JAC off to head start in the race for Africa

Auto manufacturers are among the international businesses that stand to gain the most from increased social stability and prosperity in Africa, say leaders of Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Co Ltd.

Known as JAC for short, the major Chinese automaker has long seen the potential of Africa, which has maintained an average annual growth rate of 5 percent across the continent in recent years.

JAC was one of the first companies to export to Africa, where the auto market is currently in a stage of explosive growth.

International industry insiders predict total automobile sales in Africa will reach 1 million units by the end of this year.

Analysts expect the market to grow at an even faster rate over the next 10 years, and its potential is comparable to that of South America.

JAC first entered the continent when it delivered a batch of light-duty trucks to Algeria in 2001.

Since then, JAC has sold vehicles to more than 30 countries and regions, including Egypt, Morocco, South Africa and Ghana.

Its product portfolio in Africa was also expanded to cover light, medium and heavy-duty trucks as well as passenger vehicles

JAC has been exporting to Africa for 13 years, and it continues to build more local factories there in an effort to offer high-quality products adapted to local preferences.

At present, the company has assembly plants to produce A-class cars, SRVs, light and 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 roads and natural conditions in various parts of Africa to improve vehicle adaptability.

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

In the plateau areas of Kenya, engines with a greater displacement and high-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.

machenguang@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 03/22/2013 page22)