Russian logging companies are in no hurry to buy new equipment

Russian logging companies are not in a hurry to renew their fleet of equipment, according to a survey by Roslesinforga. Only about 30% of respondents consider buying equipment, and despite the sanctions, the majority still prefers imported products. Russian machinery is in demand only in the timber export segment. Experts believe that as the demand for fleet renewal grows, suppliers from China will begin to enter the Russian market.

Only 30% of Russian logging companies are considering the possibility of purchasing equipment, showed a survey by Roslesinforga, in which more than 1.5 thousand industry representatives participated. According to the survey data, the companies mainly use foreign equipment, with John Deere and Ponsee harvesters (universal harvester) and forwarders (conveyor-loader) being the most in demand. Also in the top three of the most popular equipment are combines, including Belarusian ones. Those market participants who do not rule out the purchase of equipment mainly want to purchase foreign machines, while 35% are ready to purchase Russian-made forestry equipment.

According to Roslesinforg, 39,000 pieces of equipment are working in the forest complex. Including 22 thousand caterpillar tractors, mainly domestic production, 5 thousand imported harvesters and 7 thousand forwarders. The industry also employs 1.5 thousand feller bunchers and another 3.5 thousand other devices.

In the field of spare parts, companies also tend to import products: 33.7% buy new parts through parallel imports, 20.4% each are enterprises that buy imported used and new Russian spare parts, another 17.3% use spare parts from the existing fleet , and 8.2% make their own parts.

Sources of Kommersant in the industry explained that forestry engineering in Russia has to be created almost from scratch, since the factories created in Soviet times are no longer working or require significant modernization. By and large, there is nothing for loggers to choose from. The largest companies in the sector confirm that so far there is no critical situation with the provision of logging equipment, but in the future, when a large-scale renewal of the fleet is required, problems may arise. Sector participants are confident that the transition from imported equipment familiar to companies will be gradual and rather long.

Now, as explained in Roslesinforge, Russian manufacturers are mastering the production of the most popular parts that wear out quickly and are consumed in large quantities: manipulator boom telescopes, harvester knives, rotary columns for combine harvesters. In the field of timber export, domestic manufacturers of equipment have stronger positions – at the end of last year, their share exceeded 55%. Mostly KamAZ and Ural vehicles are used in this area, in this segment Russian equipment will displace imported vehicles in the near future. In particular, KamAZ’s logging complex is being prepared for implementation, and its testing is scheduled for the end of summer.

The need for own equipment is quite high, Pavel Chashchin, director of Roslesinforg, believes. “Most of the machines have been in operation for several decades and need to be replaced. The park is renewed by about 3% per year, and the degree of depreciation in logging exceeds 53%,” he said.

The WhatWood agency believes that in the near future, Chinese suppliers of equipment, which is practically not supplied to Russia, may enter the Russian logging market in the near future. They remind that China is one of the three largest world loggers. An alternative from Belarus is also appearing – Amkodor is going to produce harvesters, forwarders, skidders, loaders and chippers at a plant in Karelia.

Olga Mordyushenko