The Toyota plant located in the Shushary district near St. Petersburg has moved from idle status to a full shutdown, a turn confirmed by the Ministry of Industry and Trade and reported by RBC. The facility has remained non-operational since early March as management worked through ongoing supply-chain challenges. Despite efforts to establish new supplier links, the plant was unable to stabilize orders or secure reliable inputs, leading to its closure.
Looking ahead, there are possible scenarios for the site’s future, including a prospective sale. There is little indication that Toyota will return to car production at this location. Kommersant, reporting independently, notes the likelihood that the plant will not resume manufacturing activities. Meanwhile, compensation at the workforce level is set to increase, with staff at the factory and the Moscow office receiving a boost of more than a dozen salaries as part of the transition arrangements.
At the St. Petersburg site, Toyota previously produced its best-selling models for the domestic market, notably the Camry and the RAV4. The plant’s design capacity was around 100,000 units per year, reflecting the city’s role as a regional hub for automotive assembly. The project began with the laying of the foundation stone in 2005 and the formal start of production in 2007, events attended by President Vladimir Putin. In the ensuing years, other automakers such as Nissan and Hyundai also established facilities in St. Petersburg, yet since March both automotive corridors have paused operations as well.
Industry insiders emphasize that the closure will not disrupt Toyota or Lexus owners’ current arrangements. The dealer network and after-sales service are expected to continue functioning, and showrooms have not been receiving new vehicles since February. In the lead-up to the shutdown, pre-assembled cars at the St. Petersburg plant were disassembled to salvage spare parts for warranty obligations, ensuring that existing owners retain access to necessary service and parts support. Observers note that these decisions reflect a broader strategic shift within the regional automotive sector, where supply constraints and geopolitical factors have constrained production patterns across multiple brands.
Sources indicate that the operational pause is unlikely to alter the obligations of regional distributors or the cadence of service centers, though new vehicle availability in Russia has been constrained for several months. The broader context includes the aim to preserve core customer support while assessing the long-term value and utilization of existing assets. When considered alongside the plant’s historical role in the local economy, the shutdown marks a significant moment for workers, suppliers, and regional planners who have tracked the site since its early days. For those following the brand, the situation remains one of cautious attention to the evolving strategy and market conditions—all while the focus remains on protecting warranty coverage and maintaining service networks for Toyota and Lexus vehicles.—Cited commentary from Kommersant and RBC, with corroboration from industry sources.