MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Chinese automaker GWM opens first factory in South America

This new factory is the brand's first plant in the Southern Hemisphere and its third outside China

Chinese automaker Great Wall Motors (GWM) officially launched its first manufacturing facility in the Americas, located in Brazil, with President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva present at the ceremony. The plant is set to function as a regional export hub for Latin America.

During the event in Iracemápolis, São Paulo state, President Lula highlighted the significance of the investment, contrasting it with the departure of companies like Ford and Mercedes-Benz.

“While an American company like Ford is leaving Brazil, while Mercedes Benz is leaving the state of Sao Paulo, a Chinese automaker is arriving. That is the virtue of the Chinese, the vision they have to produce and sell on the other side of the world, bringing knowledge to Brazil,” Lula stressed.

Lula, a former metalworker, personally participated in the assembly of the first locally produced vehicle—a white Haval H6 GT hybrid SUV—affixing the “made in Brazil” label himself. He also expressed his administration’s commitment to supporting GWM’s expansion into other Latin American markets.

This facility marks GWM's first plant in the Southern Hemisphere and its third full-scale production site outside China, following Russia and Thailand. Spanning 1.2 million square meters, with 94,000 square meters of built area, the factory has an annual production capacity of 50,000 vehicles.

“Brazil is a strategic market for GWM,” said Mu Feng, CEO of GWM Global. “This plant not only enables vehicle production but also fosters job creation and technological development across the continent.”

Located on the former site of Mercedes-Benz’s operations (closed in 2020), the factory begins with three vehicle models and 600 employees. Staffing is expected to reach 1,000 by year-end and could surpass 2,000 as exports ramp up.

GWM also announced the establishment of its first South American Research and Development Center, to be based in São Paulo. The center will initially employ over 60 engineers and technicians focused on adapting products to local conditions.

The company’s long-term investment plan in Brazil totals R$10 billion (around US$1.85 billion) over the next decade.