Belo deny dumping
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ALLEGATIONS that Relax tipper vehicles are being sold on the British market in a "dumping operation" were denied by the Russian manufacturer's distributor this week.
The allegations are contained in a Department of Trade report on the company and were revealed in the House of Commons last week by Trade Under-Secretary Michael Meacher in answer to a question.
Mr Meacher told the House that following the investigation by the DoT the Russians had given assurances that two models would be imported into Britain at higher prices. That would not constitute dumping.
UMO Plant of Letchworth, which distributes Belaz in Britain, said the dumping claim was "ludicrous".
A company spokesman told CM: "There is no way that we accept that the inquiry proved that we were dumping the vehicles – they were judged against totally different machines.
"We can beat the UK prices for the similar machines because they are Russian machines – there is no competition and there is an enormous market. The unit cost of these machines is mind-boggling."
"We are still making a profit on these machines, we have 10 per cent of the market with the 15-tonner and we are happy to give a good service to that proportion of the market customers."
UMO Plant has nov increased the prices for al Belaz equipment. "We realise( that we would have to put tin prices up anyway," said spokesman, "but we are happ: with our marketing policy."