Daimler - Kamaz
 

European truck makers have been pushing into Russia in recent years, when a boom in construction created a market with bumper sales.
Daimler is the world's largest truckmaker and they are considering a 10% ($250 million) stake in Kamaz, Russia's largest truckmaker.

What with?

We had a couple of Belaz dump trucks working in a quarry up here about 25-30yrs ago

Please explain

My point is that all vehicle manufacturers (including Daimler) are suffering from reduced turnover, so finding funds for investment in yet further vehicle manufacturing facilities (especially considering that KAMAZ are also facing a 20% downturn) makes the deal questionable. Whilst the logic of association between the two was (is?) sound, finding the 'spare' cash to pay KAMAZ will (IMO) be well nigh impossible.

What I didn't say was Daimler had planned buying a 42% stake in Kamaz and became wary of spending too much cash because of the severe downturn in the industry thus reducing it to 10%. Daimler is one of the few makers that still has plenty of cash.
The Russian market is poised to become one of the world's largest for trucks and Kamaz has a 30% market share with revenues of $3.8 billion.

http://www.moscowtimes.ru/article/600/42/373127.htm
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p...&refer=germany
OTOH, I agree that now is a good time to establish new potential markets.

Kamaz is to supply 1,600 trucks and spare parts worth US $ 2,6 million to Turkmenistan by the end of 2008. The list of KAMAZ major Turkmenistan's customers includes oil and gas, defence, interior, energy and industry, construction and healthcare ministries and other state organizations.