OREANDA-NEWS.   Yury Klochkov, First Deputy General Director of OJSC KAMAZ – CEO, summed up the production results of his unit for 2013.

The number of industrial accidents fell by 40% in comparison with 2012. According to the results of the audit conducted by Russian Register Certification Association, the environmental management and labor protection management systems of OJSC KAMAZ correspond to international standards and develop in line with the principle of continuous improvement. Besides, hazardous production facilities of OJSC KAMAZ were reregistered in the State Register of Rostechnadzor.

As is known, the main indicator according to which the company’s quality assurance activities are assessed is a defect rate of KAMAZ vehicles used by customers. It helps to indirectly follow customer satisfaction: the higher the defect rate, the lower the satisfaction level. The average annual defect rate for 2013 was 9.8%, while it was 20% in 2012 and 25% in 2011. According to Yury Klochkov, it was achieved thanks to the task-oriented work of all KAMAZ departments which took measures under Quality annual comprehensive programs and efficient problem-solving by quality control of vehicles and major assemblies carried out at the end of every shift.

The enterprise’s work on product quality improvement has long been considered to be successful at all levels. Thus, in 2013 the Russian Organization for Quality gave Sergey Kogogin, General Director of OJSC KAMAZ, the Russian Leader of Quality title because the company’s top manager achieved the greatest success in manufacturing products and rendering high quality services.

However, according to Yury Klochkov, there’s no time for rest. The main goal – to make quality assurance a reflex in the company – is still on the agenda. To focus on the implementation of the process approach, the company has recently launched a project introducing Eight Loops of Quality similar to a project of KAMAZ’s strategic partner – Daimler. The main objective of this concept is to cardinally improve the quality of KAMAZ products ensuring that new-generation vehicles’ quality will be comparable with international auto producers’ benchmark.

Yury Klochkov mentioned other achievements concerning execution of orders – organization of production of advanced trucks with Daimler components and an increase in production of heavy vehicles. Whereas the company produced 8,737 heavy trucks in 2012, 9,075 vehicles were made in 2013. The 2014 Business Plan provides for the further growth of this segment – up to 12,155 pcs.

The Production System developed by the company is a great help in solving production problems and achieving goals. For 2013, the employees offered 263,740 kaizens against planned 250,000 (105.5% execution), implemented 237,366 kaizens against planned 200,000 (118.7% execution). 2,518 kaizen projects were opened against planned 1,700 (148.1% execution), including 1,819 implemented ones against planned 1,360 (133.8% execution). The unit gained an economic effect which amounted to 1,960.9 million rubles in 2013 (130% execution). It includes optimized energy costs in the amount of 489.5 million rubles, reduced logistics costs of 204 million rubles, and manufacturing costs 1,267.3 million roubles.

Since June 2013, the Process Factory training center has been operating. 352 people were trained there, 14 of them are representatives of OJSC KAMAZ’s partners, including companies of Rostec Corporation.