Monday, 8 June 2009
Russian truck maker KamAZ and U.S. auto giant Ford announced on Monday the resumption of auto production in Russia after each halted operations due to weak demand for vehicles.
"Today, all of KamAZ's units have resumed work to start the fulfillment of their production plan for June. The main assembly line is expected to work until June 22 inclusive to assemble an estimated 2,000 vehicles and auto sets over this period," KamAZ said in a statement.
The ongoing global financial and economic crisis has caused a slump in world demand for vehicles. Since the start of the year, the Volga-based truck producer has been working only on concrete orders.
KamAZ suspended its operations a week and a half ago, the most recent of several stoppages over the past 18 months.
Meanwhile, Ford announced that its factory near Russia's second city of St. Petersburg was resuming production under a reduced working week after a halt in its operations for 10 business days.
"The factory, as was planned, has resumed its work. Until October 5, the factory will operate with a four-day working week," Ford spokeswoman Yekaterina Kulinenko said.
The plant in the town of Vsevolozhsk was opened in the summer of 2002 and employs some 2,200 workers. The factory, which produces Ford Focus and Mondeo cars, previously announced it planned to produce 125,000 cars in 2009.
