The Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade has pledged to back the new owner of the Kaluga Volkswagen plant with a coordinated plan to restart production and restore normal operations. This commitment comes as part of ongoing state support aimed at preserving jobs and accelerating the return to full manufacturing activity at the facility. The ministry indicated that all shares held by the Russian subsidiaries of the Volkswagen concern have now transferred to the new owner, and the workforce connected with these operations will remain employed as the restart progresses. The government emphasized that this transition will be accompanied by comprehensive assistance designed to speed up the plant’s restart and ensure a smooth ramp-up of production in Kaluga. [RIA Novosti]
Earlier, Volkswagen Group confirmed that Art-Finance LLC, a subsidiary of the Avilon dealer group, had become the new owner in the settlement of the company’s Russian assets. This change in ownership marks a pivotal step in reestablishing the plant’s contribution to the local and national automotive supply chain. [RIA Novosti]
Under the new ownership, Volkswagen Group Rus LLC took over Volkswagen Components and Services, Scania Leasing, Scania Finance, and Scania Insurance, in addition to the Kaluga distribution and aftermarket plant. The Kaluga site historically produced the Tiguan and Polo models, along with the Skoda Rapid, and its temporary shutdown since March 2022 has been a hurdle for the regional industry. With the takeover, plans are in place to retool and resume assembly lines, align supplier networks, and reestablish quality controls to meet current market demand. The restart strategy includes phased production, renewed supplier onboarding, and safety upgrades to safeguard workers while meeting stringent emission and safety standards. [RIA Novosti]
Industry observers note that reactivating the Kaluga site is a signal of renewed foreign-investment confidence in Russia’s automotive sector, while also highlighting the importance of a coordinated federal and regional policy framework to support manufacturing resilience. The new ownership is expected to collaborate closely with local authorities to address logistics, export potential, and workforce training needs, ensuring that the plant can ramp up to full capacity in the shortest feasible timeframe. [RIA Novosti]