TV Maker
Russia’s only domestic television manufacturer, Kvant, has officially halted its production of televisions, according to a report by the Kommersant business newspaper. The decision to discontinue operations was confirmed in a letter from Kvant’s CEO, Mikhail Etonov, sent to shareholders on March 17, 2025.
The company, which was based in Voronezh, had been producing the Irbis brand of televisions, but due to a combination of low demand and rising operational costs, the company has decided to stop manufacturing for the foreseeable future.
Kvant, which had been the only registered Russian TV maker with the Ministry of Industry and Trade, faced significant challenges in the market. Despite its efforts to produce affordable television sets under the Irbis brand, the high prices of its products made it difficult to compete with foreign brands.
According to Vladislav Borodin, the head of consumer electronics at Russian tech distributor OCS, Irbis TVs were priced higher than a wide array of foreign competitors, which hurt the company’s ability to attract customers in the consumer market. Furthermore, Kvant’s business-to-business sales were insufficient to sustain the operation.
In addition to sluggish consumer demand, the company struggled with the extensive paperwork and administrative burden required to remain registered with the Ministry of Industry and Trade, further adding to its operational difficulties.
While Kvant did secure some government contracts in the past, state institutions increasingly turned to foreign brands such as LG, Sony, Samsung, Xiaomi, and Haier, which further reduced demand for Irbis TVs in the market.
Kvant, founded in 2016 in Zelenograd, initially had a strong relationship with Chinese companies like Xiaomi and TCL, serving as a contractor for producing electronic components.
However, the imposition of sanctions and supply chain disruptions led to a halt in component shipments from these Chinese firms, severely impacting the company’s ability to continue operations.
In 2023, Kvant reported revenues of 15.9 billion rubles (approximately $184 million) and a modest net profit of 3.2 million rubles (around $37,000), but these financial results were not enough to sustain the company’s production capabilities.
As a result of these challenges, Kvant has decided to cease its television production for now and has no plans to resume manufacturing within the year. This marks a significant shift in Russia’s domestic electronics industry, which had hoped to bolster local production in the wake of international sanctions.
