Exports from Chery’s new Shah Alam plant will start at the end of this year, part of plans to make Malaysia the carmaker’s export hub in ASEAN. This was shared by minister of investment, trade and industry minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz in a Facebook post yesterday.
“In June, I launched Chery’s assembly plant in Shah Alam, Selangor. The factory is part of the company’s RM1 billion investment in Malaysia. Yesterday, I met with Chery again, this time to listen to their plans to make Malaysia the export hub for ASEAN and other regions,” Zafrul said.
“God willing, they will start exporting at the end of this year. I hope Chery’s success will encourage even more manufacturers to make Malaysia their production hub in the ASEAN region,” the MITI minister added.
Last month, Chery Malaysia issued a press release spelling out its integration plans and investment milestones. It all centres around the new Shah Alam plant, which was officially opened in June.
The plant has started life with the assembly of the just-launched Jaecoo J7 SUV for local consumption, with Chery’s current models – the Omoda 5, Tiggo 8 Pro and Tiggo 7 Pro – continuing to roll off the shared Inokom plant in Kulim, Kedah.
But moving forward, there are ‘ambitious plans’ for Shah Alam and Malaysia, which will be a right-hand-drive hub with research and development facilities. This was confirmed by Zhang Guibing, president of Chery International (pic above), who was in Malaysia to inaugurate the new factory.
Chery’s Malaysia hub will be tasked with developing RHD versions of its cars not just for local and ASEAN consumption, but also for markets like the UK and Australia, Zhang said at the event. He added that Malaysia was chosen for its tropical climate, which is ideal for hot weather testing.
“While China operates with left-hand drive vehicles, Malaysia offers a unique opportunity to serve right-hand drive markets. We are very interested in expanding our business here and Malaysia could be our right-hand drive hub,” Zhang said, adding that Chery plans to explore exports to neighbouring RHD countries, leveraging Malaysia’s ‘strategic location and robust automotive ecosystem’.
The Chery International chief said that Wuhu-based carmaker – which is China’s top exporter of vehicles – has a long-term vision that includes “ensuring local partners are content and engaged, creating significant job opportunities for Malaysians, and introducing new technologies to the local market”.
Zhang said that all the above efforts would further strengthen the overall foundation of Chery’s operations in Malaysia, “ensuring a high standard of quality and efficiency that will ultimately build lasting customer trust”.
Late last year, Chery pledged an investment of RM1 billion to support Malaysia’s New Industrial Master Plan (NIMP) 2030. The company described it as a long-term commitment that underscores its confidence in Malaysia’s potential, bolstered by the country’s policies and dedication to fostering growth and innovation within the automotive sector.
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