Turkey's leading trailer producer TIRSAN has announced that it plans to construct three production plants in Russia with the aim of acquiring a share in the Russian and Central Asian markets.
According to a company statement, two of the plants, to be built in the Russian city of Tula and in Ufa in the Bashkortostan autonomous region of Russia, are scheduled to be commissioned in 2011, while the St. Petersburg-based plant is planned to start production in 2012.
Following the establishment of its 344,000 m² primary trailer production factory in Adapazari in northeastern Turkey in 1993, TIRSAN made its first 108,000 m² overseas investment in the German city of Goch in 1998. The company also carries out the role of sole distributor in Turkey for Dutch trailer giant DAF.
TIRSAN chairman Cetin Nuhoglu announced that €3.5 million of the total planned €15 million investment in Russia has already been invested for the three-plant projects, saying, "The plants in Tula and Ufa, which are to begin production in 2011, will have a designed annual production capacity of 2,500 trailers. In the first phase, they will produce 500 trailers a year."
Nuhoglu pointed out that the initial decision for the investments in question was taken in 2008 but was suspended due to the negative environment created by the global financial crisis.
TIRSAN chairman stressed that they have chosen to enter the Russian market with their German brand Kässbohrer, considering the Kässbohrer's image and proven success in terms of durability, quality and security. TIRSAN acquired Kässbohrer tank and silo division in 2002, as part of its long-term strategy to be one of the top European trailer manufacturers.
Pointing out that TIRSAN currently is the eighth largest trailer producer in Europe, Nuhoglu said that the company's target is to be in top five by 2014, adding that, with the capacity acquired from the overseas investments, the company targets an annual vehicle output of 17,000. He also said that the company's 2011 annual production target is 5,600 trailers.