Governor Alexander Beglov spoke about the former Nissan plant in Saint Petersburg and emphasized that no reductions or layoffs are planned. The update was shared with TASS and signals a careful approach to safeguarding the site’s workforce as it transitions into a new phase of production under a different corporate banner.
Beglov outlined a collaboration involving the Ministry of Industry and Trade, AvtoVAZ, and local authorities to steer projects at the plant. The aim is to have continuity for the workers while the site shifts to manufacturing under the Lada brand. This plan centers on maintaining jobs, protecting social guarantees that already exist at the enterprise, and ensuring a stable employment environment for the current staff. In particular, the governor highlighted that two thousand positions will be preserved, a commitment that underpins ongoing operations and signals confidence to employees and suppliers alike.
Beyond keeping the current crew intact, Beglov stressed the importance of retaining highly qualified engineers and technicians who are in high demand across the market. Retaining this talent pool is viewed as essential to achieving a smooth transition and sustaining product quality during the handover to new production lines. The focus on specialized expertise aligns with broader regional goals to attract investment, sustain industrial activity, and nurture a workforce capable of supporting advanced manufacturing in the area, as reported by TASS.
In related remarks, Maxim Sokolov, who previously led AvtoVAZ and remains a significant figure in the company’s domestic strategy, indicated ambition to restart production at the Saint Petersburg plant. According to Sokolov, AvtoVAZ plans to manufacture about four hundred thousand vehicles in the upcoming year and aims to expand capacity to meet growing demand. He noted that by the end of the year prior to the current period the enterprise had been producing around two hundred thousand cars, signaling a substantial ramp in output as operations stabilize under the new framework. These statements outline a bold path for the plant, blending continuity with expansion as the company pivots away from the Nissan legacy toward a broader Lada lineup and a renewed manufacturing footprint for the region.