Daimler to begin assembling Mercedes vehicles near Moscow 2018

MOSCOW. KAZINFORM - German's Daimler, owner of the Mercedes brand, plans the Russian assembly of Mercedes vehicles will begin in 2018 already, Governor of the Moscow region Andrei Vorobyov said in an interview with the Rossiya 24 television channel on Sunday.

"I can confirm a special investment contract is with the ministry of industry and trade," he said. "The plant would be in the Moscow region, near Sheremetyevo (where an international airport is)."

"We hope, the contract would be signed soon, and first vehicles would be ready in 2018 already," the governor said.

The planned capacity of the plant is 25,000 vehicles a year. The facility will produce five models of series S, E, ML, GL, and A.

A special investment contract is a new mechanism for support of the industry, where businesses opening production facilities in Russia will enjoy stable terms, tax and other preferences for ten years. Companies' investments should make at least 750 million rubles (some 11,582,117 U.S. dollars). The new mechanism stimulates foreign and Russian companies to launching new projects in Russia with high level of localization.

Kazinform refers to TASS