Ford can leave without work to 25 thousand Russians

28 March 2019

Vadim Shvetsov intends to double the share of SOLLERS in the LCV market

According to the official press release PJSC "SOLLERS" restructured Ford SOLLERS, a majority of which (51%) now belongs to the Russian side, will focus on the production and sales of a line of light commercial vehicles Ford Transit. Accordingly, the share of the American side, i.e. of Ford Motor Co. in the authorized capital of the joint venture will remain at 49%.

Workers at the plant in Elabuga to fear for their jobs do not need

The upgraded Ford Sollers will be created on the basis of the existing OOO "Ford Sollers Yelabuga", which owns a car factory in the Special economic zone "ALABUGA". Operating activities the updated SP will unfold from July 1, 2019. The scope of the JV will include the production and distribution of light commercial vehicles Ford Transit and the implementation of programs of localization and further development of the line of vehicles that have strengthened the absolute leadership in this series of foreign brands in the LCV segment.

Modern Ford Transit is not afraid of competition from legacy MB Sprinter Classic

Updated SP will also assume the warranty service and supply of spare parts for all of Ford vehicles previously sold in Russia.
The decision to restart Ford Sollers for the Russian market only in the segment of light commercial vehicles was made by the Ford Motor Company and JSC "SOLLERS" on the basis of a sufficiently high valuation of the growth potential of this market segment in Russia and based on strong competitive advantages of the Ford Transit, which should give the updated SP a significant increase in operating efficiency and profitability of the business. Years of experience and developed over this period the competence of the SOLLERS group production and sales of LCV in Russia led to a logical decision about what the Russian company will act as the controlling shareholder of the new joint venture and will manage the business development to promote a series of Ford Transit on the Russian market.

Minivan Ford Tourneo Custom went back to the Assembly line in Elabuga in 2017

General Director of JSC "SOLLERS" Vadim Shvetsov said in connection with the updating of SP: "the Development partnership with Ford around the production and promotion of Ford Transit will be important elements of the strategy implementation group SALES on leadership in the segment of light commercial vehicles". He also noted: "Thanks to the new configuration of the JV with Ford, as well as cooperation with Isuzu and product development of the brand UAZ we have more than double the share of SOLLERS in the LCV market in the next few years. This will be possible thanks to the synergies in the localization of component base and bringing to market a complete line of light commercial vehicles that meet all possible needs of grocery buyers in a wide price range."

Practical tsmf Ford Transit is offered with a variety of body styles – from compact to the largest of the 17 CC

In turn, the head of Ford of Europe Stephen Armstrong categorically stated: "the New Ford Sollers structure reflects our intention to make difficult decisions and leave the unprofitable segments, such as the passenger car market in Russia."

In addition to the type of body (van, Combi and minibus) tsmf flaunt more and different types of drive (front, rear or all-wheel drive)

Comment: frankly, I've always been partial to the series LCV Ford Transit,because I thought and still think it one of the best in its class on the planet in terms of quality/price and design/functionality, and, practically in all generations, starting with the 1978 series (Mark II). My opinion is shared by thousands of owners of this unpretentious and hardy model, light commercial vehicles, still operating in our areas, even very ancient copies of the edition of 1990.

That is the Ford Transit third generation (1986) was the inspiration for the Russian "GAZelle"

  by the Way, it was the Ford Transit third generation (1986) was taken as Gorky automobile plant for the prototype (at least, in design and functionality, obviously) while creating a truly national who later became a "GAZelle" and "Sable", which, in fact, Nizhny Novgorod designers never disappeared. And it is quite justified itself – even a quarter century later modernized "GAZelle BUSINESS" is still the second most popular new LCV and the first with a run in our country, despite the generation NEXT. But back to Ford Transit – the popularity of the current seventh generation (according to other sources – the fourth or eighth, if you count interim restyling,) in our country is reflected in the fact that the current generation, launched in the series in 2014 and receiving regular updates (unlike, for example, obsolete MB Sprinter Classic), steadily holds the fourth place in the LCV market and first in light commercial cars (in 2018 were sold 11 thousand cars of this series with an increase of 27.2% according to the "AUTOSTAT info") and the second among foreign cars with mileage (4th among all models including domestic) after a VW Transporter of all generations, and only a total passenger Multivan and Caravelle models, respectively, and 19.5 19.9 thousand thousand the Transit Series uses a great demand from different bodybuilders and sales in leasing more than a quarter of the fleet-sales brand. So to lose this top selling LCV neither of SOLERS or Ford Motor definitely not with his hands. Unlike unpopular crossovers Kuga and Explorer, pity about the care with which the conveyor of the Yelabuga plant, I think nobody will. Actually, the same can be said about the automobile models by Ford, which has long been a bestseller, but rather to their sale every year and fall significantly, causing the manufacturer only loss. And yet without the brand Ford (planned to prohibit even the import of passenger cars), the domestic market will become even poorer and more boring.

Medical version of the Ford Transit – some of the most popular special model in the lineup of this model

If the Sollers will be able to really improve the localization series Ford Transit (while the CKD kits coming from the Turkish Ford Otosan Kocaeli plant in Gelcore), V. Shvetsov as promised under the new Speke, it eventually would allow Sollers to challenge even the GAZ Group, with its "Gazelle" that had to be only for local buyers, whose choice for affordable and quality models LCV objectively expand. However, it is hard to believe that "synergy" "Ford" components will help to improve the design of antique Ulyanovsk "loaf", which is an adequate replacement in terms of price/practicality/patency no and apparently will not be.

Assembly version chassis cab also utilized in Yelabuga, which dramatically expanded the range of versions with specific adjustments

  PS But the fate of workers with two car Assembly Zavodov (in Vsevolozhsk and Naberezhnye Chelny) as well as engine plant is open to question. Ministry of labour predicts the dismissal of almost 25 thousand employees, which given the militancy of the trade Union St. Petersburg Moscow faces in the short term severe intensity of social tension, at least in the St. Petersburg industrial cluster.
Follow the developments on the portal www.rim3.ru.