On 21 April 2015, the official ceremony of launching the full cycle production of Ford Transit vehicles in SEZ Alabuga was attended by Acting Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov, Tatarstan Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and Trade Ravil Zaripov, CEO of Ford Sollers Joint Venture Ted Cannis, Chief Operational Officer of Ford Sollers Joint Venture Adil Shirinov, and officials of the republic’s ministries and agencies.