AMO plant in Kaluga begins operations, plans to assemble 2,000 Next brand trucks in 2024
MOSCOW. Dec 14 (Interfax) - The JSC AMO Kaluga Automobile Plant belonging to the Industrial Investments group (the former Russian Volvo Trucks site) has begun assembling large-tonnage trucks under the Next brand and plans to produce 2,000 units in 2024, the group's press service said.
Next brand vehicles are produced from kits. As reported on the Russian Automobile Telegram channel, they are kits for Ural vehicles supplied to Kaluga from the city of Miass, Chelyabinsk region. The Industrial Investments group reports that on the first day of production at AMO, 18 cars were undergoing assembly. By the end of the year, it is planned to have 50 vehicles in production.
"Today, with full responsibility, I can state that the plant is 100% ready for full-fledged operation; all necessary preparatory measures have been completed," Andrei Alexandrov, general director of Industrial Investments, said.
He said that the company is now conducting another round of negotiations with foreign partners. In the future, the management of the AMO plant plans to expand the range of cars it produces, and "therefore, it is open to economic and production partnerships with interested parties."
"Today the enterprise is ready to reach full capacity, including the entire production cycle. As we expected, 2023 was a turning point in the relaunch of automakers in the region," governor of the Kaluga region, Vladislav Shapsha, said.
According to AMO executive director Roman Petryaev, the plant is implementing a comprehensive recruitment program. The company will provide employment to everyone who worked in previous Volvo-owned structures. About 300 of these employees have already been transferred, the company said. The company is ready to end the idle time of over 100 workers and bring them back to work in addition to those who have already returned.
As reported, the Industrial Investments group, close to businessman Dmitry Strezhnev, bought Volvo's Russian assets at the end of November. The group acquired the assets of JSC Stokov Machinery Equipment (previously Volvo Vostok), as well as Stokov Components LLC. The buyer was JSC AMO, which is controlled by the Group, and was registered in early October. Details and terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Industrial Investments stated that the Kaluga plant is strategically focused on the production of domestic cargo transport. "Expectations are to expand the range of products in partnership with Russian and Chinese automakers, localize foreign vehicles and components, as well as create a new brand of Russian trucks," the group said.