Chery Jaguar Land Rover Automotive Co Ltd expands plant to lift output capacity to meet rising demand in China

Ti Gong

Chery Jaguar Land Rover Automotive Co Ltd is expanding its Changshu plant in Jiangsu Province to increase production capacity to meet rising demand in China.

The Sino-British joint venture said today that the expanded Changshu plant will boost output capacity by an extra 70,000 units of vehicles annually, about 50 percent of its previous annual capacity,.

“From January to May this year, our sales volume increased by almost 20 percent compared with the same period last year," said Murray Dietsch, president of Chery Jaguar Land Rover in a group interview with Shanghai Daily. "We will strive to meet the market demand here in China,"

In October 2014, Chery Jaguar Land Rover opened the Changshu plant phase I with an annual capacity of 130,000  vehicles. With the Changshu plant phase II officially put into operation today, the total annual output will expand to 200,000 units.

"The Changshu plant phase II will also help Chery Jaguar Land Rover to present a richer product matrix, continuously enhance the intelligent manufacturing capabilities of the company and contribute to the upgrade of China's high-end auto manufacturing industry," Dietsch said.

Chery Jaguar Land Rover said that its compact sport-utility vehicle, Jaguar E-PACE, will be the first product of the Changshu plant phase II. The Jaguar E-PACE is an entry level SUV targeting young Chinese consumers and will be sold in the Chinese market starting from August this year.

The carmaker said it is eying the compact SUV market which is set to grow above 10 percent in China annually with the Jaguar E-PACE.  

The expansion of the Changshu plant is also aimed at preparing the manufacturer to produce new-energy vehicles in the future, the carmaker said. 

Established in 2012, Chery Jaguar Land Rover Automobile Co Ltd is a joint venture between Chinese auto maker Chery Automobile Co Ltd and UK car manufacturer Jaguar Land Rover.