Orbis Kazakhstan launches new project in conjunction with the Chinese automaker

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Business news correspondent
Orbis Manufacturing, a new car factory, will produce vehicles under the Chinese brand KAIYI in Almaty / Photo: Shutterstock

Orbis Kazakhstan is going to launch a new car manufacturing facility in Almaty to produce vehicles of the Chinese brand KAIYI, the company’s press service said in a statement. President of Orbis Kazakhstan Suhrab Makhmudov and General Manager of Yibin Kaiyi Auto Gao Lei signed the corresponding agreement on March 26.

The construction of the automotive factory is expected to start in the second quarter of 2024 in the industrial zone of Almaty. The facility has a capacity of 80,000 cars per year and will create more than 1,500 new jobs.

According to the contract, the Chinese automaker will provide Orbis Kazakhstan with all necessary technical documentation related to its products and send its technical specialists to support the car manufacturing and implement technological control over this process.

«Our main goal is to offer Kazakhstani consumers new products that would meet modern requirements and be affordable in terms of price. We are going to invest about $159.4 million into the project related to the manufacturing of high-tech vehicles of the leading Chinese brands. We are convinced that our project will strengthen economic ties between China and Kazakhstan and facilitate Kazakhstani exports and trade,» Makhmudov said.

In 2023, a subsidiary of Orbis Auto also obtained the exclusive right to sell and maintain KAYYI cars within Kazakhstan. The company is currently developing a dealership network across the country as it plans to use the network to sell the cars it will manufacture at the new factory.

Interestingly enough, in May 2023, Orbis Kazakhstan signed a similar contract with another Chinese brand, EXEED International, as the company planned to localize the manufacturing of these cars in Kazakhstan.

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