AvtoVAZ, the largest carmaker in Russia, announced that it will cut 13,000 jobs at its main plant in Togliatti because of dwindling sales of Lada models. Controlled by the Renault Nissan Alliance, AvtoVAZ last year posted a loss and is trying to revive its business in tough economic environment amid the crisis over Ukraine.
Earlier this year AvtoVAZ said it would reduce staff by 7,500 in 2014 in order to return to profitability. However, the company’s latest forecasts indicate the cuts will be deeper. “The total number of workers at the Togliatti plant in late 2014 will be about 53,000 people,” Avtovaz responded to a query from Reuters.
At the end of last year, 65,891 people worked at the Togliatti assembly plant on Russia’s Volga river. AvtoVAZ appointed Swede Bo Andersson as CEO in November 2013 to lead the company’s return to profit. Andersson was previously credited with turning around Russian bus and truck maker Gaz.
The executive said earlier this year that the situation at AvtoVAZ was extremely bad, with people needing a “wakeup call.”
By Dan Mihalascu
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