OREANDA-NEWS. June 24, 2011. A briefing on the prospects of development of automobile industry in Uzbekistan was held at the National Press Center of Uzbekistan. The event, organized by Uzavtosanoat the joint-stock company, was attended by specialists of this sphere and the media.

“On the initiative of President Islam Karimov automotive industry was founded in Uzbekistan, which became one of the outstanding achievements of our people in the years of independence,” said the deputy chairman of Uzavtosanoat Shuhrat Yusupov. “Today, automobile industry is a rapidly growing sector of the national economy, which combines a lot of enterprises equipped with modern technologies. Development strategy based on establishing equal and mutually beneficial relationships with leading companies in the world promotes the production of competitive products of world standards.”

In the shops located in the town of Asaka, GM-Uzbekistan produces available-to-date cars, capable of successfully competing with foreign counterparts on comfort, safety, reliability and efficiency. Produced by SamAuto Samarkand plant, Isuzu buses, trucks, special vehicles – vans, water trucks, milk transport, cranes, tow trucks – are in great demand among consumers for their reliability and ease of use. JV MAN Auto-Uzbekistan produces modern trucks.

Constant updating of models of production cars, the improvement of their quality characteristics is the requirement of time. In a competitive environment it is not easy to take place in the world market. Cars Damas, Tico and Nexia were the first “swallows” of Uzavtosanoat. The company later arranged production of Matiz and Lacetti, modified Damas and Nexia. In 2008, automobile industry of Uzbekistan established a partnership with a new partner and major investor – the corporation General Motors. The production of Chevrolet brand Lacetti, Captiva and Epica started at Asaka plant. In August 2010 GM-Uzbekistan motorists introduced a new model – Chevrolet Spark. At present, the company is working on a project to produce a new vehicle of class Nexia.

Today, cars produced in Uzbekistan occupy a worthy place not only in domestic market, but in overseas are in high demand and gain the trust of consumers. Through an extensive network of industry-dealer trading enterprises, vehicles are exported to Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Turkmenistan and Ukraine.

Extensive work is carried out to localize the required registration details for the Asaka car. Well-established production of spare parts, along with foreign currency savings and time reduction in production costs also makes it possible to create many new jobs. According to the program of localization, many joint ventures specializing in manufacturing quality parts and complex parts were established. Thus, there are companies in the manufacture of bumpers, mufflers, fuel tanks, automotive glass, batteries, harnesses for power, interior trim parts for the car, pipes, paints and other products. Over the past five or six years, the number of local suppliers from 20 reached 200.

As part of the development of Uzavtosanoat in 2008-2010, more than 40 investment projects were implemented worth USD 770 million. In 2011-2012 it is planned to master USD 470 million within the frame of 30 projects.

In 2009, in cooperation with General Motors, a joint venture to produce engines was founded. Only 18 countries produce engines for passenger cars. Starting in November of 2011, the new plant General Motors Powertrain Uzbekistan in Tashkent region will allow to occupy a worthy place among these states. In addition, in Djambay district of Samarkand region Uzavtosanoat in cooperation with MAN Truck & Bus AG (Germany) continues to build a new plant to produce trucks for JV MAN Auto-Uzbekistan.

Particular attention is paid to training qualified personnel for the industry – engineers, workers and employees. In accordance with the decree of the President on 27 April 27 of 2009 Politecnico di Torino was established in Tashkent. The youth is enrolled in faculties such as engineering technology, automotive, industrial and economic construction, design, architecture and industry, information and communication technologies and automatic control system in industry, energy.

At the briefing it was noted that the dynamic development of the domestic automotive industry contributed to the development of other high-tech sectors of national economy and overall growth of economic potential of Uzbekistan.