10 Dec 2009 17:59

GM-Avtovaz cuts production 50% in 2009

SAMARA. Dec 10 (Interfax) - The GM-Avtovaz joint venture expects production in 2009 to exceed 23,000 cars, the company told Interfax.

That is almost 60% less than the total of 54,654 cars it produced in 2008.

GM-Avtovaz produced 10,399 cars in the first half of 2009, barely one-third the 29,656 produced in the first half last year.

The company shut down the assembly line three times in 2009: March 2-10, June 13-26 and August 3-31.

GM-Avtovaz began producing vehicles in September 2002. In 2007, it produced 55,052 Chevrolet Niva and Chevrolet Viva models. In mid-March 2008, the company announced it would halt production of the Chevrolet Viva. It began making an updated version of the Chevrolet Niva on March 10, 2009.

The company currently employs about 1,000.