Furniture instead of cars: the sad fate of the Kaluga VW
- July 10, 2023
- 0
What will happen to the car factories that foreigners have sold to domestic investors? This issue comes back into the public eye from time to time. Last week
What will happen to the car factories that foreigners have sold to domestic investors? This issue comes back into the public eye from time to time. Last week it was the turn of the former Volkswagen factory in Kaluga to make the news. The AvtoVzglyad portal once again decided to remind why the abandoned auto industries in Russia have practically no chance of revival.
The problem of car factories abandoned from time to time by the former owners excites the minds of our restless fellow citizens. It floats like muddy scum to the surface of the economic swamp from the dark depths, disturbed by another vile insider.
For example, recently a very authoritative telegram channel published a letter from some employees of the Kaluga plant, which belonged to VW and has now come under the jurisdiction of the Avilon holding company. They complain that the new owners are governing somewhere in the wrong direction in their view. We have taken the liberty of slightly adjusting the text of the letter.
A rhetorical question
“The new owner, apparently, is not interested in the production of cars at the factory. And it is occupying production areas and preparing them for other activities not related to car production, ”write the factory workers. My dear relatives! Well, what did you want?
By the way, I’d like to ask the same question to respected colleagues in the media, insensitively upset about the shutdown or reprofiling of the once-viable auto industry: What did you count on, dear, and where did you look? for the last ten years? After all, no one, with the rarest exception, went to find out why foreigners in Russia organize only assembly plants that work at best with CKD technology, and, as a rule, SKD in general.
Besides, the current problems have their roots there. The AvtoVzglyad portal has already shown, using the example of the Toyota plant in Shushary, that production lines sharpened for screwdriver assembly are suitable only for the production of those models for which they were originally designed. And if the model range is withdrawn from production, the equipment will be sold at best and sent to the scrap heap at worst.
Where’s the money, Zin?
Kaluga factory workers, meanwhile, continue their sad song: “For example, the customs post on the territory of the factory and part of the logistics will soon be engaged in receiving and processing wood from Karelia. Raw wood comes to the factory by rail and already processed wood is exported to China. Knitting machines for winding rope on special hooks are installed in the body shop, workers of the factory are involved in the work on these machines on a voluntary basis. This work is carried out in the interests of the Avilon agricultural company in the city of Lyudinovo, Kaluga region.
Assembly workers are forced to work on tractors and mow the grass and fertilize the soil. Painters are engaged in “landscape design” on the territory of the plant. In addition, specialists with 10-15 years of experience were offered to become cleaners, wash floors, windows and toilets. They also offer to work as vegetable growers on the Avilon farm in Lyudinovo, growing and harvesting cucumbers and tomatoes.”
It’s hard to say how true these complaints are. But even if they absolutely reflect the truth of life, there is no reason to be surprised, much less indignant. Maintaining a non-functioning factory costs hundreds of millions of rubles a month, including the wage costs that the workers of the mothballed company have received over the past year and a half, albeit not in full. No private investor will bear such costs for long. We have to get out, especially since there is an agricultural complex nearby on the same farm that needs workers.
Wish list is understandable, but unrealizable
Representatives of the company owner actually said this in their response: “For the restart of the factory, which is an absolute priority for the company, AGR Automotive Group is carrying out various activities to save jobs and maintain site performance . This includes the use of universal facilities on the factory territory for new purposes that do not prevent the resumption of the factory’s core activities.
For example, our own customs post and logistics infrastructure can be used to perform core activities for external partners, while this activity does not jeopardize the interests of a speedy restart of automotive production, but rather the loading of these facilities and personnel.”
What’s annoying in this generally reasonable answer is just an evasive point of view about a furniture factory or woodworking complex there. It would be better if it sounded specific – yes it will. At least jobs can be saved. Also not a bit happy with management’s assurance that the factory restart remains the priority.
It is clear that these words are oil on the hearts of qualified professionals who are idle. But you have to accept reality. On the one hand, it will no longer be possible to organize your own production – thanks to those officials who for the past ten years have ruled the industry for their own pleasure and squandered all opportunities to take it to the world level. On the other hand, the Chinese again refuse to enter the Kaluga site.
Manufacturer’s photo.
Photo avilon-group.ru
Manufacturer’s photo.
The problem of car factories abandoned from time to time by the former owners excites the minds of our restless fellow citizens. It floats like muddy scum to the surface of the economic swamp from the dark depths, disturbed by another vile insider.
For example, recently a very authoritative telegram channel published a letter from some employees of the Kaluga plant, which belonged to VW and has now come under the jurisdiction of the Avilon holding company. They complain that the new owners are governing somewhere in the wrong direction in their view. We have taken the liberty of slightly adjusting the text of the letter.
A rhetorical question
“The new owner, apparently, is not interested in the production of cars at the factory. And it is occupying production areas and preparing them for other activities not related to car production, ”write the factory workers. My dear relatives! Well, what did you want?
By the way, I’d like to ask the same question to respected colleagues in the media, insensitively upset about the shutdown or reprofiling of the once-viable auto industry: What did you count on, dear, and where did you look? for the last ten years? After all, no one, with the rarest exception, went to find out why foreigners in Russia organize only assembly plants that work at best with CKD technology, and, as a rule, SKD in general.
Besides, the current problems have their roots there. The AvtoVzglyad portal has already shown, using the example of the Toyota plant in Shushary, that production lines sharpened for screwdriver assembly are suitable only for the production of those models for which they were originally designed. And if the model range is withdrawn from production, the equipment will be sold at best and sent to the scrap heap at worst.
Where’s the money, Zin?
Kaluga factory workers, meanwhile, continue their sad song: “For example, the customs post on the territory of the factory and part of the logistics will soon be engaged in receiving and processing wood from Karelia. Raw wood comes to the factory by rail and already processed wood is exported to China. Knitting machines for winding rope on special hooks are installed in the body shop, workers of the factory are involved in the work on these machines on a voluntary basis. This work is carried out in the interests of the Avilon agricultural company in the city of Lyudinovo, Kaluga region.
Assembly workers are forced to work on tractors and mow the grass and fertilize the soil. Painters are engaged in “landscape design” on the territory of the plant. In addition, specialists with 10-15 years of experience were offered to become cleaners, wash floors, windows and toilets. They also offer to work as vegetable growers on the Avilon farm in Lyudinovo, growing and harvesting cucumbers and tomatoes.”
It’s hard to say how true these complaints are. But even if they absolutely reflect the truth of life, there is no reason to be surprised, much less indignant. Maintaining a non-functioning factory costs hundreds of millions of rubles a month, including the wage costs that the workers of the mothballed company have received over the past year and a half, albeit not in full. No private investor will bear such costs for long. We have to get out, especially since there is an agricultural complex nearby on the same farm that needs workers.
Wish list is understandable, but unrealizable
Representatives of the company owner actually said this in their response: “For the restart of the factory, which is an absolute priority for the company, AGR Automotive Group is carrying out various activities to save jobs and maintain site performance . This includes the use of universal facilities on the factory territory for new purposes that do not prevent the resumption of the factory’s core activities.
For example, our own customs post and logistics infrastructure can be used to perform core activities for external partners, while this activity does not jeopardize the interests of a speedy restart of automotive production, but rather the loading of these facilities and personnel.”
What’s annoying in this generally reasonable answer is just an evasive point of view about a furniture factory or woodworking complex there. It would be better if it sounded specific – yes it will. At least jobs can be saved. Also not a bit happy with management’s assurance that the factory restart remains the priority.
It is clear that these words are oil on the hearts of qualified professionals who are idle. But you have to accept reality. On the one hand, it will no longer be possible to organize your own production – thanks to those officials who for the past ten years have ruled the industry for their own pleasure and squandered all opportunities to take it to the world level. On the other hand, the Chinese again refuse to enter the Kaluga site.
Source: Avto Vzglyad
Donald Salinas is an experienced automobile journalist and writer for Div Bracket. He brings his readers the latest news and developments from the world of automobiles, offering a unique and knowledgeable perspective on the latest trends and innovations in the automotive industry.
