Great Wall Motor's Tula Plant in Russia Advances Haval's Global Expansion
Great Wall Motor (GWM) is preparing to launch production at its Haval vehicle plant in Tula, Russia, in the first half of 2019. The facility is the Chinese automaker's first wholly-owned overseas complete vehicle factory.
Chinese automaker Great Wall Motor (GWM) is finalizing construction of its first overseas complete vehicle plant in Russia's Tula region. The Haval-branded facility is scheduled to commence production in the first half of 2019.
The plant, located in the Uzlovaya Industrial Park, represents GWM's sole wholly-owned overseas factory for complete vehicles. It is expected to have an annual production capacity of 150,000 vehicles and will manufacture models such as the Haval F7 and H9. Construction is in its final stages, with GWM engineers and Russian workers collaborating for the production launch.
Russia is considered a strategic market for GWM, with the Haval brand's dealer network expanding since 2015. The company anticipates having approximately 70 dealerships in Russia by the end of 2019. GWM reported a 31% year-on-year increase in Haval sales during the first half of 2018.
Local government officials anticipate the Tula plant will create over 4,000 jobs and stimulate economic and social development through tax revenues and investment. The plant's completion supports Haval's global strategy to accelerate its growth and deliver quality vehicles tailored for international consumers.