SAIC opens 2nd assembly plant in Thailand
SAIC Motor Corp. last week opened a second assembly plant in Thailand to expand local production of right-hand-drive vehicles for MG.
The $1 billion (6.6 billion yuan) factory in the eastern Thailand province of Chonburi will be able to build up to 100,000 vehicles a year after reaching full capacity, SAIC said.
The plant is run by SAIC Motor-CP Co., a 51-49 joint venture between SAIC and Thai conglomerate Charoen Pokphand Group. Its first product is the MG ZS subcompact crossover.
SAIC Motor-CP assembles the MG ZS and four other MG models -- the MG6 and MG5 compact sedans, MG GS compact crossover and MG 3 hatchback -- at its plant in Rayong.
The Rayong plant, which started production in 2014, can build up to 50,000 vehicles a year.
For the first 11 months of this year, MG sales in Thailand surged 37 percent year on year to 10,596 vehicles, according to SAIC.
While supplying Thailand, SAIC plans to export vehicles produced there to other countries in Southeast Asia.
Nanjing Automobile Group Co. bought MG from bankrupt U.K. automaker MG Rover in 2005. And in 2007, Nanjing Auto was acquired by SAIC.
In China, SAIC’s passenger vehicle unit assembles MG and Roewe-brand vehicles in Shanghai, Nanjing and Zhengzhou.
For the first 11 months, combined sales of MG and Roewe surged 70 percent year on year to 467,092 vehicles. SAIC did not disclose separate sales for MG.
SAIC, of Shanghai, also builds vans and buses under its proprietary brands. It also has joint ventures with General Motors and Volkswagen Group.
The plant is run by SAIC Motor-CP Co., a 51-49 joint venture between SAIC and Thai conglomerate Charoen Pokphand Group. Its first product is the MG ZS subcompact crossover.
SAIC Motor-CP assembles the MG ZS and four other MG models -- the MG6 and MG5 compact sedans, MG GS compact crossover and MG 3 hatchback -- at its plant in Rayong.
The Rayong plant, which started production in 2014, can build up to 50,000 vehicles a year.
For the first 11 months of this year, MG sales in Thailand surged 37 percent year on year to 10,596 vehicles, according to SAIC.
While supplying Thailand, SAIC plans to export vehicles produced there to other countries in Southeast Asia.
Nanjing Automobile Group Co. bought MG from bankrupt U.K. automaker MG Rover in 2005. And in 2007, Nanjing Auto was acquired by SAIC.
In China, SAIC’s passenger vehicle unit assembles MG and Roewe-brand vehicles in Shanghai, Nanjing and Zhengzhou.
For the first 11 months, combined sales of MG and Roewe surged 70 percent year on year to 467,092 vehicles. SAIC did not disclose separate sales for MG.
SAIC, of Shanghai, also builds vans and buses under its proprietary brands. It also has joint ventures with General Motors and Volkswagen Group.
