ECONOMY
/ NEIGHBORS
WHAT IS EUROCAR?
HOW "SKODA" BECAME UKRAINIAN
TEXT / LEONID FOOTWEAR
Until recently, the sale of new foreign cars in Ukraine did not go unsteadily - the second hand dominated the market from Germany and Lithuania, often imported illegally or semi-legally. When the authorities blocked these channels, buyers were forced to look at new cars - Ukrainian-Korean, Ukrainian-Russian or foreign origin. Sales of the Czech Skoda went best of all. Relationship with the prestigious Volkswagen brand, as well as a wide dealer network (about 100 centers throughout Ukraine), created by four independent importers, played a role, of course. And since the competition between the four forced them to lower prices, Skoda became a leader in sales among brands from far abroad.
In 2000, the most active importer (Avtotrading CJSC) announced the possible start of Czech car production in Ukraine. At first, no one took the good intention seriously - and first of all, the Skoda-Auto company, which then negotiated the same with Izhmash. When they reached a dead end, Czech managers became interested in the Ukrainian version.
“In Russia, we tried to promote a joint project,” says Vratislav Kulganek, chairman of the Skoda-Avto board, “but Izhmash offered to contribute its share to the old buildings that would have to be completely reconstructed.” Some property claims began that we could not accept. Here, in Ukraine, it was proposed to build a new plant without our financial participation, but with the full support of the local administration.
The first phase of the Eurocar plant was built in less than six months near Uzhgorod. The place was chosen extremely well: in the Transcarpathian Free Economic Zone, near the border of the former Czechoslovakia. Moreover, a railway line with a narrow “European” gauge runs nearby. Construction and technological equipment purchased from Skoda cost Avtotrading $ 15 million. The capacity of the first stage is 15 thousand cars per year assembled from car kits. But this is in perspective. And in 2003, Eurocar plans to release about 7 thousand. Octavius and Fabius. But already in the starting year 2002, the plant caught up with KrymavtoGAZ in terms of output, which sharply slowed down after a change of leadership in Nizhny … According to analysts, no later than 2004, the Uzhgorod plant will become the third Ukrainian automaker after AvtoZAZ-Daewoo and Lutsky car factory (where VAZ and UAZ are now assembled).
The leadership of Eurocar speaks so far of the second stage very restrained, but this only strengthens confidence in its plans. And they are like this: in 2004, launch a conveyor for Skoda and Volkswagen commercial vehicles (including the Transporter model) - up to 45 thousand cars a year. A transition to small-site assembly is possible, with its own welding and painting - “it all depends on the market”.
Eurocar sells cars assembled in Transcarpathia 5% cheaper than imported cars. This was enough to get the better of the other Skoda importers. They were offered to become dealers of Eurocar, which, of course, they are unhappy with. But the Skoda-Auto company is quite happy with this: it is easier for it to certify cars and control the sales and service network. From now on, Eurocar is the only Ukrainian importer of Skoda. He intends to import only representative “Superb” and all-wheel drive “Octavia”, other models and modifications will be made in Transcarpathia.
One of the urgent concerns of Eurocar is the search for domestic component manufacturers. Having managed to consider approximately 200 proposals, he accepted nine. Characteristically, the Russian Ford has the same result: 5 out of 200 (ZR, 2002, No. 9). But let's not talk about sad things …
And here is the good news: other companies decided to follow the Eurocar example! The official importer of Audi has expressed a desire to assemble cars of this brand according to the same scheme, without foreign investment. The Audi company did not hesitate and sent a delegation to Ukraine that visited several machine-building plants in Dnepropetrovsk and Poltava … Opel also did not stand aside: in the near future AvtoZAZ assembly should begin, and the Mercedes there, even if only a little, they are already collecting (ЗР, 2002, No. 5).
