GM Uzbekistan JV boosts auto output 0.1% in Jan-May

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- GM Uzbekistan joint venture, formerly UzDaewooAuto, increased car production 0.1% to 78,067 vehicles in January-May 2009 compared to the same period of 2008, the Uzbek State Statistics Committee said.

The company produced 34,773 Nexia automobiles in the five months, down 8.4% from January-May 2008, 25,560 Matiz cars, down 11.3%, 9,205 Damas models, down 9.5%, 661 Captiva models, up 33% and 586 Epica models, up 1.7%.

The company also produced 7,282 Lacetti models in the period after launching production of the model in November 2008.

GM Uzbekistan boosted production 13.5% to 195,038 cars in 2008.

UzDaewooAuto was established on a parity basis by the government of Uzbekistan and South Korea’s Daewoo Motor. The company opened a plant in the Andizhan region in 1996. Uzbekistan bought Daewoo Motor’s stake in the joint venture in October 2005. Uzavtoprom signed an agreement with General Motors in October to form a joint venture, GM Uzbekistan, at UzDaewooAuto to build Chevrolet automobiles. GM owns 25% of the venture.

The GM Uzbekistan joint venture has projected production capacity of 250,000 automobiles per year.

Two Chevrolet models - Captiva and Epica - are manufactured on an SKD basis. The other four models are assembled entirely at the facility and include locally produced components.