On March 26, the Kazakh company Orbis Manufacturing announced its intentions to build an assembly plant in Almaty for the production of Kaiyi Auto brand vehicles, QazMonitor reports citing the company’s press service.
What happened: During the Forum of Kazakh Exporters 2.0 in Astana, Orbis Manufacturing signed a memorandum of understanding with the Chinese car manufacturer Yibin Kaiyi Automobile Co., Ltd.
The memorandum: According to the document, Kaiyi Auto will provide Orbis Manufacturing with the technical documentation required for the construction of a completely knocked-down assembly line, including welding and body painting. The company will also provide Orbis Manufacturing with human support.
The plant: The construction of the plant in the industrial zone of Almaty is set to commence in the second quarter of this year. So far, Orbis Manufacturing has completed design specifications and estimates. The enterprise’s annual capacity will amount to 80,000 cars per year, with about 1,500 jobs created in the first stage of operation. According to the company’s president, Suhrab Makhmudov, the total investment for the project has reached about $159.4 million (₸72 billion).
About Orbis Manufacturing: The company is a subsidiary of Almaty-based Orbis Kazakhstan conglomerate that specializes in oilfield services, petrochemicals, car retail, agribusiness, agrochemicals, construction, transport, and catering. The conglomerate’s automotive division provides retail services for the following brands – Toyota, Nissan, Mitsubishi, Hyundai, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Volkswagen, JAC, Ravon, JCB, and Hino.
About Kaiyi Auto: Established in 2014, Yibin Kaiyi Automobile Co., Ltd (凯翼汽车成) is a subsidiary of the Chinese car manufacturer Chery Automobile. Kaiyi Auto specializes in the production of affordable cars for the young demographic in medium-sized and small towns throughout China.
