AvtoVAZ, one of the Russian automakers that took over Renault after the French company left Russia, has announced that it will use convicts to forced labor to supplement the production of Lada cars, Interfax reports.
The company expects the move to increase Lada Vesta production by 28% by September and by 40% from January 2024.
“The total volume of additional labor resources required by September 2023 will be 1,100 people, and by January 2024 – approximately 2,900 people,” the press release of the automaker says.
The Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia has already stated that, according to its estimates, up to 50% of this need can be covered by those sentenced to hard labor.
“Now the application for the selection of candidates is being drawn up,” he said.
A source at “AvtoVAZ” confirmed to “Interfax”, one of the Russian state news agencies, that a similar option of attracting personnel from Russian prisons and colonies was previously considered, but has not yet been implemented.
Russia wants to produce more Lada with the help of convicts
According to the president of AvtoVAZ Maxim Sokolov, the expansion of the staff is due to plans to increase production in 2023 and release new Lada models in 2024 and 2025. The AvtoVAZ production plan for 2023, approved by the company’s board of directors, is 401.6 thousand units.
Currently, AvtoVAZ produces Lada Granta (production resumed in June 2022), Lada Niva Legend (from mid-July 2022) and Lada Niva Travel (from mid-August 2022). Serial production of the Lada Vesta NG also began in March of this year.
The sole shareholder of AvtoVAZ is the state institute NAMI (Central Research Institute of Automobiles and Automobile Engines), subordinate to the Ministry of Industry and Trade in Moscow. He controls the company through Lada Auto Holding SRL.
Renault sold its Russian units in mid-May last year after months of resisting the move despite intense pressure.
Problems of Russian car manufacturers
Immediately after the agreement was initialed, Russia announced the resumption of production of Lada cars at some former Renault plants.
A few months later, Lada became the best-selling car brand in the Russian capital, Moscow, after more than a decade, as many Western carmakers, led by Vladimir Putin, left the country to protest the outbreak of war in Ukraine.
AvtoVAZ and other Russian automakers have repeatedly experienced shortages due to Western sanctions. In January of this year, AvtoVAZ stopped producing only Lada models in white, black and dark green colors due to paint problems.
Russia is trying to find substitutes for European raw materials in Asia, South America and Korea.
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Source: Hot News
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