Renault’s vehicle production in Uzbekistan has come to a temporary halt due to complications in component supply chains. The Ambassador of Uzbekistan to France and Portugal, Sardor Rustambayev, disclosed this information to the press at the O’zbekistonlik International Forum held in Paris on April 23, according to Gazeta.uz.
According to the ambassador, Renault was initially going to invest in a plant in Jizzakh, previously built specifically for Peugeot Citroën, but Volkswagen beat them to it. After that Renault, “based on the attractiveness of our market”, implemented a greenfield project, setting up a workshop for large-scale assembly together with local partners.
“The Renault project in Uzbekistan was closely linked to the company’s production facilities in the Russian Federation and other countries. As you know, Renault has decided to leave the Russian market, which, unfortunately, has affected the assembly of cars in our country,” Sardor Rustambayev said.
The ambassador noted that now the Uzbek and French sides are discussing “the restoration of the interrupted global supply chains”.
According to Gazeta.uz's source, the option of possibly transferring the plants from Russia to Uzbekistan is also being considered. In May 2022, the Russian assets of the Renault group passed into Russian state ownership: 100% of Renault Russia was transferred to the government of Moscow and 67.69% of AvtoVAZ was transferred to the NAMI Federal State Unitary Enterprise.
Roodell, which acts as the local partner and official distributor of Renault, confirmed to Gazeta.uz that assembly of the French brand’s cars had been “suspended due to supply problems”. “We continue to be the official distributor of Roodell vehicles and carry out service. In addition, we still have cars for sale,” the company noted.
Roodell added that Lada deliveries have also been suspended, but “after-sales service continues”.
“As the cars become available, we will let you know. Now only Kia and Chery cars are being assembled,” said a representative of the distributor.
Sardor Rustambayev also commented on the construction of the Peugeot Citroën car plant, which was never launched in 2018.
“There was a ceremony of laying a capsule in the foundation of the plant construction, but the problem was the transfer of bilateral technical documents. That said, it is important to note that Uzbekistan has fulfilled all its commitments — it has fully built modern production facilities in the Jizzakh FEZ. The plant was even painted in the colours of Peugeot Citroën. It is gratifying that another major French carmaker took its place,” he said.
Gazeta.uz's source added that the supply of spare parts for Peugeot Citroën cars was planned to be carried out through Russia, but the company’s Russian subsidiary “had a misunderstanding with the Paris office”.
In May 2017, Uzavtosanoat and the French Peugeot Citroën signed an agreement to establish a joint venture, Uzbekistan Peugeot Citroën Automotive, to produce light commercial vehicles on a full industrial cycle under the Peugeot and Citroën brands. A capsule laying ceremony was held in July of the same year to lay the foundation stone of UzPCA production complex in Jizzakh free economic zone.
The plant was scheduled to start up on 10 December 2018. But on 18 December, Uzavtosanoat said it would revise the auto plant project together with PSA Groupe “due to unforeseen changes in the baseline data”.
In February 2019, Azizbek Shukurov, deputy chairman of Uzavtosanoat, said the Uzbekistan Peugeot Citroën Automotive plant was almost ready, except for technological points. In March 2020, it became known that the project was closed, and Volkswagen car production was set up at the plant built in Jizzakh.
