IN BRIEF (Page 16)

Sollers moves eastward

OAO Sollers, a Russian automaker, opened a plant in Vladivostok in the nation's far east that will assemble Ssangyong Motor Co sport-utility vehicles and Isuzu Motors Ltd trucks.

The plant, eventually to have estimated investments of 5 billion rubles ($168 million), will produce at least 15,000 vehicles a year starting from 2010, according to the Russian government. Sollers is moving car assembly from the European part of Russia to the Far East. The new plant will initially produce Ssangyong and UAZ-model SUVs, adding assembly of Isuzu trucks and Fiat SpA Ducato cars next year. Sollers plans to begin full-cycle car production at the facility in 2012, expanding capacity to 40,000 vehicles.