Gazprom will resume production of household appliances at the Bosch plant in Peterhof. Production of refrigerators and washing machines could begin as early as this year. They plan to produce the equipment under the well-known Bosch brand, which will simplify entry into the market due to recognition. However, if the German owners decide to return to Russia, the asset will have to be returned.
The plant, which came under the control of Gazprom in May 2024, began operating in 2007 and specialized in the production of household appliances. However, in recent years, its performance has deteriorated sharply: revenue fell from 49.8 billion rubles in 2021 to 2.1 billion in 2023. In 2024, the company practically did not work – revenue amounted to only 100 million rubles with losses of 1.7 billion.
The reason for the decline was the shutdown of production in 2022. The company explained this by the risks of using the equipment “for non-civilian purposes.” Now, resuming work will require from 1.5 to 4 billion rubles of investment. Investing such funds without guarantees of preserving the asset is risky, but Gazprom is already developing a financial model until 2035, which indicates long-term plans.
Analysts believe that the return of the plant to its previous owners is unlikely. If production starts, it will be able to partially replace imported equipment on the Russian market.
Source: @nefte_baza
