the Russian car manufacturer Hyundai – LLC “Hyundai Motor manufacturing Rus” – has filed a petition with the Federal Antimonopoly service of Russia (FAS) of the receipt of the property 94,83% General Motors plant in Shushary. As reported by the Antimonopoly authority, the application is approved.
General Motors announced the withdrawal from Russia in March 2015, after 20 years of market presence. Only in the local production capacity, the company invested more than $450 million the Company produces Chevrolet Cruze and Opel Astra, and also led SKD Assembly of the Chevrolet Trailblazer, Chevrolet Tahoe, Chevrolet Captiva and several Cadillac models. In 2015, it planned to expand the company’s capacity from 98 to 230 thousand cars, and by 2018 – to achieve the localization of production to 60%. The decision to leave was taken “to protect GM from a significant cost on the market with an unclear long term”, explained President and CEO Dan Ammann.
In the past year to purchase the plant in Shushary was planned by the Belarusian concern “unison”. In January 2019, even the FAS approved the petition of the Belarusian automaker on the purchase of the asset. However, Smolny is not supported by the investor.
Hyundai and KIA Vehicles currently produced at the plant in St. Petersburg in the industrial area Kamenka in Kaliningrad. In June 2020 in St. Petersburg began construction of a plant for the production of engines by Hyundai WIA. The company planned to launch production line in 2021. But now, under the brands of Hyundai and KIA come out with new models, which may require additional capacity. “This will be especially true if the company decided to develop the former GM plant both brands,” – said the expert of “Auto-Dealer-SPb” Denis Gavrilov.
