Prime Minister Vladimir Putin’s speech at the ceremony:
Good afternoon, friends,
I’m very pleased to be here with you today. You know and I know that not so long ago all kinds of skeptics and doomsayers were predicting the collapse of our auto-making industry, including such giants as the KamAZ plant and others. Indeed, KamAZ went through some hard times over the course of the last several decades. It experienced more than enough problems that date back to the early 1990s. The recent crisis also came as a very hard test.
Indeed, there was much to worry about, but together we managed to overcome all these difficulties. Your talent, hard work and belief in yourselves, your enterprise, the industry and the country helped KamAZ to regain pre-crisis output levels and go on to achieve a whole new level of quality. The plant is the leader among other Russian automakers, accounting for 40% of sales nationwide. Not only in Russia: KamAZ is an uncontested leader among the CIS countries as well. KamAZ lorries are assembled at hundreds of enterprises in dozens of countries across the globe.
Just think of the Dakar rally, where KamAZ lorries have been leading the race for many years now. This is something that not only the Russian auto-making industry can be proud of, but all aficionados of motor sports and all people in our country. It is with awe and envy that people watch as your athletes drive off-road for many thousands of kilometres, which also speaks volumes about the quality of your work.
Let me express my sincere and heartfelt congratulations to you and the delegates from other major enterprises, such as GAZ and Ural. The VAZ plant is also reaching a whole new level of quality and will begin assembling a new vehicle based on a new frame for Russian drivers. No doubt, we are particularly proud of KamAZ. The two millionth car is the result of your work. Please accept my congratulations once again. I wish you the best. Thank you very much.
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The two millionth KamAZ-6522 that came off the assembly line today is equipped with an efficient 400 h.p. engine and 16-gear transmission. This 6x6 lorry is a close relative of the famous KamAZ-6520 dump truck, which is the forbear of the family of heavy-duty lorries.
The prime minister signed the cockpit of the milestone two millionth lorry, which will remain at the KamAZ museum as an exhibit.
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Before the ceremony, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin visited a display of products manufactured by the plant. The prime minister was particularly interested in the KamAZ-5490, which is outfitted with an eco-friendly engine, a modern electronic steering system and a cabin equipped with two bunks. The prime minister also looked at the Taifun all-purpose special-duty armoured vehicle, which is equipped with a pioneering passenger protection system that is able to absorb a blast wave.