Karachi, May 03: Master Motors Ltd., has rolled out its first locally assembled vehicle Changan Karvaan on May 2nd, 2019 in just 13 months, which is record time for any Greenfield auto manufacturing plant.
“The ground breaking ceremony of the production plant was held 13 months ago on 21 March 2018 in the presence of Mr. Sardar Muhammad Arshad Khan Leghari, Minister of Industries and Production. This feat was possible due to untiring efforts and commitment of experienced team of engineers and workers of Master Motors with technical collaboration and assistance from Changan International,” said CEO MML, Danial Malik.
“State of the art latest equipment has been installed in the environmentally friendly production plant, which has the capacity to produce 30,000 units annually and follows the Changan quality systems to ensure the products would meet the international standards for export,” said Danial.
“We have designed it to achieve phase-wise automation, with the last phase resulting in full automation by 2025,” he added.
Changan Karvaan van is a luxurious 7-seater van with Pakistan’s most powerful 1000cc engine, Dual A/C and 3 years/60,000km warranty making it ideal for family’s daily commute and long distance road trips,” said Danial. “We have already been getting overwhelming response and almost all the production volume for next month have been booked” he added.
It is pertinent to mention here that Master Motor Ltd is a joint venture between Master Motor Corporation Ltd. and Changan International Corporation. The company announced local production of three Changan vehicles in Pakistan, namely Changan M8 Pickup, Changan M9 Pickup, and Changan Karvaan van, followed by full range of SUVs, MPVs and other passenger vehicles.
“All of 3S dealer partners are highly excited to serve the customers in all the major cities. We have made sure that all the dealers would have adequate spare parts stock as well as trained technicians to provide after sales support,” said Danial.
Islamabad 2nd May: A meeting of the Pakistan Aerospace Council was held today at the Islamabad Club. The meeting was attended by the general body members of the Pakistan high-tech Manufacturing community engaged in exports of high valued goods to EU and US markets.
Dr. Haroon Qureshi, President, Pakistan Aerospace Council speaking at Meeting
During the deliberations of the Council, it was agreed aerospace market is growing year on year and high Tech Manufacturing offers great export potential for foreign exchange earnings for Pakistan. The council unanimously stressed that the government of Pakistan must create a policy for advancement of the aerospace related product manufacturing sector of Pakistan. The meeting called upon the Board of investment, Engineering Development Board and Ministry of Commerce to Link Pakistan’s high value added Engineering sector to global market through creation of hightech industry clusters, trade facilitation, taxation and levies measures.
PAAC Members who attended General Body Meeting
President, Pakistan Aerospace Council, Dr. Haroon Qureshi outlined the activities of the council during the past three years and contributions of its members for the advancement of science and technology, through collaboration with universities , national research organizations as well as manufacture of a diverse range of products for the national and global markets.
Dr. Haroon highlighted the need for establishment of hightech manufacturing clusters in line with international trends which could then work to host global tech giants for meeting the research and development needs by utilising Pakistani talent and youth. He brought into sharp focus the large number of technical universities in and around Islamabad and the high density of tech manpower in this valley and how this combination together with high speed, un-interrupted internet, good quality air and high class road infrastructure could transform this area into a world class technology hub.”
Michio Suzuki founded the Suzuki Loom Works in the small seacoast village of Hamamatsu, Japan in 1909. Business boomed as Suzuki built weaving looms for Japan’s giant silk industry. In 1929. The company’s first 30 years focus was on the development and production of these machines.
Michio Suzuki anticipated lack of a future in looms, he made a decision to start a consumer oriented business. After having considered the company’s technical strengths and the direction of the Japanese economy, he focused on the automobile industry. Michio had a great deal of confidence. “In the near future, it is sure that the era of automobiles will come.”
He started the car project in 1937 and within two years Suzuki had completed several compact prototype cars. These first Suzuki motor vehicles were powered by a then-innovative, liquid-cooled, four-stroke, four-cylinder engine. Unfortunately the world war II was started and production plans for Suzuki’s new vehicles were halted as government declared civilian passenger cars a “non-essential commodity”. After the War,Suzuki went back to producing looms again.But development of car was also restarted, simultaneously at last Suzulight, the first car of Suzuki was introduced in April 1955with a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive. The first Suzuki was closely based on the Lloyd 400.
This was the beginning of a great leap forward. In 2016, Suzuki was the eleventh biggest automaker by production worldwide. Suzuki has over 45,000 employees and has 35 production facilities in 23 countries and 133 distributors in 192 countries. The worldwide sales volume of automobiles is the world’s tenth largest, while domestic sales volume is the third largest in the country.
Suzuki vehicles first appeared in Pakistan market during the mid-70s through CBU imports from Japan. In 1980 Awami Autos Limited started assembly of Suzuki Pickup and small passenger vans. Pak Suzuki Motor Company Limited,was officially formed in August 1983 as a joint venture between Pakistan Automobile Corporation Limited (PACO, represented by the Government of Pakistan) and Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC) Japan. The company started commercial production in 1984. Pak Suzuki was the first passenger car manufacturer in the industry when the commercial production started in 1983/84. Suzuki FX was the first vehicle to be produced with an 800cc engine and was priced just around PKR 45,000 for a brand new car. The FX was almost three times cheaper than most vehicles available in the market back then. And even after 30 years of its life in our market, it is surviving strong and holds a decent resale value too. However within three years of introduction price increased up to Rs. 87000/-.
Pak Suzuki was privatized in September 1992 while SMC progressively increased its equity thus acquiring the stake of PACO. The company today is the largest player in the industry with over 50% market-share and a virtual monopoly in the ever growing small car market.
Now Suzuki vehicles enjoyed good sales due to a good reputation, low maintenance cost, and no competition since imports were halted in favor of local production already. For up to 6 years, locally produced Suzuki vehicles were not available in metallic colors; paint quality was below par, optional trims were not available for most models but still the cheaper yet easy to maintain Suzuki vehicles sold quite well.In 2001, Suzuki started to roll out factory fitted CNG vehicles and in the same year, SMC increased its equity to 73% in Pak Suzuki. In 2002, Suzuki launched a facelift for Alto hatchback.
After the new auto policy 2016-21 was announced, Pak Suzuki expressed its concerns over the policy and termed it ‘devastating.’ They also indicated to shelve their investment plans in Pakistan and further demanded that the government should revisit the auto policy. What Pak Suzuki needs to understand is that they cannot sell the 30-year-old obsolete cars till eternity. But it remains the fact that these obsolete cars make up nearly 85% of Suzuki’s sales in Pakistan. Up till now Pak Suzuki has sold over two million units in Pakistan.
by Anwar Iqbal, this exclusive article has been published in Automark Magazine’s April-2019 printed edition.
PM Imran Khan’s visit to Beijing brought another investment
Karachi, April 29: Foton International Trade Co Ltd, Beijing signed an MOU to inject investment in the form of a Joint Venture (JV) with their local partner Master Motor Corporation (Pvt.) Limited (MMCL) who has been manufacturing, selling and providing after sales of Foton Brand of vehicles since 2003 under technical licensing agreement. In the recent visit of Prime Minister Imran Khan to Beijing for the “Belt & Road (B&R)” initiative he visited the factory of Beiqi Foton whose partner in Pakistan M/s Master Motor Corporation has sold more than 17,000 commercial vehicles. The joint venture (JV) with Master Motor Corporation (Pvt.) Limited will result in the injection of multimillion dollars, with a transfer or technology to set up a state of the art production facility in the National Industrial Park near Port Qasim in Karachi.
The JV plans to introduce the complete range of FOTON vehicles including Passenger Vehicles (TUNLAND, TOANO, VIEW CS2, SAUVANA), Light and Heavy Commercial vehicles (AUMARK S, AUMARK C, AUMARK TX, AUMAN EST and AUMAN DUMPER) and Foton Busses.
The agreement was signed in the presence of Advisor to PM on commerce, textile & Industry Mr. Abdul Razak Dawood. The MOU was signed by Mr. Ma Rentao (Vice President of Foton Group & President of Foton International) and Mr. Nadeem Malik (Managing Director of Master Motor Corp.).
“The strategic alliance will take both the stakeholders to another phase of successful long term relationship by bringing the latest technologies under the Foton umbrella to Pakistan,” said Mr. Ma Rentao.
Master Motor has been assembling commercial vehicles for the past 16 years bringing the latest generation of commercial products to Pakistan including the vast range of Foton vehicles.
“Together with FOTON, we can tap the market potential while leading on the technology front and offering latest technologies with all safety features to deliver unprecedented value to the customers. This joint venture would bring significant foreign direct investment to Pakistan, and will create more than 8,000 direct and indirect jobs, which would eventually improve the living standards of people in the country,” said Mr. Malik
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – Malaysia’s national carmaker Proton has secured 1.88 billion ringgit ($455.10 million) in banking facilities from China Construction Bank to fund expansion around the region, it said in a statement late Friday.
The loans are earmarked for Proton’s growth plans to be the number one automotive brand in Malaysia and number three in ASEAN by 2027, the company said.
“Expansion to foreign markets is critical for sales growth while obtaining financing allows the company to invest in the many projects required to turn Proton into a truly global automotive brand,” Chairman Syed Faisal Albar said in the statement.
In August, Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co Ltd which owns 49.9 percent of Proton, had agreed to extend its existing partnership with the carmaker to upgrade its line-up of cars and help expand Proton’s presence in China and other international markets.
Proton said it also exchanged documents with Pakistan’s Alhaj Automobile in Beijing, where Malaysia’s prime minister is attending the Belt and Road Forum.
Proton signed a licensing and technical assistance agreement with Alhaj to build a manufacturing plant in Karachi with an initial investment of $30 million, to assemble and distribute Proton cars for the Pakistani market.
Today an exchange of documents for a Licensing and Technical Assistance Agreement between Proton Holding and Al-Haj Automotive Private Limited was conducted Beijing, China.
Both companies were represented by their senior executives. Dr Li Chunrong, CEO of Proton Holdings, and Mr Bilal Khan Afridi, Managing Director of the Al-Haj Group.
The exchange of document follows the previous announcement by Proton Holdings and Al-Haj Automotive Private Limited to develop a manufacturing facility for Proton vehicles based in Karachi, Pakistan. A symbolic ground breaking ceremony was conducted on the 22nd March 2019 in Islamabad, Pakistan and was presided by the most honourable Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Prime Minister of Malaysia, as well as the most honourable Mr, Imran Khan, Prime Minister of Pakistan.
The manufacturing plant will sit on a 55 acre site in the port city of Karachi. Its construction requires an initial investment within USD 30 million. The facility will be ready for production by June 2020 and would have an annual capacity of 25,000 units.
The manufacturing plant would allow provide Proton with improved access to the growing Pakistan automotive market. The plant would also directly create 2,000 direct jobs and 20,000 indirect jobs through other areas such as local vendors.
Proton Holdings is a joint venture between DRB Hicom and the Zhejiang Geely Group.
Al-Haj Automotive Private Limited is a subsidiary of the Al-Haj Group, a conglomerate with diverse business interests such as automotive, oil & gas, logistics and estate businesses. ALHAJ Group has been associated with different Chinese and Korean Automobile companies since 2006 and has established a reputable name with vast experience in Assembly and distribution of Automotive products in Pakistan.
Hyundai unveils the next-gen Creta at Auto Shanghai 2019
Since the current Creta in India is almost identical to the China-spec ix25, it is expected that the new ix25 will retain most of its features when it arrives in India as the Creta.
Korean carmaker Hyundai recently unveiled the 2020 Creta at the Auto Shanghai expo 2019. Being sold as ‘ix25’ in China, the next-generation Creta has undergone a complete overhaul.
Since the current Creta in India is almost identical to the China-spec ix25, it is expected that the new ix25 will retain most of its features when it arrives in India as the new Creta.
One of the most prominent changes is that Hyundai has brought the ix25 in line with its new SUV design based on the Palisade. It includes a different, yet signature grille, as well as bumper-mounted headlamps. It also has C-shaped, split DRLs in the front.
The rear gets a split-DRL setup, along with a single red strip as long as the tailgate serving as the taillight. The ix25 showcased at the Auto Shanghai featured a triple-tone colour scheme, with a red base, silver C-pillar and a black roof. It is unsure whether Hyundai will introduce the same paint scheme in India.
The interior gets many new features as well. The knobs and buttons on the dashboard have been replaced with a touch-based interface, which also alters the climate-control settings. It also gets a new steering wheel which has been borrowed from the Venue. It also gets an electric parking brake, auto-hold features as well as paddle shifters.
Though the powertrain is currently unknown, the ix25 is expected to share its engine options with the Kia SP2i and the update Hyundai Verna which will enter the Indian markets next year. It could also carry a price tag between the Rs. 10 lakh – Rs. 16 lakh (ex-showroom).
All images sourced and credited to Hyundai’s official website.
South Korean auto manufacturer KIA Lucky Motors are coming back in the local industry of Pakistan with KIA Picanto 2019 after a decade.
KIA displayed a number of vehicles at 3-day auto event Auto Parts Show (PAPS) 2019 held in Expo Centre, Karachi where it presented as many as five of its vehicles including Stinger, Picanto, Sportage, Nori and Grand Carnival.
Local assembled KIA Sportage and Picanto will be available in Pakistan and expected to release in June and October respectively. The booking of the vehicles will be started in June and August 2019 respectively and the delivery is anticipated in end July and October of this year respectively.
KIA has already set up an assembly plant and installed assembly line to assemble these two vehicles at their Port Qasim assembly plant in Karachi
In the tough competitions of hatchbacks, KIA is bringing Picanto with some exciting features. KIA Picanto is an entry-level 5-door hatchback powered by 1000 cc engine displacement mated with a 4-speed automatic gearbox. The Euro-6 compliant 1.0-litre engine produces a maximum output power of 66 hp. The hatchback has a wheelbase of 2400 mm which provides optimum control over the car.
The hatchback comes in 1.0-litre engine mated with a 5-speed manual transmission and a 1.2-litre engine which is offered under the optional automatic transmission.
The upcoming car is also equipped with airbags as a basic safety feature but lacks the spare wheel at the back which is a necessity especially while traveling in Pakistan.
The company claims that they will offer a version of Picanto which will have many more additional features as compared to the one showcased at PAPS 2019. The estimated price of the upcoming entry-level hatchback is Rs.1.2-1.5 million.
With the entrance of new cars in the local auto market, car enthusiasts are excited and the competition will increase as well, pushing auto manufacturers to produce high-quality products to compete in the auto market of Pakistan.
New Quester designed to extend uptime and provide MEENA fleet customers with a higher return on investment
Middle East, April 17th, 2019–UD Trucks today unveiled New Quester in the Middle East, East and North Africa (MEENA). This new version of the brand’s well-established heavy-duty truck introduces a range of enhancements that will enable logistics companies across the region to tackle critical industry challenges and boost their bottom line through Smart Logistics.
Fuel efficiency, productivity, connectivity, and supporting and developing drivers are top priorities for fleets and transport companies in the MEENA region and New Quester will address these challenges with new features such as ESCOT (Easy Safe Controlled Transmission)and UD Telematics.
To be introduced in fast-growing regions around the world, the launch of New Quester highlights UD Trucks’ unwavering commitment to “Going the Extra Mile” for customers’ businesses.
Building on proven robustness and reliability, New Quester introduces key features such as ESCOT automated manual transmission, engines with higher horsepower and user-friendly telematics to deliver greater fuel efficiency, productivity, driver efficiency, safety and uptime.
Mourad Hedna, President of UD Trucks MEENA,said: “The truck industry in the region is changing rapidly and customers are increasingly conscious of the total cost of ownership. With New Quester we have the ideal product to address these needs. Moreover, New Quester combines the best of three worlds: UD Trucks’ strong Japanese heritage and craftsmanship; Volvo Group’s innovative technology; and our strong local supportfor our valued customers, which we callour Gemba spirit.
“We are humbled by the tremendous confidence and recognition that the Quester line has earned. With New Quester, we are looking forward to carrying on this legacy of being the truck brand that our customers want to partner with.”
Ensuring increased fuel efficiency for businesses to better manage fuel costs and mitigate oil price volatility
New Quester aims to boost productivity and profitability for business owners and logistics companies, for whom a rise in fuel costs consequently increases operating costs. New Quester delivers enhanced fuel efficiency of up to 10 percent over the current Quester. This isaided by the ESCOT automated manual transmission, lighter tare weight and optimized driveline, and is also affected by the operating conditions, driving behavior and vehicle maintenance.
ESCOT includes software which optimizes gear shifting according to the engine revs, vehicle speed, loading weight and even road gradient. The smart system also includes a sensor that will select the optimum gear automatically instead of assuming a first gear selection.
New Quester’s enhanced fuel performance also aligns with the increasing global focus oncurbing fuel consumption and meetingenvironmentally-friendly regulations in relation to emissions quality standards, all of which effectively reduces thenew model’s overall carbon footprint.
Introducing a more attractive and comfortable working environment, to support transport companieswith developing their pool of drivers
New Quester introduces more driver-friendly features to make the driving experience more seamless and comfortable.
A game changer in the transportation business, New Quester with ESCOT automatically selects the optimal gear at the right time based on the operating condition. This takes away the need for manual gear shifting which, depending on the transportation operations, happens 1,000 to 1,500 times a day. ESCOT’s automated gear selection also enables drivers to easily adaptto operating New Quester and better focus on driving with ease.
In addition to making driving simple, New Quester also aims to help businesses expand the pool of driving talent with an easy-to-operate gear lever that uses a straight shifting pattern. In certain target markets, for example, the number of female Quester drivers is increasing due to its drivability. New Quester opens the doors for companies to attract even more prospects to pursue truck driving as a career and diversify the pool of talent for this role.
New Quester increases overall drivability and safety for drivers with features that focus on increasing drivers’ comfort levels and reducing driver fatigue.
Driver fatigue continues to be a serious industry challenge, contributingto up to 20 percent of road accidents in the world .To address this, New Quester is developed with an air suspended cab and ride comfort package which reduces cab vibrations by up to 18 percent. Driver comfort is also enhanced by the ergonomic seats and lumbar support for long-distance assignments.
Boosting profitability and business growth by doing more with less to overcome productivity constraints and complicated fleet management processes
In line with elevating business success through Smart Logistics, New Quester supports effective fleet management and driver performance with innovative customer telematics such as real-time vehicle tracking and geofencing for better fleet visibility and optimization.Such smart connectivity features support the increasing trend of new logistics delivery solutions that are offered by technology and local start-up companies in, for example, the Middle East.
New Quester trucks are equipped with UD Telematics, which make it possible to connect directly to UD Trucks workshops to monitor and detect each vehicle’s condition and service needs before a potential emergency occurs. Preventive maintenance analysis guides customers via monthly driving behavior and fuel consumption reports, ensuring higher uptime and optimized fuel economy over time.
Owners of New Quester also enjoy increased uptime, with the clutch life span being 2.5 to 3 times longer when equipped with anESCOT automated manual transmission as compared to a manual clutch, depending on operating conditions, driving behavior and vehicle maintenance.
At UD Trucks, the company’s Gemba spirit means being close to our customers, and listening to their needs in order to be their most valuable partner in their respective markets and segments.
Built to deliver UD Trucks’ ethos of “Ultimate Dependability”, New Questerincreases uptimethrough UD Extra Mile Support, which has proved popular with customers across MEENA. Offering an extensive network of well-trained service technicians, it provides quality aftersales service with genuine parts, service planning and vehicle handover training that optimizes fleet performance.
UD Trucks recognizes immense potential in the MEENA region, which is one of the world’s most dynamic regions when it comes to construction and development and where business success is a key contributor to economic progress. Combined with the brand’s Ultimate Dependability standard and Gemba spirit, New Quester marks the company’s commitment to championing Smart Logistics and providing unmatched value to customers.
For more information on New Quester, visit https://www.udtrucks.com/middleeast/newquester and join the social conversation at https://m.facebook.com/UDTrucksMEENA.
UD Trucks is a leading Japanese commercial vehicle solutions provider, active in more than 60 countries on all continents. Since its inception in 1935, the company has been an innovation leader with a clear vision to provide the trucks and services the world needs today. The company is committed to go the extra mile for smart logistics with the most dependable solutions for demanding customers. To best support across applications and geographies, UD Trucks offers a full range of heavy duty trucks – Quon and Quester, medium duty trucks – Condor and Croner, and light duty trucks – Kazet and Kuzer, as well as associated operational and financial services.
UD Trucks is a proud member of the Volvo Group, which in 2018 saw a year-on-year increase in sales of nine percent and employs a workforce of 100,000 employees globally.
For more information from the UD Trucks, please visit: http://www.udtrucks.com/en-int/home
