Russia’s largest carmaker Avtovaz plans to restore a full five-day working week on January 1 after three months of reduced working time, as the production outlook improves, the company said on Thursday.
Russia’s depressed car market showed weak signs of recovery at the end of 2025. Buyers expect prices to go up in coming months as a result of higher scrappage fees, but Russian carmakers are expected to suffer less because they enjoy state support.
Avtovaz, which employs more than 30,000 people, introduced a shortened work week starting September 29 to align production with weakening demand and to reduce its inventory.
“No layoffs are planned, hiring continues, the number of voluntary resignations compared to previous months is decreasing,” Avtovaz said.
It added that the working schedule and the number of shifts at different production lines will depend on market demand.
Avtovaz was one of the Russian carmakers reducing its production amid weak demand caused by central bank’s high interest rates and recycling fees, pushing up car prices.
Russian passenger car production fell 46.7 per cent in October from a year earlier, and the market is expected to shrink about 20 per cent in 2025.
Reuters reported in October that some of Russia’s biggest industrial companies were putting employees on furlough or cutting staff as the war economy slows, domestic demand stalls and exports dry up.
