REGION–KOPŘIVNICE
Family Silver of Czech
Motoring from Kopřivnice
Building a good name for a brand is one of the pillars of business
success. The Tatra Trucks a.s. car manufacturing company can be
considered a Czech heritage. We spoke to marketing manager
Ing. Kamil Košťal, MBA about the company‘s vision for the future
and their activities in the Moravian-Silesian Region.
The Kopřivnice based truck manufacturer,
Tatra, belongs to the oldest car producers in
the world, having been created in 1850. How
is the company influencing the automotive
industry in the Czech Republic and also
abroad?
Throughout its existence on the market, Tatra
has produced a variety of products, from
carriages and buggies through locomotives
and railway wagons to cars and trucks. Even
though Tatra has a famous tradition in the
production of cars, the company’s current
and future efforts are focused on commercial
vehicles that incorporate the usage of the Tatra
central load-carrying tube with independently
suspended swinging half-axles. These vehicles
enable efficient operation even in the most
difficult terrains, mainly at construction sites,
in mines and in forests. They are therefore
an appropriate choice for fire engines,
ambulances and, of course, the Army.
You mentioned that one of the company’s
conceptions is to strengthen its position as
a one-of-a-kind manufacturer of commercial
vehicles. How is fulfilling this vision coming
along?
Nowadays, Tatra is solely focused on custom
production. Each vehicle is basically an original;
only a handful of projects concern vehicle
numbers that exceed a number of several
dozen. We focus on clients that operate their
vehicles in mixed and difficult terrains, where
Tatra’s chassis conception has no competition
and cannot be easily replaced. We are thereby
managing to successfully fulfill our vision.
The Tatra Trucks company was successfully
restructured in 2013. Can you describe the
changes that occurred?
Two new owners entered Tatra, two Czech
businessmen, which hold Tatra dearly in
their hearts and consider it a prestigious
project, and their actions match this
sentiment. In cooperation with company
management, they defined a realistic and
successful business strategy that focuses on
providing specialized vehicles for special
customers, for which Tatra is very desirable as
a unique supplier. They invest in technological
development, company modernization, and
even the company’s historical legacy. Thanks
to their efforts, projects like the revitalization
of the national technological monument,
the Slovenská Strela motor railway engine,
or construction of a new Tatra museum, are
made a reality. Building up a positive image
of Tatra has also helped in gaining support of,
for example, The Moravian-Silesian Region
and the Czech government for the projects.
by our employees, not only financially, but
also through other means. The opening of
the new truck museum is being facilitated
in collaboration with the Moravian-Silesian
Region and the city of Kopřivnice.
You export Tatra vehicles to more than
100 countries globally. That is a really big
portfolio. What are some places with high
demand for the vehicles of this famous
brand?
The domestic market of the Czech and Slovak
Republics remains a key customer. Excluding
those, Tatra Trucks has been successful in
the markets of Central and Western Europe,
the Middle East, Central and South Asia,
and South America. Countries without
a high quality infrastructure logically hold
more potential for all-wheel-drive vehicles
with multiple axles. This includes third-world
countries, but also remote places with low
population density.
The Tatra brand represents the Czech
automotive tradition. How do you
personally perceive it?
Tatra was always special, it always subverted
established trends, whether in technical
solutions or its individual approach to
customers. Currently, it is probably the only
custom truck manufacturer that has such
a diverse customer base without being part
of a multinational group--civilian vehicles,
Army and fire fighting specials. I therefore
hope that Tatra is able to maintain this singular
position in the future, and that it is continually
able to show this facet to customers.
Tatra is a significant employer in the
Kopřivnice region. Do you also support
some organizations or projects that help
regional development?
Yes, we try to support local cultural and
sporting activities, including ones held
An inseparable part of company
development is innovation: what are your
commercial and financial advancements in
this field?
One recent trend is the effort to finalize
production of products in regions where they
are later sold, used, and serviced. Currently,
we are working in various parts of the world
on projects concerning the construction
of assembly and service plants that would
assemble our vehicles meant for local
operation.
Thank you for the interview.
Text: Kamil Košťál
Foto: archiv TATRA TRUCKS, a. s.
www.tatra.cz
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