GM Russia plant resumes production, Ford closes through Sep. 11
General Motors' plant in St. Petersburg resumed work on Monday after a two-month halt, while Ford Russia suspended production at its plant in nearby Vsevolozhsk through September 11, RIA Novosti reports.
The GM plant, which assembles Chevrolet Captiva and Opel Antara SUVs resumed production on June 29 after three weeks of holidays as scheduled, but announced later that day that it would close again.
"The plant has resumed operations, and production has been launched," Yulia Bocharova, a spokesperson for GM Russia, said.
Meanwhile, Ford suspended production in Vsevolozhsk for the fourth time this year amid falling domestic sales.
The Ford factory, which produces the Ford Focus and Mondeo models, has been forced to reduce output as demand for new cars falls amid the global downturn, spokesperson Yekaterina Kulinenko said last week.
The plant, which was opened in the summer of 2002, employs about 2,000 workers. All of them will receive two thirds of their wages while the plant is idle.