Chinese auto maker Hawtai Motors has revealed plans to open an assembly plant in Kenya in a bid to explore the local market and the East African region.
The Chinese automaker says it is targeting a number of countries including; Russia, Angola, Brazil, India, Mexico, Thailand, Iran, Vietnam, the Philippines,Egypt, Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa and Columbia.
Complete vehicles are currently being shipped to Australia, Peru,Chile, North Korea and Ethiopia.
Hawtai Motor, an SUV pioneer in China, is a large industrial conglomerate mainly engaged in automobile manufacturing, owning core power technologies and having strong financial backing. With total assets exceeding 48 billion yuan (approx. US$7.8 billion), the group has built businesses covering four key segments, traditional and electric vehicles, R&D and technology, finance and smart mobility.
Hawtai Motors becomes the second Chinese auto maker to set up in Kenya after Foton Motor group which opened an assembly plant in Nairobi in 2012 at a cost of $50 million.
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