ESIPOVO/MOSCOW REGION/ April 3. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin took part in the official opening of a Mercedes-Benz assembly plant in the Esipovo industrial park in the Moscow Region. Prior to the ceremony, he had inspected the new plant’s assembly line.

The Kremlin press service reports that this line was installed based on the full flexible assembly system, using Industry 4.0 level technologies, which make it possible to arrange simultaneous production of several automobile platforms. The first car assembled in the plant will be an E-class sedan. Later, the plant will also assemble GLC-, GLE-and GLS-class SUVs.

The plant’s construction began on June 20, 2017, in accordance with a special investment contract. This document guarantees a continual tax burden over the entire period of activity and includes a non-regression of conditions clause, which ensures the stability of the business. Mercedes-Benz RUS investments amount for 250 million euro.

The plant’s planned capacity is 25,000 cars per year. In total, at full capacity, the plant will accommodate 1,000 jobs. Around 30% of the plant’s workers are locals living in the surrounding communities. Under the auspices of the Moscow Region’s administration, training workshops have been organized at the Podmoskovie College. Students attending classes in these workshops took part in the plant’s opening ceremony.

President Putin has long used a Mercedes automobile to get to and from work until recently he switched to a Russian-made Aurus car. Putin has personally driven Mercedes cars on a number of occasions.