Editor Ostashov: Construction Fasteners a Prime Export for Russian Sales

John Wolz

The construction market is a major opportunity for fastener manufacturers wanting to export to Russia, the editor of a Russian fastener magazine advised.
Alexander Ostashov of Fasteners, Adhesives & Tools pointed out that “market activity is so intense and Russian manufacturers produce only the simple types of building fasteners.”
Both Hilti and W�rth have increased sales without discounting prices, Ostashov observed. Koelner built a factory near Saint Petersburg and Fischer opened a Moscow office.
In addition, many Russian companies now import standard construction fasteners directly from Asia as much as from Europe.
Ostashov told Fastener & Fixing Europe magazine “specialized fastener products represent an important area of opportunity. Only a few kinds are produced by Russian enterprises for example, there is no anchor manufacturing in Russia.
“However, the possibilities for foreign specialized fasteners are poorly presented in Russia and fastener consumers are informed only to a small degree. The designer or construction engineer needs to better understand the advantages of this or that fastener. Engineers in Russia might not know the advantages of a new fastener in application because preference is still given to variants prescribed for decades. The director of one construction engineering firm admitted that they had not risked the use of chemical anchors in an important project, and used through-bolts instead.”
Overcoming this deficiency of technical information is one of the paramount factors in developing sales of new fixing elements into Russia, Ostashov advised.
“There are now several Russian businesses actively supplying fasteners imported from different countries,” Ostashov said. “Those with two or three years” operational experience with foreign sources have little difficulty establishing new contacts. For the less experienced, wishing to expand their range and enter new business areas, it is more difficult.”
There are technological obstacles to exporting to Russia. E-mail is used routinely but connections are not always reliable. Ostashov recommends duplicate messages through faxing or mailing.
“The principal causes of barriers, though, are connected to the human factor,” Ostashov noted. “First of all, there is a real language barrier. For many years English and German have been taught in Russian high schools.” But even English-speaking Russians may lack confidence in being understood.
Ostashov recommended translating marketing materials for Russian trade shows and sales calls.
Also Russians are “vigilant about information not reaching competitors,” Ostashov added. “The adjustment from the structured functioning of Russian enterprises to becoming contenders in a competitive field has been an uncomfortable one.”
He also suggests “details of your expectations from potential partners and a list of applications or projects in which your products have successfully been applied. These things can promote the removal of barriers and make for a more effective search for Russian partners.” Web: fastinfo.ru \ �2007 FastenerNews.com