The Belarusian engine manufacturer MMZ is expanding cooperation with Cuba. Prospects of cooperation and development of long-term relations were discussed as a Cuban delegation visited the Minsk-based company, the press service of the holding company Minsk Motor Plant (MMZ) reported.
Working with Cuba is not something new for the Belarusian company. The first batch of 84 D-242-71M engines will be shipped in the next few days as part of the trilateral contract between MMZ, the Belarusian company Belresursy, and the Cuban company Transimport. Providing assistance with repairing agricultural machines was high on the agenda of the visit.
Cuban Agriculture Minister Gustavo Rodriguez Rollero, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Cuba to Belarus Juan Valdes Figueroa, representatives of business groups on logistics, agriculture, forestry industry, and international cooperation were made familiar with MMZ products. The guests praised the smooth organization of conveyor-powered manufacturing and the precision of manual assembly. Gustavo Rodriguez Rollero stressed that he saw the solution to the country’s many technical problems at the premises of the Belarusian company. Thousands of agricultural machines are used to cultivate fields and gather harvest in Cuba. More than 70% of the tractors and trucks have been in use since the Soviet times. Most of them need quality repair of the main parts and components and engine replacements.
MMZ engines are necessary for reequipping Ukrainian tractors and old Belarusian models. There are plans to reequip ZIL-130/131 vehicles with MMZ engines. The problem of the lack of specialists and repair depots able to perform all the services the quality maintenance of vehicles involves was mentioned. The situation is complicated by the difficult terrain.
MMZ Director General Igor Yemelyanovich noted that the company was ready to jointly resolve all the mentioned issues. Many countries have similar problems with vehicles. MMZ has signed long-term contracts on vehicle restoration, the delivery of engines and components in eight countries. The responsibility of the Belarusian engine maker does not end when the merchandise is shipped. MMZ specialists offer a full cycle of technical work and aftersales service. Quality and high end-user performance are guaranteed. MMZ can also send specialists to Cuba to teach the local specialists how to install engines into vehicles and tune all the technical processes. MMZ engines have been tried and tested in hot climates and have earned a good reputation in difficult geographical conditions of other countries.
Representatives of the logistics and agroforestry entrepreneurship initiatives of the Cuban Agriculture Ministry also mentioned weak sides of Cuban repair shops. Private businessmen and farmers submit a huge number of applications for repairing and modernizing vehicles but the poor qualifications of fitters and repairmen, the lack of spare parts and components cannot satisfy the industry’s demand in full. During the visit the sides agreed on how applications for engines and spare parts would be submitted, on how automobiles would be systematically upgraded and refitted. A reciprocal visit of MMZ specialists was arranged. A retail network to ensure the uninterrupted supply of components to Cuba may be established in the future. The Cuban embassy is ready to provide all kinds of diplomatic assistance with advancing cooperation in this area and is ready to petition the Cuban government for establishing solid business cooperation between the two countries. (BelTA/Business World Magazine)