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Hyundai Motor opens first full-cycle car manufacturing plant in Russia
September 21st is set to be the date of Grand Opening of Hyundai Motor Company’s car manufacturing plant in Saint-Petersburg, which will become first full-cycle car production facility of a foreign manufacturer in the territory of Russia. Representatives of the national government and the government of Saint-Petersburg, top-management of Hyundai Motor Company and representatives of supplying companies will take part in the plant’s grand opening ceremony.
During the ceremony the first Russian sub-compact sedan by Hyundai, mass production of which starts at the plant in January 2011, will be unveiled and revealed to the guests. The name of the new model, which was chosen by the Russians in a poll placed on the company’s specially-dedicated web-site, will be known on the same day.
The new Russian Hyundai sedan, which style completely meets design philosophy of “fluidic sculpture”, is distinguished by a massive hexagonal grill and L-shaped front fog lights that serve to creating luxurious and elegant appearance of the model. The car was developed on the basis of RB concept which was shown at the Moscow International Automobile Salon in August 2010.
The new Hyundai car was designed in accordance with preferences of the Russian customers and with due consideration of the severe climate conditions of Russia. The mass-produced version of the sedan will be equipped with Gamma engines of 1.6- and 1.4-liters capacity combined with either 4-speed automatic or standard 5-speed manual gearbox.
In accordance with the requirements of the government of the Russian Federation, the Hyundai Motor plant will have high level of production localization. It will be possible primarily thanks to the Korean suppliers of parts, which launched their manufacturing in the North-West region, as well as to cooperation with a number of international and Russian companies.
The workshops of two supplying companies are situated precisely in the territory of the Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Rus plant. These are Hyundai Hysco, which sorts out and delivers cold-rolled steel to the stamping shop, and Hyundai Mobis responsible for manufacturing of big module car components for installation in the assembly shop. Two kilometers away from the HMMR plant there is the Industrial park of Hyundai Motor Company’s suppliers, which consists of seven companies. The plants of two other Korean companies are situated in the North-West region.
Presently there are about 2000 people working at the Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Rus plant and the plants of suppliers. Many Russian employees have passed abroad trainings at the company's plants in the Republic of Korea and in the Czech Republic. During the current period of test manufacture the plant's employees are actively applying the obtained experience on practice and are sharing it with their colleagues. It helps to achieving the highest quality of products before the start of mass production, which is to begin in January 2011. It is planned to create 5200 job positions at the Petersburg's Hyundai plant and at the plants of Korean supplying companies, situated in the North-West region, by 2012.
The Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Rus plant is equipped with the modern high-tech facilities, which provide high automation level of the production processes. As of now, the automation ratio in the stamping, welding and painting shops of the plant already exceeds 50% and will be increased up to 80% in the welding shop.
By the end of 2011 Hyundai Motor Company is planning to achieve the plant’s manufacturing capacity of 100 000 vehicles per year, with perspectives of subsequent increase of this amount up to 150 000 cars a year, provided that it will operate in three shifts. The amount of investments in the construction of Hyundai Motor Company's sixth overseas plant estimated 500 million Euros.
