OREANDA-NEWS. The Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev visited Ulyanovsk Automobile Plant, where he reviewed the production site and the project aimed at modernizing and developing the enterprise.

The main goal of transformations at UAZ is to improve the production efficiency and reduce costs. The development of industrial site provides for an extensive action plan to modernize the production and product line, as well as to optimize the use of UAZ production areas.

According to Vadim Shvetsov, General Director at SOLLERS OJSC and UAZ OJSC, the enterprise will have a multi-purpose production capacity, which will allow manufacturing a new line of vehicles under UAZ brand, as well as to organize the potential production of foreign brand vehicles.

In February this year, the plant has put into operation a new production line for preparation and cataphoresis priming of vehicle bodies manufactured by EISENMANN Anlagenbau GmbH & Co., a German company. All equipment is designed by taking into account the environmental requirements and potential for further modernization. All materials are supplied by PPG-Helios and Henkel and also meet the highest modern standards. The design production capacity is 105,000 vehicles per year, which allows handling not only the entire range of UAZ, but also the vehicle bodies for potential partners. The project cost is more than 260 million rubles.

Another innovation is the modernization of a large stamping facility. The installation of a new stamping line will allow producing the parts for modern Patriot cars up to 2020. UAZ is planning to install and assemble a new press line, which will allow producing components for the new model range in accordance with the latest automotive standards, e.g., to stamp the full-sized body side. This will be a breakthrough both in terms of the work organization and quality, and most importantly - it will lay the ground for production of future vehicle line by Ulyanovsk Automobile Plant. In Q1 2014, the preparation of sites for the new press line has been completed. The investments for this project exceeded 500 million rubles.

Also, the plant is planning to establish a unified logistics center. For this purpose, all warehouse premises were reorganized and concentrated around the assembly line in January 2014, which will make the production structure more manageable while increasing the efficiency of accounting for and storing the goods and materials. The investments for this project will amount to about 160 million rubles.

Vadim Shvetsov said that modernization of the enterprise will shrink the plant within the perimeter of a standard vehicle production facility from 312 to 50.2 hectares, which will enable it to meet the architecture and design requirements for modern vehicle production facility. It is planned that the enterprise will be divided into six areas: the plant area of 50.2 hectares, residential development "Zapad" (73.5 hectares), metallurgy area (33.5 hectares), "Vostok" area (56.15 hectares), social and business area of 39.85 hectares and support areas (58.8 hectares). At the same time, the company is planning to create 4,331 new jobs, including about 1,500 new high-tech jobs.