A Russian electronics maker has launched a new manufacturing site outside Nizhny Novgorod in the mid-Volga region to produce domestic laptop and tablet computers, as well as server platforms, based on Russian and imported chips, the regional business daily Delovoy Kvartal reported.

The project owner is Rikor Electronics, a sizable Russian developer and manufacturer of computing equipment. A few hundred new jobs have been created at Rikor’s own factory in Arzamas some 400km east of Moscow. For this $43m effort, Russia’s federal Industry Development Fund has provided a low-interest loan.

The now revamped factory is expected to manufacture servers and server platforms based on a range of chips, including imported Intel and AMD chips and domestic Baikal and Elbrus ones. Also, Intel chip powered laptop computers will be made, as well as tablets based on a Russian-developed processor called Skif.

The project owner is reported to make all on its own most of components required, including motherboards, casings and power supply units. Depending on items to be manufactured, a 50-70% production localization level is expected.

Products based on Russian chips will serve the needs of government agencies and companies working with the police, academia, and state-owned healthcare organizations. Private sector businesses are likely to buy from Rikor Intel and AMD powered electronics. An up to a million unit annual production plan is currently on the table.