«VYAZMA» IN THE CURRENT CONDITIONS: A TALK ABOUT EVERYTHING

This year in 2023 Vyazemsky machine-building plant will celebrate its 125th anniversary. Founded in 1898 as a craft vocational school, the plant developed and grew under all economic and political circumstances. During the years of its existence, the name of the country changed several times; our people survived several terrible wars; like waves, economic crises rolled over us, and “Vyazma” ‒ here it is: as always, on the front line of our industry.

We, the editors of “Dry Cleaning and Laundry” magazine, regularly and with great pleasure come to Vyazma to enjoy the identity of the ancient Russian town and, of course, to see how the machinery plant lives, what has changed, what is new. During a quarter of a century of our work, we have seen how technological equipment has changed, how working conditions have improved, the territory has been landscaped, new workshops have been opened, and the range of products has grown and improved. Every time we visit the plant, we discover something new. Of course, you can see the new products of the plant in operation every year at the international specialized exhibition CleanExpo, in which, by the way, “Vyazma” has been participating since its foundation in 1999, but only in production comes the understanding of “where everything comes from”: what the plant's present potential is and how it is being realized.

In the difficult years 2020-2021 for everyone, we did not come to the plant - we met only at the exhibition in Moscow. It was all the more interesting to find out how “Vyazma” survived this difficult period and to see what the plant has become today. Looking ahead, let's say that the machinery plant with honor overcame the next tests. During this period, new positions appeared in the production line, the renewal of the technological equipment fleet continued, a new workshop was built and equipped on the territory of the enterprise, and the Board of Honor, opened at the end of September last year on Machine Builder`s Day, became the dominant feature of the central square. It was decorated with photographs of 24 best employees of the enterprise of various specializations.

«People are the main wealth of any enterprise», notes general director of JSC «VMZ» A.V. Kupriyanov ‒ «Vyazemsky machine-building plant is a large team of highly qualified professionals who solve complex problems every day, conduct a comprehensive market analysis, improve the technological process of production, update the model range, jointly ensuring the success and dynamic development of the plant. That is why it was incredibly difficult to choose the best of the best. Each of the employees helps one big “organism”, our plant, to solve complex issues and achieve high results.»

During a recent visit to the factory, we spoke with general director of JSC «Vyazemsky machine-building plant» Alexander Vladimirovich Kupriyanov and commercial director of the enterprise Marina Valentinovna Silantieva, and since the conversation turned out to be long, interesting and very informative, we have tried to systematize it according to the topics that concern us all today.

Pandemic restrictions 2020-2021

– What priority steps have been taken to stabilize operations during the pandemic? Has production stopped during lockdowns?

– Against the background of the pandemic, in accordance with the presidential decree, non-working days were established in the country from March 30 to April 3, 2020 in order to ensure a favorable sanitary and epidemiological situation. It was and only for this period that Vyazemsky machinery plant, like most of the domestic enterprises, suspended its work.

On April 3, the Governor of the Smolensk Region, Alexei Ostrovsky, determined a list of operating strategic organizations of regional importance that have a significant impact on employment and social stability in the region. Among them was Vyazemsky machinery plant. On Monday, April 6, the enterprise resumed its work and production did not stop for a single day during the lockdowns.

– How did the pandemic affect the operations of the plant in general?

– It can be said with confidence that the enterprise during this period did not face any special problems regarding the high incidence of illnesses among employees. All the safety measures taken allowed the plant to avoid outbreaks of the disease at work.

– Many analysts have been talking about a prolonged crisis in the country since the pandemic. How did the pandemic affect the supply of materials and components, as well as the formation of pricing policy? Has an anti-crisis policy been developed at the plant? What aspects of the company's operations did it affect first of all?

–To optimize operations, the company has developed specialized production and sales plans that take into account inventories of materials, component parts, as well as finished equipment and spare parts in case of supply disruptions.It should be noted that while the plant managed to withstand the pandemic, a number of suppliers of materials for our equipment still faced various difficulties. The high growth rates of raw material prices, as well as a number of restrictions imposed in most countries of the world, had a significant impact on the final cost of component parts and led to a significant disruption of supply chains. Under the circumstances, Vyazemsky machinery plant was also forced to adjust selling prices for equipment.

– Did the plant manage to develop and put into production new laundry equipment during these two years?

–Yes. During this period, the department of the chief designer continued to successfully develop new products and modernize the already existing model range of «Vyazma» equipment. Among the new models released in the last two years, – automatic medium-speed washing machine with 50 kg capacity. Consumers have been waiting for the introduction of an inexpensive industrial machine with a large capacity on the market: this is why the V-50 has been in great demand by customers since it went into mass production.

In 2020, Vyazemsky machinery plant mastered its own production of a full range of dry cleaning machines with 8, 12, 16, 22 and 30 kg capacity. The main differences of the series from the machines of the previous generation were a loading door of a larger diameter, a 10-inch touch screen with a simple and most intuitive control system, as well as modern Russian component parts used in the design in order to be less dependent on imports.

Our company paid special attention to the development of ironing equipment. Thus, serial production of the VR-150 carousel ironing press was launched, which replaced Lithuanian КР-521. A foreign manufacturer significantly increased the prices of its products. In this regard, the plant decided to develop a similar domestic press. The model VR-150, introduced into mass production, was able to boast better technical parameters compared to its Lithuanian counterpart: better ironing, reduced power consumption, faster warm-up and increased efficiency.

During this period, the company has also developed a complete range of ironing tables. It included three main models: a low-cost budget table LGS-156.00, an ironing table of medium configuration and cost LGS-159.12 and a professional ironing table of the top configuration LGS-103.34, which was distinguished by an active ironing board of larger size, a turntable for sleeves and lighting of the working surface.

Against the backdrop of the latest events of the current year, the supply of ironing tables from Italy had to be completely stopped by the plant. Thus the decision to start the development and serial production of the full range of “Vyazma” ironing tables came just in time and to the point. Now models of the LGS series are in great demand on the Russian market: their production and sales volume are several times higher than the supply of Italian tables due to lower cost and prompt shipment.

Editorial comment:
On the example of new ironing tables, we can observe «Vyazma» approach to product segmentation: different requirements for configuration and, accordingly, different prices. The plant has always adhered to this principle in the production of washing equipment, offering more complex and more economical equipment (the «Lotos» and «Vega», series сложные или более простые контроллеры и т.д.), more complex or simpler controllers, etc.) In the era of sanctions and restrictions, this becomes especially valuable: industry specialists are not offered «what`s available», but «what you want based on your capabilities and equipment requirements».

– Did the plant manage to take part in exhibitions? What were the features of the exhibition campaign during the pandemic?

– Due to reduced mobility and restrictions on cultural events against the backdrop of the pandemic, the plant only participated in exhibitions in Moscow – these are PIR Expo and CleanExpo, the main industry exhibitions of our plant. There was a slight decrease in the number of visitors, about 30%. To ensure safety at the «Vyazma»booth, we took all the necessary precautions: the day before, employees passed PCR tests, work with customers was carried out in masks and gloves, and disinfection was carried out regularly. Despite the new conditions, the plant successfully completed all the tasks that were set as part of the exhibition campaign. It is also worth noting that in May 2021, the grand opening of the representative office of Vyazemsky Machine-Building Plant in the North-Western Federal District took place in St. Petersburg. On an area of more than 500 m2 there was a showroom, a warehouse of equipment and spare parts, service, a training center. The event was attended by Managers and specialists of industry enterprises, laundries of the region, as well as specialized press. The representative office has become a new, modern format for the plant to work with customers, and a reliable partner was able to provide qualified support for the «Vyazma» brand in the North-West region.

Sanctions and import substitution

– What are the output and sales figures in the first half of this year compared to 2021? How did the new sanctions affect these figures?

– Strange as it may seem, thanks to the sanctions, the plant has significantly increased production volumes. Due to the shortage of foreign supplies, many projects developed on the basis of imported equipment were urgently reoriented to domestic brands of machines, primarily the “Vyazma” brand. The conclusion of new contracts contributed to an increase in sales of more than 30%.

– Who are the main consumers of the plant's products? What has changed in the current conditions?

– «Vyazma» brand equipment is promoted through two main sales channels: through the dealer network of the plant and through direct sales to end customers, including both small companies and large organizations: construction, industrial enterprises, medical institutions, companies in the HoReCa segment, etc.

Under the new conditions, the plant often receives guests. People of the Russian mentality, for the most part, under all equal conditions, make a choice in favor of imports: it is believed that foreign branded equipment guarantees high-quality work. Therefore, when deciding to replace imported equipment with domestic ones, our potential customers want to personally check whether the plant meets international standards.

Regardless of external factors, our company always maintains brand. After viewing, without exaggeration, all the guests give high marks to the production, noting the large fleet of new modern machines and the high level of technology. Today some of the projects have already been successfully implemented by us: «Vyazma» equipment has been delivered to different regions of our country.

Editorial comment:
Indeed, when visiting the plant, new technological equipment draws attention, it replaces or supplements the old one. Such brands of metalworking equipment as Bystronic, Panasonic, Finn Power, Okuma, Behringer, Feeler, Nova Sidera speak for themselves. Since our previous visit to the factory, we have seen the new Feeler gantry machining center, the new Behringer pipe cutting equipment, the new Xpert 80 plate bending machine installed in addition to the Nova Sidera Hercules in order to process smaller parts more efficiently ... The launch of the new workshop will further improve the technological working cycle with incoming metal and the production of workpieces for machine parts.

– How can you characterize the main advantages of «Vyazma» equipment that distinguish it from competitors?

– First of all, «Vyazma» equipment is diverse: the company's catalog contains a complete range of machines for laundries and dry cleaners, able to meet the requirements of the most demanding users.

We know that the logistics of deliveries of similar imported equipment today takes three, four, or even five months. «Vyazma» has all the items presented in the catalog in stock: the client pays today, and tomorrow he can already receive the finished product, order commissioning and issue a service agreement.

Any equipment, as we know, tends to break down, regardless of whether it is domestic or imported. In the event of a breakdown of a foreign-made machine, the delivery time for spare parts (not consumables, but serious spare parts, for example, a shaft support) can take up to six months. You can’t buy them in a regular store, and you have to wait for the original spare part. This frightens many consumers, and they turn their attention to the products of the Vyazemsky machinery plant, especially since the plant provides a 3-year warranty on its products. But if the machine still breaks down, the plant has all the spare parts in stock - equipment downtime will be minimized.

It should also be noted that at present our plant has to deal with unfair competition from other domestic manufacturers that produce cheaper equipment. A number of companies claim technical characteristics, at least, no worse than those of «Vyazma». It is logical that when comparing the parameters remotely on a computer, the buyer acts on the principle «why pay more» ‒ and chooses «economical» ” equipment that uses the cheapest bearings and belts that crumble or tear after several weeks or months of operation; heating elements that burn out and heat poorly; in ironing machines, instead of the declared metal or spring winding, ordinary heat-resistant fabric is used, which shrinks and reduces the quality of ironing products... As it turns out after delivery, the client buys disposable equipment, the service life of which is limited to the first serious breakdown. As a result, the desire to save leads the consumer to unnecessary expenses. You have to pay twice: the first time to the seller of cheap equipment, and the second - as a result changing it to «Vyazma» brand machine.

According to many our users` assessments in Russia and abroad, the equipment manufactured by Vyazemsky machinery plant matches world analogues both in terms of functional characteristics and performance.

Editorial comment:
One can`t help admiring the approach of Vyazemsky Machine-Building Plant to the implementation of the task of import substitution. It is solved here by studying foreign production experience (Chinese Sea Lion plant in the field of dry cleaning machines, Italian Fimas in the production of ironing tables, Alliance in terms of the production of washing and drying columns) and organizing our own production, and not by blind copying, but by improving, by combining truly advanced solutions, both foreign and domestic. As a result, today «Vyazma» products surpass their foreign «prototypes» in a number of items.

–What place in the composition of the equipment do imported components take? What problems arose in the conditions of sanctions with their supply?

Unfortunately, there are no worthy analogues to some foreign-made materials in Russia. According to our calculations, the average share of imported components in «Vyazma» equipment is 35%.

In the circumstances of the sanctions, some manufacturers of materials and components refused to work with the Russian Federation in general and our plant in particular. So, we had to change the supplier of heat-resistant needle-punched fabric, bearings, belts, heating elements and reorient from European and Japanese companies to manufacturers from Turkey, India and China.

The main task now is to maintain the high quality of «Vyazma» equipment, so it is important that new suppliers do not let us down. In terms of the quality of new components, we carry out a mandatory procedure for checking suppliers and auditing the quality of purchased components: in the event that they do not meet the specified requirements, we will continue to search for reliable manufacturers around the world.

Editorial comment:
Even with all these difficulties, the warehouse of spare parts and components at the Vyazemsky Machine-Building Plant today is able to provide requests from all users of «Vyazma» brand equipment for a long time to come. It is certain to say, in particular, that the quality of ironing belts, steel wool, spring cover, drive belts and other components will not change even if the brand of the supplier changes for some item. Many well-known brands, such as the Indian belt manufacturer Darwin, will stay with us under any circumstances.

–What tasks did the commercial service have to solve in the last two years? What difficulties did you encounter at the enterprise in the selection of import substitution options? How did the already found options show themselves in comparison with imported ones?

A great achievement of the commercial service is that there was no shortage of components and spare parts. We invest significant resources in maintaining a finished goods warehouse. About 1000 units of equipment are always available at the enterprise, as well as a wide range of the most popular spare parts.

Besides that, the plant pays great attention to the comprehensive promotion of the «Vyazma» brand on various platforms: online advertising, social networks, exhibitions, posting articles in magazines and popular industry Internet portals.

In 2021, the commercial service carried out significant work to obtain the ST-1 certificate, confirming the production of industrial products in the Russian Federation. Now each procurement participant offering «Vyazma» equipment can download a form from the register and provide it to the customer to confirm the Russian origin of the proposed goods. This additional promotional tool allows us to further strengthen the winning positions of our partners.

The main difficulty that we faced, along with finding a reliable supplier, was the transfer of funds. Not all banks from foreign countries agreed to work with Russia. In addition, the plant's settlement accounts in rubles, dollars and euros were opened in banks that were in the sanctions lists. We had to revise the options of domestic banks that would be able to transfer in a certain currency to the countries of interest to us. The result of painstaking work was the establishment of stable financial and economic links with new partners and the successful implementation of contracts for the supply of materials and components.

– Did the plant plan to develop and launch production of new equipment in 2022?

In 2022 a new flatwork ironer with 800 mm cylinder diameter and 2800 mm ironing zone width was developed and presented at the CleanExpo-2022 exhibition.

The main difference of the new model from analogues is that it is equipped with a stainless steel cylinder and its own exhaust system with two fans.

Also at the exhibition that year, a modernized washer-dryer set VSSK-11 was presented. We managed to significantly lighten the machine by changing the design of the drying section, excluding the shaft with support and placing the drum on rollers, as well as halving the power consumption. The new machine controllers allow the customer to use a remote connection via wi-fi or a GSM network to implement the «smart laundry» concept and monitoring of its operation, the current status and equipment diagnostics (this is especially true when using sets in self-service laundries). The launch of the new model into mass production was scheduled for the end of 2022.

– What tasks does the plant set for itself in the near future?

The main task for us is not to drop the quality of imported components and spare parts that will replace those that have been sanctioned. Second, no less important goal is to at least prevent a drop in sales next year, and as a maximum to increase sales even more. For this, more attention will be paid to customer service support, as well as maintaining the right price / quality ratio.

We will continue to actively work with the plant's dealer network and service centers to identify new needs of the industry, which will become relevant against the backdrop of the withdrawal of a number of foreign companies from the Russian market. Exactly this aproach, in our opinion, will be able to ensure the uninterrupted and productive activity of the enterprise for equipping laundries throughout Russia and abroad with equipment of the “Vyazma” brand. Also, we pay special attention to design activities (selection of equipment, placement, power calculation and placement of engineering systems) at the request of the customer.

We are confident that our long-term reputation as a reliable partner will help us meet the market demand for equipment for laundry and dry cleaning, as well as ensure the company's activities in the future.

Editorial comment:
What else we haven't said in this review about Vyazemsky Machine-Building Plant of 2022? Perhaps the fact that a lot of attention is paid to the culture of production. This includes a clear distribution of flows, and quick and convenient access to tools and the necessary components, parts and components, and work with customers at the stage of equipment selection and subsequent sales support ... And the most important, – «Vyazma» ” is always open to all current and potential users of its products. This applies not only to visiting the enterprise, but also to feedback regarding the operation of the equipment. Any feedback, positive or negative, is welcome, because together we can all become even better – just like the machines we work.

The article was prepared by Leonid BERTSEV, Artem POMINOV. Drycleaning Laundry Magazine №3.