Europe's largest trailer manufacturing company, Schmitz Cargobull, has announced it will start production in Russia by November 2013. The company's St Petersburg plant is set to be finished by June 2013.
Located in the southwest of St. Petersburg, production will start off with a team of 60 employees, capable of delivering some 900 vehicles to market in 2013/14. That initial volume is meant to increase to more than 5,000 by 2017/2018 – including curtain-sided semi-trailers, tippers and various rigid trucks.
According to Schmitz, running a local multi-product facility is key to ensuring proximity to the market and short communication channels. “This ensures optimum solutions for customers at all times – especially in the case of special requirements – as well as shorter implementation times.”
“We are delighted to be able to support economic growth and structural change in Russia with our entrepreneurial initiative, as well as creating new jobs and generating long-term value in the country. And we are sure that with the new production site in St Petersburg, we will be creating a solid foundation for the sustainable success of our company on the Russian market,” said Andreas Schmitz, Director of Sales for Central and Eastern Europe at Schmitz Cargobull (pictured).