Former VW plant in Kaluga to remain idle until March 2024 - union

KALUGA. Nov 29 (Interfax) - The former Volkswagen auto plant in Kaluga will remain idle until February 29, 2024, local union ASM Volkswagen Group Rus LLC reported on social media.

Starting December 4, employees will be idle onsite (office staff in full, other workers for the first shift), the union said.

Employees have until November 30 to accept an offer to resign with three months' pay, the write-off of debts on subsidies for real estate, automobiles and vacation and bonuses for 5/10/15 years of service if the date of service is before August 31, 2024.

German automaker Volkswagen sold its Russian business to Art-Finance LLC, an affiliate of auto dealer Avilon, for 125 million euros in May 2023.

The VW plant, located at the Grabtsevo industrial park in Kaluga, has capacity to produce 225,000 vehicles per year. Until early spring of 2022, the plant produced Volkswagen Polo, Volkswagen Tiguan and Skoda Rapid cars. The company also operated a gasoline engine plant in Kaluga with capacity to produce 150,000 engines per year.