Kaluga Automobile Plant PSMA Rus LLC is set to resume operations on December 18, according to reports from RIA Novosti, referencing Vladislav Shapsha, the governor of the Kaluga region.
We spoke with PSMA management about the challenges the company faced while retooling and restructuring. The governor noted that on the 18th, which is next Monday, the facility will become operational again.
Details regarding which car models the former PSMA Rus LLC plant will produce and the planned production volume were not disclosed. Information about the level of investment in the project has not been released either.
The automobile factory PSMA Rus LLC has been idle since April 2022. The plant previously operated a full cycle, producing a range of vehicles including minibuses, compact vans, and commercial vehicles, with some units destined for the European market. The Mitsubishi brand, in a joint venture holding 30 percent with Stellantis, produced the Outlander and Pajero Sport SUVs at the facility.
Earlier reports noted that in 2023 Russia imported 992.2 thousand passenger cars in the first eleven months alone.