Aramine in Russia and Central Asia: how to succeed in a huge market

Aramine, the French manufacturer of mining and underground machinery, is a firm fixture at the MiningWorld events. The company has a major presence in Russia and the Central Asia, with their equipment used at major projects region-wide.

The company has been in the Russian and Central Asian mining world for quite some time - and Christophe and Marc Melkonian, Aramine’s joint Presidents, have been there right from the beginning. “Aramine and Russia is an old story,” Christophe Melkonian told MiningWorld Central Asia. “Our first entry into Russia was made in Soviet times, when we worked with several kombinaty (Russian production factories) to provide spare parts and components.”

It is this long history that has laid the foundations for Aramine’s continued presence in Russia and Central Asia - but the group was helped in those days by the good reputation of French equipment in the Soviet mining sector. Aramine is now a fully integrated provider of mining and underground solutions, with machinery, vehicles and parts to suit any buyer in the sector, but among the group’s initial areas of focus was axle supply - and these proved highly popular in Russia.

Staying power
So that’s how the story began - and it has continued for well over two decades, with Aramine a longstanding participant in the Russian and Central Asian markets. What’s the secret to this staying power?

“Our knowledge of the culture and local market,” said Marc Melkonian. “We have a better understanding of the Russian culture thanks to our native sales area managers. Moreover, our significant experience in export, even in isolated regions, is very useful in Asia.”

Another vital aspect is the local presence - which has given Aramine an unbeatable knowledge of the market and the nimbleness to adapt to changes in the market as they come. “Our reactivity, thanks to our local partners and regional sales managers on-site is one of our great competitive advantages, plus our know-how and our large stock of spare parts and components,” added Christophe.

This helps to provide what many businesses have discovered to be the key element to making a success of things in Russia - trust. “To do business in Russia, you have to build strong relationships of trust and maintain them, with an uninterrupted presence, to reach their high expectations,” said Marc. Of course, the Russian language is part and parcel of this - more so than in most markets, a command of Russian and willingness to adopt the country’s unique culture has further solidified Aramine’s position.

The miniLoader® from Aramine

The next 20 years?
What does the future hold? Russian and Central Asian mines are now right up there with the international leaders in terms of the quality of equipment used in them, according to the Melkonians, and this has kept Aramine on its toes when it comes to the product range available. “Mines have been considerably developed in the last years,” said Marc. “In productivity but also in technology, it was necessary to adapt our products to follow this market in expansion.”

One of the ways Aramine has kept up with what’s been happening on the technological side of things is at the MiningWorld events. The group has taken part in MiningWorld Russia and Mining World Central Asia for the past 20 years - and they are back this year too. “We have been participating in MiningWorld events for 20 years,” said Christophe. “They have allowed us to deepen our knowledge of the local market, meet new customers, and expand our network.”

“These are very important events and it is essential for us that Aramine is seen there every year to remind people of our presence on the market, and reveal new products to our customers,” added Marc.

Meet Aramine and more at MiningWorld Central Asia 2017
MiningWorld Central Asia is the largest and most respected event focused on mining and metallurgy in Central Asia.

The show brings together leading equipment and machinery manufacturers and industry specialists to present the full range of mining and mineral processing technologies and services.

This year’s show takes place between 20-22 September 2017 at the Atakent Exhibition Centre, Almaty, Kazakhstan. To meet companies like Aramine and more industry leaders, download your e-ticket today - and make sure you use the promo code MWK242017 to save yourself 2000 tenge.