OREANDA-NEWS. June 04, 2007. At the end of May as part of the celebration of the Kirov Plant’s 206th anniversary there was presented a new industrial machine of Saint-Petersburg tractor factory – 6 ton loader K-740- IE6 (IE8), reported the press-centre of  OJSC “Kirov Plant”.

Two months ago on the 10th firm day for mass media the director of Saint-Petersburg tractor factory Alexander Krikunov told about the new machine, which is being created, for the first time. And on the Plant’s Day the guests were displayed the model of the new loader. The uniqueness of the machine is that factory engineers used the last generation hardware components of the leading world producers and created the most modern example of the home wheel front loader.

The car is meant for loading-unloading works with bulk and lump materials. It can also be used in constructing, agriculture and other industries. It is planned to produce two model types of the loader: IE-6 –with bucket volume of 3,5 cubic meters and engine power 235 hp and IE-8 - with bucket volume 4,5 cubic meters and engine power 300 hp. Tests of the model will be started in June of this year. There are customers, who would like to buy it. The Kirov Factory is going to enlarge the lineup of industrial equipment, it is planned to make the first models of the new wheel bulldozer by the end of this year.

Today the home market of the wheel front loaders and bulldozers is one of the most receptive and perspective among the markets of the road-building equipment in Russia. So, the common using of the machines of this type in 2005, comparing to 2003 increase almost 40% in quantitative measurement. The market growth mainly comes because of increase sales of imported machines. Traditionally the dominating positions in the import structure are occupied by the leading world companies like Komatsu, Hitachi, HSW, Volvo, Caterpillar. But since 2006 the market share of the leading participants regrouped with the coming of Chinese companies to the Russian market.

At present import of the equipment from the foreign countries makes 40% of the Russian market. The strong motivation to this growth became the revocation of the duty on imports for the finished production in 2006. This reduced the prices for the machines of Chinese workmanship, letting them come to the price brackets, in which there were only the Russian producers before.
Part of Saint-Petersburg tractor factory in Russian market of the industrial machinery made 14-15% last year. The factory is planning to increase this part up to 24%.

Creating of the loader K740 by Saint-Petersburg tractor factory draws it into competition.