New auto plant kicks off in Beijing
(China Daily)
Updated: 2006-09-18 11:29
Beijing Benz-DaimlerChrysler Automotive Co Ltd (BBDC), a joint venture
between German-US auto giant DaimlerChrysler AG and the State-owned Beijing
Automotive Industry Holding Co (BAIC), celebrated the opening of its new
manufacturing facility in Beijing on Friday.
"It opens a new chapter in DaimlerChrysler's long history in China," said
Dieter Zetsche, chairman of DaimlerChrysler AG's board of management and head of
the Mercedes Car Group.
"It is also a milestone for the whole DaimlerChrysler group, for this
world-class manufacturing facility is also the first plant of our group in the
world to produce vehicles under the brands of both DaimlerChrysler and
Mercedes-Benz."
Pouring US$200 million into the BBDC plant is part of DaimlerChrysler's
US$1.5 billion middle-term investment in Northeast Asia and a pillar of its
strategy in this district, Zetsche said.
He added that DaimlerChrysler would be adding more sedan models into the
local production through BBDC.
The plant, located in the Beijing Development Area in the southeastern part
of the capital, has produced Mercedes-Benz E-Class and Mitsubishi Outlander
sedans since last December. It will soon begin producing Chrysler 300C sedans
for a launch in November.
With 20 months' preparation, the first phase of the facility has achieved an
annual production capacity of 800,000 units.
Gnter Butschek, president and chief executive officer of BBDC, told China
Daily that 4,100 Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedans have rolled off the production
line so far.
The company expects an annual production of 25,000
Mercedes-Benz vehicles and 80,000 Chrysler and Mitsubishi Motors Corp (MMC)
vehicles this year, with room to expand as needed.
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