In December 2025, the Valmet Automotive plant in Finland stopped its assembly line. Formally, the reason is simple — the contract with Mercedes-Benz has ended. Unofficially, everything fits into the overall picture of the European automotive industry crisis, against the background of which Audi sites in Belgium and Volkswagen in Germany were previously closed. For Valmet, this event became historic: in 50 years of contract manufacturing, the plant has never completely stopped assembling cars.
The history of the Finnish enterprise began in 1969 with the Swedish Saab. It was the Saab 96 model, followed by the 99 and 900, that established Valmet's reputation as one of the most accurate and reliable assemblers in Europe. More than 500,000 units of the Saab 96 alone were produced here, and the cars became famous for their endurance in harsh climates and attention to safety. Later, the plant became a true expert in convertibles, producing open versions of the Saab 900 and 9-3, including the Saab 900 Turbo Cabriolet, which was fully assembled in Finland and is still considered one of the most reliable convertibles of its time.
The first major contract outside of Saab was the Simca-Chrysler 1307 — a car well known in the USSR as the prototype of the future Moskvich-2141. In Finland, these cars were produced in the late 1970s and early 1980s, mainly in diesel versions for northern markets. Despite problems with corrosion and outdated electronics, the Finnish assembly was valued for its accuracy, economy, and durability. For Valmet, this project was an important step towards diversifying its customers.
A special place in the history of the plant is occupied by cooperation with AvtoVAZ. In 1996–1998, the Lada Samara Baltic, known in Russia as the Euro-Samara, was assembled here. The main components came from Togliatti, and the Finns performed welding, painting, anti-corrosion treatment, and interior finishing. The cars received improved trim, GM injection, a catalytic converter, and reinforced doors. The plan to produce 20,000 units per year was not realized, but the assembled cars were highly valued in Russia precisely for their "Finnish" quality.
One of the most prestigious projects was the Porsche Boxster roadster. In the late 1990s, the development of the model cost Porsche so much that assembly had to be moved outside of Germany. Valmet won the tender thanks to its experience with convertibles. The Finns were responsible for painting, assembly, and quality control, and owners noted more precise fitting of parts and better winter adaptation. The contract lasted almost 10 years, and the total production of the Finnish-assembled Boxster approached 70,000 cars.
A lesser-known but significant episode was the collaboration with Marussia Motors. In 2011, it was planned to establish small-scale assembly of Marussia B1 and B2 supercars with refinement for European requirements and crash tests. Prototypes with Finnish modifications were even shown to the public, but the project was closed in 2014 due to the Russian company's financial problems.
The last and most massive contract for Valmet was the assembly of the Mercedes-Benz A-Class and GLC crossovers, including AMG versions and A 250e hybrids. From 2013 to October 2025, the plant produced about 400,000 cars. It was the completion of this contract that led to the shutdown of the assembly line. Today, Valmet has no new agreements for assembling cars, and for the first time in half a century, the company has found itself without automotive orders — a clear symbol of how rapidly the European automotive industry is changing.