NEWS

The opening ceremony in the Kazanskaya Yarmarka Expo was attended by Prime Minister of Tatarstan Ildar Khalikov, Head of Economic Analysis and Monitoring Department at the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade Vladimir Kostyuchenkov, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and Trade of Tatarstan Albert Karimov, CEO of the Association of European Businesses Frank Schauff, President of AvtoVAZ Nicolas Maure, and representatives of leading foreign automakers.

Opening the forum, Prime Minister of Tatarstan Ildar Khalikov noted that the TIAF has a special significance for Tatarstan. The Republic is traditionally a region with a developed automotive industry.

Then came the plenary session "A Look at Russia’s Automotive Industry: Trends, Forecasts, Prospects”, where Albert Karimov, head of the Tatarstan Ministry of Industry and Trade, made a report on the state of the automotive industry in Tatarstan. He stressed that the sector accounted for more than 10% of the republic’s total industrial production output, RUB 200 billion. Of these, RUB 150 billion are vehicles, RUB 50 billion are spares and components.

Also during the meeting, a number of reports were heard on the development strategy for the Russia’s automotive industry, measures of State support, and their effectiveness.

On March 29, the first meeting of the Tatarstan-Thuringia Working Group was held on the Kazanskaya Yarmarka premises.

The event was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and Trade of Tatarstan Albert Karimov, Minister for Economic Affairs, Science, and Digital Society of Thuringia Wolfgang Tiefensee, Head of the Economic Development Department at the Thuringian Ministry for Economic Affairs, Science, and Digital Society Sabine Awe, representatives of ministries and departments, as well as top executives of major companies.

The participants to the meeting considered important issues of interregional cooperation between Tatarstan and Thuringia, discussed results of their joint activities achieved to date and set goals and objectives for their further interaction.

At the end of the event, the agreement on international cooperation was signed between the Kazan State Academy of Veterinary Medicine, the Federal Centre for Toxicological, Radiological, and Biological Safety, and fzmb GmbH Forschungszentrum für Medizintechnik und Biotechnologie (Germany). In addition, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and Trade of Tatarstan Albert Karimov and Minister for Economic Affairs, Science, and Digital Society of Thuringia Wolfgang Tiefensee signed the Minutes on the establishment and holding of the first meeting of the Tatarstan-Thuringia Working Group.

On March 29, the Science Slam Industry 2017 intellectual battle was held within the framework of the Tatarstan International Automotive Forum (TIAF), which is intended for popularising scientific achievements and identifying the latest technological developments. The project involved young scientists and students of universities in Kazan and the districts of Tatarstan, and the Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University. A master class on the topic of a stepwise process and necessary competences from defining concept to product launch was presented by an invited expert from the United States.

Albert Karimov highlighted the importance of developing human capital and youth policies to be followed by economic stability and robust entry of Tatarstan into new technological structures. The Minister noted the contribution of the organiser, the Science Arts Lab (winner of the 50 Best Innovative Ideas for Tatarstan 2015). The Science Industry project was first presented by the Science Art Lab with the support from the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Tatarstan within the framework of industry forums as an innovative platform for young professionals and students at the heart of events in the scientific, business, and cultural life of Tatarstan.

This project unites young intellectuals who have a proactive approach to life and opens new horizons for constructively minded and talented youth.

From 29 to 31 March, the Kazanskaya Yarmarka Expo Centre will host the International Automotive Forum TIAF 2017 supported by Automechanika, a leading international exhibition brand in the field of automotive parts, components, and automotive service equipment.

This year's exhibition of the Forum presents the developments of leading automakers, such as Ford Sollers, KAMAZ, Daimler Kamaz Rus, as well as novelties and best products from suppliers of raw materials and automotive components from Russia, Turkey, and China. Exhibition’s items will comprise spare parts and components for cars, trucks, special-purpose machinery; electrical components and electronics, vehicle bodies and vehicle care products; repairs and services; accessories and tuning, service stations and car washes, maintenance and spare parts for trucks.

Within the framework of the TIAF supported by Automechanika, traditional B2B meetings will be held with procurement directors of region’s major automotive companies: KAMAZ, Ford Sollers, Avtotor, ElAZ, Continental Automotive Systems, and ARNPO. Such a format will allow participants to establish effective contacts for their business development.

The International Forum will end with a visit to the production sites of the Republic of Tatarstan: Kamaz, KIP Master, SEZ Alabuga, Ford Sollers, industrial parks Chelny and Chistopol.

On Friday, Moscow saw the wrap-up meeting of the Collegium of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation under the chairmanship of Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. The event was also attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and Trade of the Republic of Tatarstan Albert Karimov.

In the main part of the Collegium programme, Russian Minister of Industry and Trade Denis Manturov presented a report “On the Main Results of Activities by the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation in 2016 and Its Goals and Tasks for 2017”. In his speech, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin called on the Government of the Russian Federation to support Russian defence industry enterprises in the domestic production of medical equipment instead of annually withdrawing funds abroad for its purchase in foreign countries. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich noted the need to improve the quality of transportation in Russia.

At the end of the programme, Denis Manturov presented state awards to heads of industrial enterprises, representatives of Russian regions and employees of the Ministry of Industry and Trade. The honorary diploma by the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation was also awarded to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and Trade of Tatarstan Albert Karimov.

On March 25, Sergei Abramov, Industrial Director for Conventional Arms, Ammunition and Special Chemistry of the Rosteс Corporation, paid a working visit to the Sergo Plant (POZIS).

During the visit, Sergei Abramov, accompanied by Tatarstan Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and Trade Albert Karimov and POZIS Director General Radik Khasanov, attended the Centre for Special Machine Building and the POZIS Complex for Production of Household and Medical Equipment. The attendees learnt about the progress in the set of measures for restructuring industrial facilities, as well as the progress in the construction of a modular boiler house.

In addition, within the framework of the visit, a working meeting was held, during which the development strategy of POZIS was discussed, and the task was set to increase the proportion of civil products about fourfold by 2025.

Today, the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Tatarstan hosted a meeting with members of the Tatarstan Association of Consumer Services and Handicrafts. Within the framework of the event, the participants discussed measures of State support for small and medium-sized businesses.

In his state of the industry report, Tatarstan Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Denis Valeyev noted that the consumer market is an important part of the today’s economy. It is where the everyday needs of the population are met, the level of satisfaction in which finally determines the overall economic performance.

Further, representatives of the Tatarstan Centre for Entrepreneurship Support and the Executive Committee of Kazan made reports on the measures of public and municipal support for small business entities, including corporate customers of the banks that suspended their operations.

At the end of the meeting, letters of gratitude were presented from the Tatarstan Ministry of Industry and Trade on the occasion of the professional holiday, Day of Consumer Services and Public Utilities Workers.

On March 24, the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Republic of Tatarstan hosted a meeting on the introduction of a systematic approach to the upgrade and repair of trucks and special-purpose machinery at enterprises located in Tatarstan and in regions of the Russian Federation.

The event was attended by representatives of the Executive Committee of the World Tatar Congress, the Tatarstan Export Corporation, the Tatarstan Ministry of Transport and Roads, the Tatarstan Ministry of Construction, Architecture and Housing, the Tatarstan Ministry of Agriculture and Foods, as well as republic’s enterprises operating trucks and special-purpose machinery.

During the meeting, the parties discussed the reports by Remdiesel (“Concept of the Truck Fleet Integrated Maintenance”), Korib (“Arrangement of Major Repairs and Maintenance of Vehicles”), and Cummins KAMA (“Reducing the Costs of ISB Engine Repairs”) and compiled joint proposals for the introduction of a systematic approach to the truck fleet maintenance. The Tatarstan Export Corporation proposed to organise cooperation towards the promotion of the Remdiesel and Korib projects in the regions of the Russian Federation and abroad.

Today, the IT Park site hosted the Business Forum between the United Russia Party and the Communist Party of China that was dedicated to regional cooperation in coordinating the development of the Eurasian Economic Union and the New Silk Road projects and dealt with aspects of economic cooperation between the parties. The event was attended by Chairman of the Supreme Council of United Russia Party Boris Gryzlov and Head of the International Liaison Department of the Communist Party of China Song Tao.

Prior to the opening ceremony, a number of dedicated meetings took place, during which Tatarstan Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and Trade Albert Karimov met with leaders of Chinese delegations and representatives of big business. In the course of the discussions, the trade, economic, and industrial potential of the Republic of Tatarstan was presented to the guests. As a result of the meetings, promising areas for cooperation were identified, such as engineering, agriculture, high-tech, energy, and household products.

In pursuance of the meetings, the Foundation for the Development of Russian-Chinese Interregional Cooperation will also be established. In addition, documents have been signed on the establishment in Beijing of a Russian-Chinese Centre of Culture and Business and on the founding of Guohe, a joint insurance company.

These days, Komsomolsk-on-Amur (Khabarovsk Krai) saw a series of qualifying competitions, following which the finalists will go to the Young Professionals National Championship (WorldSkills Russia) to be held on May 16 to 19 in Krasnodar. The competitions will last until March 28 to determine the finalists for 6 competencies of the block “Specialists Engaged in Industrial Production”. The events are attended by Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of Tatarstan Almaz Khusainov, who will also meet with participants and experts on March 24-25, 2017.

The competition sites will bring together 153 winners of the Russia’s regional competitions in mobile robotics, sheet metal working, prototyping, welding technologies, turning and milling operations on CNC machines. All in all, young specialists from 71 regions of Russia arrived to Komsomolsk-on-Amur; their professional skills will be estimated by 161 experts.

WorldSkills today is an international non-profit movement covering more than 75 countries. The mission of WorldSkills International is to raise the profile and recognition of skilled people, and show how important skills are in achieving economic growth and personal success.