The event drew a deep immersion in the car: on one side of the exhibition booths were representatives of manufacturing companies, employees of service stations and gas stations, on the other hand, vendors and consultants in different cities of the country. Therefore, the relationship continued in one language, or rather, in business.
During the forum, participants got acquainted with the latest trends and new products of the world market, received first answers to their questions, participated in informational product seminars and practical seminars.
KULAN OIL President Serik Bishibekov in an interview with our correspondent spoke about the idea of the event and answered several questions:
- This year's conference is the second one organized by our company in this format. The Central Asian exhibition and conference unites 9 countries: Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, which are part of a kind of procurement union.
In the course of cooperation and interaction within this association, building long-term relationships with suppliers of products that are able to offer quality products at affordable prices.
During the work, and in July, KULAN OIL turned 20 years old, we established cooperation with a huge number of suppliers, including the most famous world manufacturers. But the format of the exhibition and conference provides for the presence of only a small part of our partners.
We invited dealers from all regions of Kazakhstan to the event, including representatives of 15 of our regional branches. Of course, there were much more people wishing to participate in the conference.
Corr .: There is an opinion that the decline in sales at new car dealerships is accompanied by an increase in spare parts sales. Do you feel this phenomenon?
- Yes, probably this is so, but we should not forget that in this situation the confrontation between official distributors and “gray” suppliers is greatly aggravated, which import counterfeit goods and counterfeits into the country, whose market share reaches 30% and higher.
Corr .: How, in your opinion, could this problem be solved?
- I think that state certification bodies, which so far remain out of work, should miss their word, missing the opportunity to replenish the state budget with significant amounts. I'm not talking about the fact that counterfeit products in the auto business are a life threat. But even if the matter did not come to the tragic consequences, one must always remember that one poor-quality part can provoke breakdowns of entire nodes, which, of course, will entail additional costs.
We see how complicated a modern car is, how high-tech the production of spare parts and diagnostic equipment is becoming. Is it possible in this situation to give up your security to the "gray" dealers?
Corr.: Does such a sound position win the minds and hearts of our compatriots? Can you say that the number of spare parts from official distributors began to be purchased?
- To say that the situation has changed revolutionary over the past few years, I can’t. And you probably shouldn't expect drastic changes. Indeed, one thing is the desire to buy a quality product, and another is purchasing power. Our compatriots, for the most part, are still forced to choose what is cheaper.
Corr.: Nevertheless, let us remind readers of the magazine why it is still more profitable to buy spare parts, materials and equipment from official representatives.
- Firstly, because the official distributor, as a rule, has been working with suppliers for more than one year, he knows the assortment well and focuses on the advantages. Secondly, the official distributor accompanies the sale with guarantees. Thirdly, you always know how to find an official representative to consult, file a complaint, receive services or bonuses.
With Bosch, whose name is known all over the world, KULAN OIL has been cooperating productively since 2014. About the development of these mutually beneficial relations, a few words were said by Dmitry Ulyanov, Bosch Sales Director for Central Asia and Kazakhstan:
- Our cooperation is developing, gaining momentum, in several areas. This year we held several field technical seminars for partners of KULAN OIL. Soon we will launch our joint project Bosch-car service.
Corr.: What do you show at the exhibition?
- This year we celebrate the 90th anniversary of Bosch brake systems, and this significant milestone runs through the entire exposition with a red thread - there are a lot of materials on this subject at the stand. In particular, we introduced the new Bosch brake fluids ENV4 and ENV6. By their main characteristics - boiling point and fluidity - they significantly exceed existing standards.
And the high lubricity of the Bosch ENV6 fluid reduces both the noise level during operation and the wear of ABS and ESP systems. For ordinary car owners, this means a new level of safe driving, comfort and a significantly increased drain interval.
Corr .: How does Bosch oppose the fakes that you must have met on the Kazakhstan market?
- Yes, we had to deal with such facts, and not only in Kazakhstan. Bosch representatives, together with law enforcement officials, regularly conduct raids to identify unscrupulous sellers and suppliers of fakes. We will continue this work in the future to provide customers of the Republic of Kazakhstan with quality Bosch products.
Another renowned partner of KULAN OIL, DENSO company with its products has "registered" in Kazakhstan for a long time and reliably. In an interview with company representative Maxim Yurchuk, we clarified some of the nuances of DENSO's presence in our country.
“In the Kazakhstan market, DENSO presents 12 product lines,” Maxim explained. - First of all, these are, of course, spark plugs and glow plugs. In addition, wipers, air conditioning compressors, engine radiators, stoves, condensers, cabin filters, fans, oxygen sensors and engine management sensors, starters and alternators. A significant segment belongs to diesel topics.
The news of this season is the crankshaft and camshaft position sensors, the range that the company is only introducing to the market.
As you know, DENSO's business consists of conveyor deliveries for 95%, the remaining 5% belongs to the secondary market. But in the near future, this proportion will change in the direction of increasing the share of the second of these areas.
Corr.: Due to the fact that in a number of countries, including Kazakhstan, diesel fuel cannot be called high-quality, do companies intending to manufacture equipment for diesel engines intend to somehow solve the problem by technical means, adapting equipment for dirty heavy fuel?
- This is a good question! But practice shows that in Russia, for example, the situation with diesel fuel is changing for the better. This entails an increase in sales of new diesel cars. In Belarus, such cars are very popular. I think that in Kazakhstan the situation with diesel fuel will change, because new oil refineries are entering the market, standards will be tightened.
From the side of manufacturers of fuel equipment, requirements are only growing, equipment is becoming more sensitive and finer in settings.
Corr.: Which of the widest range of DENSO is in greatest demand in Kazakhstan?
- Basically, we are known here as manufacturers of spark plugs. In this direction in deliveries we occupy one of the leading positions. Wiper blades and sensors are also in demand. One of the bestsellers, and this, apparently, is related to your previous question about the quality of fuel, are fuel pumps. DENSO has a small assortment of them, a little over a dozen, but it covers the needs of the vast majority of car models. Such an offer allows service enterprises to manage moderate storage volumes, it is convenient.
Corr.: Are deliveries to Kazakhstan from Russia?
- Yes, the central warehouse is located in the suburbs. There, goods arrive weekly from Amsterdam.
Along with companies known to all, hitherto unknown to us participated in the exhibition and conference. For example, the Chinese company GSP, which has 5 own factories, each of which produces products of a particular product group - CV joints and drives, hubs and bearings, rubber metal, as well as suspension and steering parts. Production is carried out on a full cycle - from casting to the finished product. We learned the details from GSP Sales Manager Roman Gorovoy.
“The company is a supplier to the conveyors of such automakers as General Motors, Volkswagen Group and 16 Chinese brands, as well as for the after-sales service network,” Roman explained. - She has all the necessary international certificates of product quality.
Before the official entry into the Kazakhstani market, GSP products went to the country through Urumqi. It is worth noting that there was a considerable proportion of fake spare parts imported by gray suppliers under the GSP brand. This was one of the motivating factors for the company to decide to establish relations with the official Kazakhstan distributor. Deliveries will be made from China by rail.
Corr.: What is the lead time for a GSP part that is not in stock?
- The placement and execution of the order takes about 40–45 days, it takes two or three weeks to deliver to Almaty, to the KULAN OIL company’s warehouses.
Corr.: How great is the attention of exhibitors to the GSP booth?
- The attention is great. And I can note that among the servicemen of Kazakhstan there are both those who hear about our company for the first time, and those who have been using GSP spare parts in their work for about ten years.
Corr.: Who do you see as competitors in the Kazakhstan market?
- This is a number of eminent companies with all well-known brands. We do not look like outsiders or middle peasants.
Corr.: At the same time, you consider your main advantage ...
- Price, of course price. And secondly, GSP has a very wide range. The company develops and launches from 50 to 150 new positions per month. Well, in addition, we are also a well-known company, present in the market of 120 countries, including in Europe and America, the CIS countries.
Corr.: How can those interested in a company get detailed information?
- On the GSP website. There are presentations and convenient catalogs. But I would advise Kazakhstanis to work through our official distributor, KULAN OIL, whose specialists have been trained to work with GSP products and can give detailed, comprehensive consultations.
In the course of communication with suppliers at the ADCA 2017 exhibition and conference, I often heard their warm reviews about the event, during which they got the opportunity to better know the features of the Kazakhstan market, to get acquainted with its current needs and expectations.
The hopes of the organizers came true. KULAN OIL management assured us that the third exhibition will be held next year.
