Replenishment of the fleet of vehicles: small-tonnage and medium-tonnage Forland chassis will be brought to Russia

The corresponding distribution agreement was signed by Avtodom Group of Companies and Mercedes-Benz Rus JSC. The parties managed to decide on plans to expand the joint business.

The fact that the Avtodom group of companies closed the deal to acquire the Russian assets of the German manufacturer Mercedes-Benz became known at the beginning of this week. As a result, Mercedes-Benz Rus JSC (official distributor in the Russian Federation), Mercedes-Benz Manufacturing Rus plant near Moscow, Mercedes-Benz Bank Rus, Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Rus (leasing subsidiary ”) and Mercedes-Benz Capital Rus (this company was engaged in leasing, factoring and car insurance).

Now Avtodom Group of Companies and Mercedes-Benz Rus JSC continue to determine further plans for expanding the joint business. In the course of this process, at the end of April in the city of Zhucheng (Shandong Province, China), the parties signed a distribution agreement for the supply of Chinese Forland brand equipment to Russia. The companies received exclusive rights to import light and medium-duty chassis of this brand.

Pictured: Forland L3

According to a press release, the companies intend to supply the Russian market with a wide range of Forland chassis with a gross weight of 3.5 to 18 tons. According to the plan, the start of sales of the brand's products should take place in the second half of this year. GC «Avtodom» and JSC «Mercedes-Benz Rus» are going to continue to cooperate with local body makers and sell complete cars in the Russian Federation with the types of bodies most in demand among consumers.

According to Andrey Olkhovsky, CEO of Avtodom Group of Companies, the company began negotiations with the Forland brand at the end of 2022. “For us, the commercial transport segment is an important strategic business area that we plan to expand, including by attracting reliable partners from Russia and other countries,” he noted. The head of Avtodom also promised consumers «the most comfortable conditions for purchase and operation» and «affordable after-sales service in the shortest possible time.»

>Pictured: Forland L7

Natalya Koroleva, General Director of Mercedes-Benz Rus JSC, added that the new agreement will allow the company to «expand its product portfolio» and offer customers «a level of service that will meet their high requirements.» The company looks forward to further cooperation with sales and service centers, as well as to attract new partners interested in new segments.

The Forland brand operates in the global market and produces equipment for various business segments. The list of products includes light-duty and medium-duty trucks promised by the Russian Federation. The equipment of this brand is used to meet the industrial and domestic needs of customers.

Recall that the new owner of the former Mercedes-Benz plant in the Moscow region intends to restart the enterprise in the future. True, Avtodom Group of Companies still does not report which cars will now roll off this assembly line. According to unofficial information, the site in Esipovo may begin to be used for the production of cars of the Chinese luxury brand Hongqi (translated as “red banner”). By the way, today Hongqi officially announced its entry into the Russian market.