by The tire company Nokian Tyres has finally decided to leave the Russian market, albeit with some tricks. The same applies to the French brand Michelin, which, like the Finnish company, seems to be leaving Russia, but in the style of Poplavsky – leaving and leaving, but never actually leaves…
More specifically, Nokian Tyres is officially leaving Russia, but the plant in Vsevolozhsk will continue to operate! However, it will produce tires mainly for the local market and the CIS countries. As for the markets of far abroad, the situation is ambiguous: for example, from the beginning of July supplying tires of Russian production to Europe will be prohibited.
In order for the company to continue working in the Russian market, Nokian Tyres’ Russian assets are most likely to be transferred to local management with a buyback option. That is, when the sanction hysteria subsides, the Finns will be able to return to Russia. The French tire company Michelin, the British auto holding Inchcape, and even the Renault and AVTOVAZ deal are expected to leave Russia in a similar way. The final decision of the Nokian Tyres head office is to be made by the end of summer, and to exit the Russian business by the end of the year. All this time, the plant in Vsevolozhsk will be operational.
The French tire manufacturer will sell the Russian enterprise in Davydovo, near Moscow. The buyers of the asset will be the top management of the plant – they will be responsible for the further production of tires, while the plant itself with a staff of about 750 people will operate as an independent structure – separately from the Michelin group.
Conclusion: foreign companies seem to be leaving the Russian market, but in fact, they do not exit the business. In a word, Macronism…
