Jianghuai Automobile
 | |
| Type | public company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Automotive |
| Founded | 1964 (as Hefei Jianghuai Automobile) |
| Headquarters |  Hefei, Anhui, China |
| Products | Automotive goods |
| Website | www.jac.com.cn |
Jianghuai Automobile Co Ltd (SSE:600418) (Chinese: 安徽江淮汽车股份有限公司), also known as JAC, is a state-owned automobile and commercial vehicle manufacturer. The company is based in Hefei, Anhui Province, China.
In 2010, the company was one of the top ten most-productive vehicle manufacturers in China selling 458,500 units and reaching eighth place. Estimated production capacity is over 500,000 units/year as of 2009.
History
Established in 1964, as Hefei Jianghuai Automobile Factory, its name was changed to Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Co Ltd in 1997. The company made an IPO on the Shanghai Stock Exchange in 2001.
JAC has historically only produced commercial trucks (under the brand name Jianghui), but MPVs and SUVs appeared in the 2000s, and by 2007 the company had gained government approval for passenger car production but nonetheless continued to be referred to as a truck maker.
In 2009 the Chinese government indicated that they were in support of consolidation in the Chinese auto industry, leading analysts to predict a possible joining of JAC with Chery since they are both located in Anhui province. On the surface such a merger would make sense: Chery mainly built passenger cars and JAC was almost entirely focused on trucks at the time. Since then, however, JAC has made it clear that they are not interested in consolidation under the aegis of larger Chery. JAC has began to concentrate more on passenger cars, and a 2010 announcement of a new electric vehicle program may at least partially have been an effort to stave off the rumored merger.
Sales reached more than 300,000 units in 2009 including 12,100 sold overseas.
CSR
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities include donations to support forest preservation as well as to educational opportunities for the poor.
Joint Ventures
JAC announced a pair of joint ventures with Navistar International Corporation and NC2 Global (itself a Navistar/Caterpillar joint venture) on 16 September 2010. The NC2 joint venture will manufacture heavy duty trucks and parts, while the Navistar joint venture will build medium to heavy diesel engines in China with parts and services provisioned by Navistar. The new companies will both be located in Hefei, where JAC is also based.
Sales outside China
Since export began in 1990 (to Bolivia), JAC products have been sold in over 100 nations. Light trucks are a popular export product.
Some exports are in the form of complete knock-down kits, which are assembled at overseas factories in countries including Egypt and Vietnam. As of 2010 a possible factory in Slovakia is under discussion. Such factories are not necessarily owned by or affiliated with JAC. Knock-down exports are an easy way to gain access to developing markets without added after-sales service costs.
In 2010 JAC started a partnership with the biggest car´s dealers group in Brazil, the SHC group, owned by Sergio Habib. The plans to Brazil includes selling 65.000 cars/year and achieve 2% of Brazilian market in 2012. JAC and SHC are studying also to create a vehicle´s factory in Brazil.
The launch of JAC vehicles in Brazil was celebrated by a strong marketing action in 2011 March 18th, called the "J Day", when over 40 dealers were opened all around the country, selling J3, J3 Turin and pre-selling other models, as J6 and J5. Already in its first month Brazil became the bigger market of JAC vehicles out of China.
Models
JAC has a wide model line from commercial trucks to small city cars. Some of its models may be real standouts. In the 2000s its flagship model was the Refine (Ruifeng in Chinese). The restyled 2004 Ruifeng Gold featured 60% Chinese-made part content. In 2009 a Pininfarina-designed city car, the JAC Tojoy, won numerous awards including the J.D. Power China Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) award.
Electric vehicles
As of August 2010, JAC plans to make electric or hybrid-electric vehicles at an as-yet-unbuilt production base. China subsidizes oil, and Chinese automakers see opportunities in less mature electric vehicles as Western companies have yet to develop much of a lead in the technology.
Production bases and facilities
An R&D facility in Hefei, capital of Anhui province, is complemented by two overseas R&D centres in Turin, Italy, and in Tokyo, Japan.
A 40,000 unit/year medium-to-heavy truck production base should become operation in 2012 and is probably located in Hefei. Production capacity figures may consider engines and vehicles as discrete.
References
External links
- JAC official site (Chinese)
- JAC official site (English)
Retrieved from : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jianghuai_Automobile
