Restructured joint venture Ford Sollers starts operation

01.07.2019

01 July 2019 – today a restructured joint venture Ford Sollers starts operation. In the new structure the shareholders, Ford Motor Company and PJSC Sollers, continue partnership with PJSC Sollers taking a 51% controlling interest. As it was announced earlier Ford Sollers will concentrate its efforts in commercial vehicles segment with Ford Transit and its derivatives.

The production of Ford Transit continues at Ford Sollers plant in SEZ “Alabuga” (Elabuga, Tatarstan) in full cycle including welding and painting. Ford Sollers plans to increase production volumes that will allow Ford Transit not only to keep the leading position among foreign brands in the Russian market but also to increase its market share. (From Jan to May 2019 over 4000 Ford Transit units wereизменен sold with 15% market share among 2T commercial vehicles).

At the present, the plant is preparing to launch renewed Ford Transit. The amendments will be introduced in interior parts, colors of exterior and interior parts. Also there will be some modernization of several elements and improvements in body strength. Renewed vehicles will roll off the production line in September this year. Ford Sollers continues developing new specialized derivatives of Ford Transit. The line-up already includes over 55 modifications: from school buses to ambulances.

One of the key priorities for Ford Sollers is vertical localization projects which includes the organization of the whole production process in Russia from raw materials to spare parts. This year Ford Transit has got local bumpers produced by “Tatkhimplas”. The supplier chain includes “Tatneft” – oil extraction, “Nizhnekamskneftekhim” – basic polymeric materials, “Tatkhimplast” – compound, “Khiton Plast” – bumper. Thus the production from oil to bumper is 100% localized at Tatarstan plants. The dashboard and door panel for Ford Transit are produced from local materials as well.

As a reminder, Ford Sollers Elabuga, on which the restructured joint venture bases, signed SPIC with Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation on 7 June 2019 to develop production of Ford Transit line-up.

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