Chana Auto, the Chinese auto manufacturing company, has announced that it will start producing cars in South Africa out of a new yet-to-be-built factory. The factory will have the capacity to manufacture 50 000 vehicles annually while Chana’s US$80 million investment in the facility as well as other businesses in the country, will yield over 1 000 jobs.
South Africa will become the epicentre of Chana’s development in Southern Africa. As well as putting up a Research and Development Centre (R&D), the company also plans to invest in a good sales and marketing network over the next five years. It has promised to increase its investment in the country in order to meet ever-growing economic demands.
The word Chana means “forever peace” and the brand aims to spread this through its growing economic friendship with our country Mzansi. China has over 120 motor manufacturers and Chana is in the top four of these. Last year it sold 860 000 vehicles globally, and South Africa has taken over 7 000 of them since Chana launched its local operations about two years ago.
