Hyundai Trans Kazakhstan car manufacturing plant launches in Almaty

The official opening ceremony of the domestic car manufacturing plant Hyundai Trans Kazakhstan in Almaty was attended by Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan Askar Mamin, Minister of Industry and Infrastructure Development Beibut Atamkulov, Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy of the Republic of Korea Sung Yun-mo, President of Hyundai Motor Company Lee Won-hee, President of Hyundai Motor Russia and CIS Seong Keng Soo, Chairman of the Board of Development Bank of Kazakhstan JSC Abai Sarkulov, Chairman of the Board of Industry Development Fund JSC Nurlan Baibazarov, President of Astana Group Nurlan Smagulov.

Hyundai Trans Kazakhstan is a subsidiary of Astana Motors. The total volume of investments exceeded 28 billion tenge, of which 30% are own funds of Astana Motors and 70% are loans raised from Development Bank of Kazakhstan JSC and Industry Development Fund JSC. The project has been implemented with support from the Ministry of Industry and Infrastructure Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan as well as the Almaty Akimat.

The plant area is 34 thous. sq. meters on 25 hectares in the Industrial Zone of Almaty. The Hyundai Trans Kazakhstan plant has been built using modern technologies of the global motor industry and meets all environmental requirements, it is fitted with the most advanced equipment made in South Korea. The equipment was installed at the plant by Hyundai Motor Company and Youngsan (Korea) specialists. The plant’s production capacity at the first stage is 30 thous. cars per year, at the second stage — up to 45 thous. cars per year.

"For 9 months of this year, the volume of production in the automotive industry increased by over 50%. This sphere allows creating highly qualified jobs and producing products with high added value," Mamin said.

The prime minister stressed that the opening of Hyundai cars production in Almaty is a vivid example of expanding industrial cooperation with one of the world's largest leaders in the automotive industry — Hyundai Motor Company, as well as deepening fruitful cooperation between Kazakhstan and the Republic of Korea.

"The successful completion of construction resulted from the cooperation of the Kazakhstan Government, Hyundai Motor Company and Astana Motors. With its high quality standards and highly skilled personnel, Hyundai Trans Kazakhstan is the best plant in Kazakhstan. We believe that the new plant will bring Hyundai’s highest quality and technologies to the Kazakhstan market and contribute to development of the car industry in Kazakhstan. We are confident this plant will become a manufacturing base for not only the Kazakhstan market but other CIS countries as well," Won-Hee Lee, Hyundai Motor Company CEO & President, pointed out.

50% of the total number of Astana Motors manufactured cars will be sold on the market of Kazakhstan and 50% will be exported to the CIS countries. At the moment, the company already exports Hyundai cars to Uzbekistan.

«Hyundai Trans Kazakhstan is a modern plant of a new format. Astana Motors has been working in the Kazakhstan’s car market for 28 years and its own car manufacturing plant is a key stage in the company’s development. We have created unique conditions for developing of professional personnel, high quality standards of Hyundai at the new plant will be ensured by 700 skilled Kazakhstani specialists, and given the multiplicative effect, it is over 1000 employees in various areas,» pointed out Astana Motors President Nurlan Smagulov.

Going forward, Astana Motors plans to build a car part manufacturing plant. Thus, the company will achieve the set objectives for development of the domestic car industry — ensuring over 51% localization and starting export to CIS countries.

To recap, construction of the Hyundai Trans Kazakhstan plant in the Industrial Zone of Almaty started on 21 April 2019. In April 2020, the plant had its first car manufactured by major-component assembly method. Today, on 15 October 2020, the body welding and painting shops, the car assembly shop, the plastic part painting shop and the component warehouse for manufacture of cars by minor components assembly were officially launched. The cars assembled at the new plant by means of minor components assembly will be offered on the market in early 2021.