Sollers group is advancing plans to begin manufacturing safety components at its Ulyanovsk facility in 2025. The project entails producing airbags, steering wheels, seat belts, and electronic control units, with a loan of 1.2 billion rubles secured from the Industrial Development Fund to support the rollout, according to the company’s press service.
Officials note that this initiative marks a first for domestic manufacturers in Russia, moving away from reliance on foreign suppliers for these critical safety parts. Safety System Components LLC, a Sollers PJSC subsidiary, has also secured a concessional loan from the Federal Investment Fund to localize the production of passive safety system elements. The operation will focus on critical automotive safety components within the UAZ industrial park, with mass production slated to commence in 2025.
The funding from the Federal Investment Fund will finance new technology acquisitions, including foam filling machinery, component assembly lines, fabric cutting and sewing equipment, printed circuit board assembly lines, and control unit assembly. It will also support testing equipment to verify the performance of all passive safety components and systems.
Buyers of the safety systems will include Sollers group entities and other Russian car and light commercial vehicle manufacturers. The project is expected to create more than 200 new jobs, with total investments estimated at 1.5 billion rubles.
In 2022, Denis Manturov, then head of Russia’s Ministry of Industry and Trade and currently Deputy Prime Minister, highlighted that developing domestic airbags production is a key objective for strengthening the Russian automotive sector. This emphasis aligns with a broader push to boost local manufacturing and reduce dependence on foreign supply chains. [Source: Sollers press materials]
It is also worth noting that Russia has recently showcased a range of new vehicle concepts and models, underscoring ongoing efforts to expand domestic automotive capabilities and supply networks.