Wolfsburg-based Volkswagen AG is Europe's largest and one of the world's leading auto manufacturers. The group owns nine car brands: Volkswagen, Audi, Skoda, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, Scania, and Seat. In 2011 Volkswagen will complete its agreement to purchase Porsche as well. Volkswagen has 62 plants in 15 European countries and six more in America, Asia and Africa. Volkswagen cars are sold in over 150 countries.
In 2008, Volkswagen sold 6,257,000 cars, which is 10.3% of the world's car market. During eight months of 2009, the company sold 4.14 million cars.
On May 29, 2006, the Kaluga Region authorities and Volkswagen signed a cooperation agreement on constructing an assembly plant in Kaluga. The plant has become one of the largest foreign projects in Russia.
On October 28, 2006, the cornerstone was laid at the new plant.
Currently, the Kaluga plant assembles 13 models of Skoda and Volkswagen cars. In 2008, the plant assembled 62,000 cars, and over 90,000 by October 2009. The plant employs 1,800 people.
As of July 1, 2009, 570 million euros had been invested in the plant. According to the cooperation agreement, the total investment will reach 750 million. By 2010, when the plant reaches its planned annual capacity of 150,000, the number of workers will increase to 3,000.
The plant, with its required engineering and logistics infrastructure, was built in the Grabtsevo industrial park. The Magna company has already begun constructing an auto parts plant; Vossloh, Yapp, HT&L, Visteon, Benteler, and Isolplast agreed to locate their facilities in the park as well. The regional authorities together with the ESPRO Group and the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development will implement the A-Park project that implies constructing 100,000 square metres of manufacturing space for car component makers. A-Park start-up is slated for June 2010. By 2011, over 1,000 jobs will be available at the suppliers' park.
The total volume of foreign investments in the Volkswagen plant amounts to over 25 billion roubles.
Volkswagen's share in the region's industrial output is 17.3%.
On October 20, 2009, the plant will launch full capacity production using SKD technology.
Volkswagen is a general partner with the Russian Olympic Committee for the 2014 Sochi Olympics, official sponsor of the Russian national football team, and the Lokomotiv Kaluga football club.