with vice presidents, techies with economists.
In football, your team won. And what kind of sport do you respect?
- Skiing. Ski-touring - probably saw how people climb the mountain on special skis? In Tolyatti I often get up on cross-country skiing, they are loved here. And in childhood, I was seriously engaged in football and at one time played for CSKA youth.
What about the Lada in motorsport?
- Next year, we are returning to the WTCC World Series. Grants Cup, of course, we support. We are currently discussing a joint team project with LUKOIL.
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21: 00-23: 00.
Intimate talk
The Komarov’s house is quiet now; children should arrive only next week. We asked for a continuation of the interview in this, according to Wikipedia, a real estate complex acquired by Komarov, which includes a yacht club, its own beach and a three-story mansion.
It is curious that the factory workers took the fact of buying a house positively and, instead of discussing its price, made the right conclusion: it means that it will remain - it didn’t come for a short time, but for a long and serious work. Walked around the site: the bay, walkways, jet skis are present. The house, however, has two floors.
And where is the yacht club?
- All this was built ten years ago. Yes, once there was a base of water sports, an enterprise that owned the whole complex: a bay, boathouse, yachts.
You said that in the former places you received more …
- It's true.
That is, a car is something for you that is worth working on for less money?
- Including. I worked in banks, in the commodity business: the company showed 5-6 billion dollars of net profit after taxes - this is another dimension (therefore I can afford such a house - I have earned enough). And an understanding of life, of course. AvtoVAZ is a challenge, as they say now. And I am grateful to fate.
Can you recall how the proposal was made about AvtoVAZ? After all, it was exactly three years ago …
- By the way! I worked at Russian Technologies, and was involved in other projects that dealt with the mining and metallurgical topics. And colleagues led AvtoVAZ - such a problematic asset: the plant was in serious condition. And once - in fact on the weak - Igor Zavyalov, deputy director of the Russian Technologies State Corporation, offered to help create an anti-crisis program for AvtoVAZ. We agreed that this is a project for six to eight months, the result of which is an approved restructuring program.
Since then, these "six to eight months" all last?
- Literally in a month, we developed a program and in June 2009 submitted to the board of directors, which was held in Paris (the Renault-Nissan alliance already owned 25% of AvtoVAZ shares. - A. Ch.). She suggested radical measures to change the number of employees, according to debts, social programs … And by August Sergey Viktorovich (Chemezov, General Director of Russian Technologies. - A. Ch.) said: you must carry out it yourself.
“So you came back from horseback from Paris?”
- There the question was this: if only there was a person who would undertake to answer for all this. We directly laid out: over the year we expect more than 20 billion losses. Cars in warehouses for four to five months in advance, and we produce everything. To make money, you need to stop for two months and sell cars. Squeeze social programs: we give back 9 billion, although we ourselves are at a loss. Staff cut by 30%, or 30 thousand people!
When I said all this, silence fell. The grave. Then Ghosn (president of the Renault Nissan Alliance. - A. Ch.) said: "I congratulate you." “With what?” I ask. “It became clear where and how deep we are, and it is clear in which direction to go.”
One shareholder jokingly said to me: if, say, you reduce 30 thousand people and restructure debts, we will put a monument to you opposite Christ the Savior. Even on a horse we can. One problem - he will be without a head …
“Indeed, how did you manage to do this?”
- The main thing - they began to honestly discuss the situation with the team. They explained to the workers: sales fell, the number of employees is excessive, we do not work half the time, but stand. It is necessary either to contract, or not to pay the compelled simple - there is nothing simple. It is necessary to write statements that you are ready not to receive money … Of the 102 thousand, only 27 people have not signed the paper! Then it became clear: people believe that with such a team we will achieve a lot.
Decrease in number: 15 thousand are people of retirement and pre-retirement age, the least protected. They were asked to leave with the payment of a corporate pension, and these are large amounts - both 100 and 200 thousand. For the remaining seven thousand people, they organized two subsidiaries, which began to engage in the preparation and modernization of production, repairs. Of course, we studied foreign experience - what can people offer, where to transfer, how to pay? Enormous help was provided by the government of the Russian Federation and Russian Technologies.
This is probably the most difficult period in three years?
“Then they all rinsed us.” They assured that nothing will turn out, that AvtoVAZ will go bankrupt. We began to explain, to present the program. Quality? Everything is clear, it is necessary to improve. By the way, in two years the number of defects at suppliers was reduced tenfold. More than three times reduced their own defects. AvtoVAZ has underinvested for 20 years. Models did not update. We do this (concrete cases are now visible, right?). Do not believe? Then, passengers, sit down and watch!..
There were different moments - emotional, difficult days, but I cannot name any particular black one.
Maybe the launch of Grants, when it did not start at the prime minister?
“No, Vladimir Vladimirovich himself explained everything to your colleagues: I have,” Niva “says, I’m used to shaking the pedal, but I don’t have to! On the contrary, this is a very positive moment; I myself would not have gotten out of such a situation, had not laundered myself. Then they called us from Echo of Moscow and asked how it was that we thought up such a good PR move.
“And the brightest day in three years?”
- The launch of the Grants, too, probably. The risks are large, the shortest time, the work with suppliers is difficult, but this is a machine made according to new standards. The first car after the crisis, and my first.
July 25, 10: 30–11: 30
Plane Togliatti - Izhevsk
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Today in the capital of Udmurtia begin to collect "Grant". Izhevsk Automobile Plant is the property of AvtoVAZ, and a whole delegation from Togliatti goes there.
Do you fly often?
- My record is 11 flights per week. Kazakhstan, Izhevsk, Ukraine, Moscow.
Where do you spend more time now - at the factory or in Moscow?
- Mostly in Tolyatti. The first year, a lot of issues were resolved in the government and with shareholders, so often flew to Moscow. Now they are most worried about the launch of new models, the modernization of production - I visit Moscow once a week, not more often.
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Today, obviously, say goodbye to the "classics"?
- At AvtoVAZ, we did this a year ago, while in Izhevsk, small volumes of the Quartet (one and a half to two thousand cars a month) and Izh vans (three hundred or four hundred) will still be preserved. This is the edge of payback and efficiency. So by the end of the year, most likely, we’ll finish producing “classics” here.
That is, in the future, Izhevsk will be limited to one model?
- At some point, yes. We start with the Grant sedan, in 2014 we will put on the conveyor a hatchback, which we will do only there. In general, Nissan is responsible for the technical side of the Izhevsk project, so there are great prospects.
By the way, about the alliance: will it receive half the shares of AvtoVAZ?
“Fifty percent plus one share.” The deal will be closed in 2014. This is a necessary condition for further development.
And AvtoVAZ will have shares "Renault Nissan?"
- It is not necessary to exchange shares in order to enter the alliance. Who is the main and who is the controlled company is a slightly different side of things. The question of the center of capitalization and property is secondary to me in relation to a unified marketing and technological policy. The simpler and clearer the structure, the simpler and clearer the responsibility.
12: 00-13: 00
Izhevsk Automobile Plant
In five months, the Grants welding line was built here. In total, 300 days elapsed from order No. 741 on the organization of production (I borrow a word - fuck!). Izhevsk start will solve the issue with a deficit of "Grants". Save workers in Udmurtia. Lay the prospect of cooperation with the alliance. In 2012, approximately 50 thousand cars will be made here, of which more than half are on the new Grants line. And ahead of it is 220 thousand! The beginning of the big business, which Komarov spoke about, cutting the ribbon together with the President of the Republic of Udmurtia Alexander Volkov and the General Director of the Izhevsk Automobile Plant Alexei Alekseev:
- The most difficult period for any plant is the way out of the crisis, the organization of a able-bodied team. Izhevsk together with AvtoVAZ makes real cars for real life. This is the philosophy of the Lada brand. Together we have big projects ahead. Success, firmness, confidence that we are on the right track. Congratulations!
ten
After the rally, I ask the last question:
You are an economist by training. Then banks, then Norilsk Nickel … When did they study automobile business?
- Never. There is a common understanding of how a business works, how complex processes and large work teams are managed.
Of course, car manufacturing is specific. At first it was hard. But it doesn’t matter to me - and I don’t need to - to be the best engineer and designer. The main thing is that the best work for me. You work responsibly, understand the tasks and goals. And - you trust your people. And they understand what you expect from them.
It's simple.
