MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Uruguayan made Chinese cars export to Argentina

In thirty days time Chery-Socma Uruguay, a Chinese, Argentine Uruguayan consortium will be making its first export of Uruguayan assembled cars to Argentina. The announcement was made during a visit this week to the plant by Uruguayan president Tabare Vazquez and Hui Liangyu, China's Deputy Primer Minister.

The consortium is made up of the Chinese government owned manufacturer Chery, which has the majority; Argentina's Socma belonging to the Macri family group and Oferol from Uruguay. Plant activities begun in 2007 and currently employ 130 people with a daily production of ten vehicles. However the plant has the potential for 25.000 units annually, although the group must previously increase the plant's equipment and organize a network of dealers. The corporation's CEO in Uruguay Oscar Ramos said the target in the second development phase was to also penetrate the Brazilian market which is feasible since the cars comply with all Mercosur regulations. The current model under production is the Tiggo van which has already sold over a hundred units in Montevideo. Chery-Socma is planning to manufacture three versions of the Tiggo, including an all terrain and a new model beginning 2009. Although no figures of the total investment of the project were released Montevideo industry sources said that the Uruguayan participation in the consortia is equivalent to 12 million US dollars.