Alexey Bakulin: "Volgabas" is selected to the market leaders

In the Russian bus market, there was a change for the better - the decline slows down, and in May sales even managed to show noticeable growth. And although stability is far from being achieved, domestic producers have already won the crisis, which strengthened their positions and drove out foreign competitors.

The best result belongs to Volgabas under the leadership of Aleksei Bakulin. As a result of May 2016, its share of the market grew multiple and closely approached the top three.

Ambition of Aleksey Bakulin

The general director of the group of companies "Volgabas" Aleksei Bakulin sets himself an ambitious goal - to produce 500 buses a year. Despite the difficult situation in the market, the company systematically implements the planned: if in 2014 162 buses were produced, then in 2015 - already 238, and in the first half of 2016 - 196 units.

Every year the geography of deliveries of Volgabas Group of Companies is growing, and in some megacities they dominate. So, in St. Petersburg, 500 Volga buses already run, and 70 more are being prepared for delivery.

The company is actively implementing the import substitution program. Until recently, interior trim materials, armchairs, glass, doors and other components were supplied from Turkey and Western Europe. Today, virtually all the details of Volgabasov are made in Russia, except for engines.

"Bus engines are really a painful topic for our industry," said Alexei Bakulin, CEO of LLC Volgabas. - Gas DVS supplies only a few companies: MAN, Mercedes, YUCHAI. We tried everything and came to the conclusion that the Yuchai engine is best suited for operation in Russia "(information http://vlg-media.ru/transport/volgabus-strategija-rosta-54943.html).

One of the company's trump cards is the stake on non-traditional fuels and innovations. Only half of the models in the line of Volgabas operate on gasoline and diesel, the rest on gas engine fuel. And Alexey Bakulin intends to develop this direction - the company continues to develop buses on alternative types of fuel, and it's not just about gas.

"Volgabas" adds speed

The last year of 2015 turned out to be difficult for the industry - according to its results only 8.88 thousand buses (-23.5%) were sold. Of the 16 manufacturers of this type of transport, only two showed growth: the Bashkir plant NEFAZ and Volgabas. And if the first failed this year to significantly strengthen its position, the Volga producer continues to add momentum at a rapid pace.

This year the situation looks less stressful, however, the running processes of redistribution of market shares between domestic producers do not stop. So, continues to lose buyers long-term leader - PAZ. In 2015, its sales fell by 23.6%, in January-May of this year - by another 14% (data of "Autostat Info"). As a result, the share of "Pavlovsk bus" on the market by June 1 declined from 49.6% (a year earlier) to 44.4%.

The second place in LiAZ, which held 20.6% of the market in May, the third - in NEFAZ, whose share was slightly reduced (to 10.9%) compared to what it was last year.

However, for the "bronze" with the Bashkir plant, the company of Aleksei Bakulin is already ready to argue, which is growing with a clear lead over competitors. The Volga company demonstrates today an impressive leap in the market among domestic producers. If in May last year its market share was modest 0.2%, then this year - already 8.1%.

In January-May, the company sold 135 buses (+ 84.9%) - Volgabas supplies to Orenburg, Togliatti, Moscow, Volzhsk, Volgograd and several other regions.

"Volgabas" - the bus of the future

Experts predict that this year the volume of sales of buses will practically not change, amount to 8.7 thousand units. True, this is subject to the preservation of the stimulation of the market by the state - in fact this year, as in the past, the key driver of growth will remain municipal and state orders. And here the company of Alexey Bakulin has good prospects - Volgabas participates (and not without success) in all tenders that are announced for the delivery of buses in Russia.

Partly the growing popularity of Volga buses in the regions is a consequence of the client-oriented nature of the company. "The company" Volgabas "reacts promptly to requests of drivers and passengers, - explains Alexey Bakulin. - Last year we supplied the Volgograd region with semi-low-floor buses. Pensioners complained about an extra step in the cabin. The governor supported the passengers, additional financing was provided. And this year the plant supplied the region with completely low-floor buses. "

In addition, Aleksey Bakulin's company Volgabas is an active participant in the state program to stimulate demand for gas buses. This year, the Ministry of Industry and Trade has extended its operation, which creates a good basis for marketing the company's gas engine line.

While "Volgabas" occupies a confident fourth place in the market, but does not intend to stop there. The general director of the company Alexey Bakulin is betting on the so popular Russian innovations, he recently introduced to the Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, and then to President Vladimir Putin, an unmanned chassis on the basis of which it is planned to create a number of transport models.

According to Aleksey Bakulin, "Volgabas" does not create an unmanned bus. "We do not want to follow the path that has already been taken in different countries. Our task is to release the bus first to the urban environment, "he stressed.

It is possible that the new unmanned buses will carry guests to the World Cup 2018 in just a couple of years. But even if this, more than any aspiration, does not happen, the Volga company has already made a serious bid for leadership. Given its strategy, a significant innovation base and strong growth, getting into the top three of the strongest players looks only a matter of time.