Russian truckers have long loved Scania technology for its high quality, reliability, economy and safety. But time goes on, and everything changes, the sphere of freight transport is no exception.
Modern transport companies of the 21st century need not just equipment, but an individual solution that will make freight transportation more efficient and reduce the time for administrative processes and maintenance. Scania keeps up with the times. The company studies the needs of the customers and offers them a solution that is necessary here and now. Today, truckers need not only technology, but also a business solution that will make transportation more efficient. In Russia, service contracts become very demanded part of the transaction. Today Scania is selling more contracts in Russia than trucks. In other words, with the shipment of each new Scania truck, Russian customers have chosen more than one service contract, maintenance, repair, financing, insurance and fleet management. In addition, Scania develops the concept of Sustainability - social and environmental responsibility - by developing new products and service solutions. It is a solution that contributes to economic and social development without compromising the health and safety of people or threatening the environment.
Formation of Scania in Russia
The very first truck Scania appeared in Russia in 1910. A special model with a lifting tower and a pivoting platform designed for three people was developed and produced to service the contact electric networks of the St. Petersburg tram on the chassis of a Scania IL truck. This model became the first unit sold by young at that time Swedish company for export. But the First World War and the revolution interrupted the cooperation of Russia with Sweden, and it resumed only in 1990. In May 1993, the Russian representative office of Scania opened in Moscow, and since 1998 the company Scania-Rus acts as an importer and distributor of equipment. Today, the company supplies the Russian client with the full range of Scania products: trucks with a gross weight of over 16 tons with various superstructures for trunk transportation, construction, mining, forestry and utilities; city and intercity buses; industrial and marine engines and diesel generator sets (DGS).
Rapid growth of demand
In 2017, 6.107 units of Scania equipment were shipped in Russia, which exceeds the volumes of 2016 by more than double.This is the highest dynamics among all brands of heavy trucksrepresented in the country, including Asian and Russian brands. Due to the rapid growth in sales in 2017, Russia rose from 8th to 3rd place in Europe (after Germany and the UK) in the number of Scania vehicles shipped. By supplying buses, Russia moved from 31st to 5th place in the world and in the supply of industrial and marine engines ranked top 10. The positions continue to strengthen: in the first half of 2018, 42.129 units of Scania trucks were sold in Europe, of which 2.650 units were registered in Russia. At the same time, it is Russia that most of all other countries influences the positive dynamics of sales in Eurasia. By the end of this year, Scania Russia plans to sell more than 7.000 trucks in Russia.
Dealer network across the country
Today, none of the Russian truckers need to be proved that Scania's equipment does an excellent job even in the most severe conditions. The owners of transport companies and drivers are sure of this. But not only reliable quality makes Scania machines extremely popular, it’s also the dealers' responsible approach to customer service. Official Scania dealers interact with truck buyers. This dealer network is considered one of the most reliable and stable among European truck manufacturers in Russia. Now in the country there are already more than 60 dealer stations that promptly deliver equipment to customers, and then provide a full range of services, including maintenance and repair of machines without downtime, the supply of original consumables and spare parts. All Russian stations are equipped in accordance with international standards, mandatory for each official Scania dealer. Scania's dealer network in Russia is constantly being upgraded and expanded. Only between July and September of this year, 6 new Scania stations opened in different regions and the volume of investments in their equipment exceeded more than 13 million EUR. From 2018, Scania Russia also began to open small service workshops in different cities, designed for a full range repair and of maintenance. This is convenient for those customers who work away from dealerships. And if the equipment is located, for example, in forest plots or in mountain pits, then the company is ready to provide field service for the machines right at the site of their operation using a mobile workshop. Every Scania mechanic undergoes mandatory certification and regular training. To confirm their skills and increase the level of professionalism, a team of Russian mechanics annually participate in Top Team - an international competition for Scania dealership service specialists.
Flexible approach to the client
In March 2018, Scania-Rus offered its customers in Russia an innovative service, Scania Flex, which has been used successfully in Europe since 2015. This is a fundamentally new, flexible approach to machine maintenance, based on the use of the FMS (FleetManagementSystem). An individual program is developed for each client, adapted to the features of its equipment operation. Scania Flex allows you to optimize the cost of servicing machines and maximize their lifespan. A comprehensive Scania Drive offer, which has been active in Russia since July 2016, is also aimed at increasing the profitability of the business. The bottom line is that the buyer enters into a single contract with a single supplier and pays one bill monthly, while receives a whole range of advanced services for the efficient operation of equipment. Another successful solution was the special program “Scania Rent” developed in 2016 for carriers who are temporarily operating machinery in a certain season for up to 24 months. Thanks to the possibility of renting Russian customers in truck fleets, there are already over 150 Scania trucks.
Time for a New Generation
In May 2018, Scania Russia for the first time presented a full range of new-generation Scania equipment in Russia, which took 10 years to develop and invested 2 billion EUR. This is the largest investment in Scania's world history.The first models of the new generation were sold to Russian customers in August 2017 and quickly gained credibility. According to the results of the annual contest “The Best Commercial Truck of the Year in Russia”, the Scania model of the new generation received an award in the 2017 Truck category for a high level of safety, comfortable conditions for the driver and overall operating economy. The winner was chosen by a jury of 10 reporters from reputable automotive publications. The peculiarity of the new generation of technology is not only in constructive innovations, but also in a fundamentally new approach to cooperation with consumers. They are offered not just modern equipment, but software, technical solutions and services based on its use, which help to increase the profitability of the business in the field of transportation. Each truck machine is adapted to the industrial and operational requirements of the buyer, the complex of services is also selected individually. In preparation for the transition to a new generation of equipment, Scania has prepared a special offer - a limited edition of 100 trucks of the current generation. BLACK GRIFFIN draws attention to the original design and improved security package, as well as a range of services to improve the profitability of the business. The special design of the R-series has a non-standard black cab color and exquisite volumetric silver elements on the body, resembling the wings of a mythological griffon - a symbol of the Scania brand.
Technology on natural gas
The focus of Scania Russia special attention is the development of sales of gas-engine fuel technology, which is becoming increasingly popular in Russia. According to their technical characteristics and efficiency, the engines on methane are not inferior to diesel, and the cost of gas is much lower, which provides significant savings, especially in long-haul transport, where a lot of fuel is required. In October, tractor-trailers with a gas engine of an ecological class Euro-6 with a capacity of 410 horsepower were presented in Russia for the first time. Prior to this, carriers used Scania on gas with only 340-horsepower engines. Also in October 2018, St. Petersburg hosted the premiere demonstration of an electricity-mobile-generator powered by Scania gas industrial engine so called GPES (gas powered gen-sets) with a capacity of 150 to 250 kW. It was developed and produced by the Russian production Diesel Company based on the 13-liter Scania engine. Soon, this company will establish mass production Scania GPES. The first units will be delivered to the Russian Scania dealerships and to the Diesel Company plant as the main source of electricity. The new Scania GPES will be useful to businesses and individuals as a reliable, environmentally friendly, highly efficient source of electrical and thermal energy, which significantly reduces the cost price of kW/h compared to centralized power grids. The Diesel Company has been cooperating with Scania-Rus for a long time and is the only official OEM manufacturer in Russia of diesel electric generators on Scania engines.
Scania production in Russia
Since 2010, an enterprise producing Scania trucks has been operating in St. Petersburg in the Shushary industrial zone. This year, the factory launched assembly of new generation Scania trucks – as the first CKD Scania assembly plant. Aggregates, components and parts are imported to Russia, where the truck is not only assembled from individual parts, but also produces several technological operations: welding, painting, interior finishing, installation of new details. This approach allows to reduce customs duties, other expenses and optimize the cost of trucks while maintaining high quality. The production capacity of the plant is 2 thousand units of equipment per year. By the end of 2018, it is planned to produce about 1000 trucks. For the first time in the world history of Scania, the Russian plant became “parent” for the introduction of a new production technology, and the experience gained will be used when launching the CKD assembly at Scania plants in other countries. The implementation of such a significant project confirms the intention of the international concern Scania to increase its presence in Russia, and Scania-Rus is doing everything possible to achieve this goal. Scania develops the concept sustainability by developing new products and service solutions. It is a solution that contributes to economic and social development without compromising the health and safety of people or threatening the environment. We understand that with the shipment of a vehicle, our partnership with customer is just beginning. And we work so that every client knows that Scania is a provider of a ready-made solution that contributes to increasing customer profitability, and a reliable team for the service support in any part of Russia, - summarizes the general director of Scania Russia LLC Wojciech Rowiński.
