MAHLE plans logistics center for the aftermarket in Russia

Press release [PDF; 80 KB]

Stuttgart/Moscow, June 06, 2012—With the purchase of a 50,000 square meter plot of land in Obninsk/Russia, MAHLE heralds a new phase of its aftermarket strategy in Eastern Europe.

Plans are in place to develop a 10,000 square meter shipping center for the spare parts business in Russia and Belarus, located in Obninsk in the Kaluga region about 70 km southwest of Moscow. Construction will begin in 2013 and the start of operations is planned for early 2014. At a later stage, MAHLE production units may also be localized at the site.

The production of light vehicles (passenger cars and light commercial vehicles) in Russia was at 2.1 million vehicles in 2011, with total vehicle sales reaching 2.6 million units. MAHLE forecasts assume an annual average growth in vehicle sales of between four and five percent up to 2017.

There are approximately 40 million vehicles currently registered in Russia and Belarus. Of these vehicles, about eight million are between five and ten years old and about 15 million over ten years old. This decline in the average age of registered vehicles and increase in the number of vehicles in use to 51 million by 2017 will lead to an increased demand for quality spare parts from brands like MAHLE.

“In recent years, we were able to continually optimize the MAHLE Aftermarket sales network in Russia and Belarus and bring the business volume to a level that justifies a regional office in Russia,” commented Arnd Franz, Head of the Aftermarket business unit at MAHLE. “In the future, we anticipate a significant increase in our market share through our regional presence and the shorter distances to our customers in all regions of Russia and Belarus, while expanding our product range,” continued Arnd Franz.

The MAHLE Group is one of the 30 largest companies in the automotive supply industry worldwide. With its two business units Engine Systems and Components and Filtration and Engine Peripherals, MAHLE ranks among the top three systems suppliers worldwide for piston systems, cylinder components, as well as valve train, air management, and liquid management systems. The Industry business unit bundles the MAHLE Group's industrial activities. These include the areas of large engines, industrial filtration, as well as cooling and air-conditioning systems. The Aftermarket business unit serves the independent spare parts market with MAHLE products in OE quality. In 2011, the MAHLE Group achieved sales of around EUR 6 billion (USD 8.3 billion); approximately 49,000 employees work at over 100 production plants and eight research and development centers.