MOSCOW, June 21. /TASS/. Ford carmaker will offer its closing plants in the Russian cities of Vsevolozhsk and Naberezhnye Chelny for sale, Industry and Trade Minister Denis Manturov told reporters.
"Ford has fully repaid the loan to Vnesheconombank in Naberezhnye Chelny and Vsevolozhsk, so as of today those Ford plants will be sold in compliance with the existing procedure through bidding," the minister said.
Manturov did not elaborate on possible bidders.
In late March, Ford Sollers, a joint venture of the US automaker Ford and Russia’s Sollers, announced that it would cease production of passenger cars in Russia by the end of June 2019.
The production at the site in Naberezhnye Chelny, where Ford Fiesta and Ford Ecosport were manufactured, and the production of engines in Elabuga ended on June 3. The production at the plant in Vsevolozhsk were Ford Focus and Ford Mondeo were produced came to an end on June 20.
Ford and Sollers will create a renewed joint venture on the basis of the plant in Elabuga, in which Sollers will receive 51%. The joint venture will produce and sell Ford Transit. At the same time, the company intends to maintain a dealer network in all Russian regions.