Localization vital in drive to go global

With 11 years of presence in Africa, JAC has strengthened localization in recent years to offer more high-quality products adapted to the needs of the local market.

At present, the company has assembly plants to produce A-class cars, SRVs, light to heavy-duty trucks as well as other commercial vehicles in major markets, including Ethiopia, Morocco and Egypt. It is also planning to build new assembly plants in South Africa and Kenya.

The company also has an R&D team to study concrete road and natural conditions in various parts of Africa to improve vehicle adaptability.

Due to its stable quality and adaptability to local environment, the JAC light-duty truck is gaining a reputation among individuals and commercial clients in Africa. PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY

The J5 was awarded a fi ve-star safety rating for the C-NCAP crash test. PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY

The JAC service team pays regular visits to customers to help solve their problems. PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY

For instance, vehicles used for long-distance transportation are equipped with larger fuel tanks.

In the plateau areas of Kenya, larger-displacement engines and larger-capacity cooling fans are standard.

For desert regions with dusty air, special filtering systems are used in the air intake of heavy-duty trucks.

Every year, JAC’s R&D team regularly visits customers to get firsthand information that will be used to adapt the vehicle and perform other modifications to better meet local requirements.

“During the past 11years, JAC has achieved great progress in Africa with the support of local customers,” said a senior executive at the company.

“We will continue our efforts to improve product quality and services to better serve the African people. We eagerly seek cooperation with more partners there, and we hope to make further contributions to the growth of local economy and the automotive industry,” the executive added.

Company profile

Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Co., Ltd. (JAC) was founded in 1964 in East China’s Anhui province.

It is a comprehensive automaker with the largest independently developed product portfolio in China, including light, medium and heavy-duty trucks, pickups, MPVs, SRVs as well as cars and vans.

It has a State-level technology research and development center in its home base of Hefei and also has overseas R&D facilities in Italy and Japan.

After nearly five decades of development, the company now has an annual production capacity of 700,000 vehicles and 500,000 engines, ranking among the top 10 automakers in China, the world’s largest automotive market by unit sales.

The company has led China in the exports of light-duty commercial vehicles for 12 consecutive years.

At present, the company has sold its vehicles to such regions as South America, Europe, Africa and Asia, and it has business relations with more than 120 countries.

It has about 100 4S dealer outlets and 14 assembly plants in foreign countries.

JAC is recognized by several State ministries and organizations as a recommended brand for exports.

According to the company, it is also devoted to environmental protection and other social responsibility undertakings, with the goal of creating “Better Products, Better World” for human beings.

machenguang@chinadaily.com.cn