Algeria’s first Chinese automobile assembly plant open for production

The first heavy truck of Shaanxi Automobile Group recently rolled off the production line in Algeria, recognized as the country’s first Chinese automobile assembly plant in production.

The plant, occupying a space of 20,000 square meters, was jointly built by the Chinese company and its Algerian partner Mazouz Trade Group in the eastern province of Setif. Production was launched this May as the first automobile assembly plant under a Chinese brand in Algeria.

About 3,000 trucks under the brand of Shacman are expected to be assembled and manufactured at the plant each year. The vehicles, apart from meeting local needs, will also be sold to surrounding countries such as Tunisia and Mali.

Due to its high quality at a reasonable price, Shacman is fast becoming the most popular brand of heavy trucks in Algeria. Statistics indicate that over 40,000 vehicles have been exported to Algeria since 2007, occupying 80 percent of the country's engineering truck market.

Moreover, the Chinese company cooperates with Algeria on talent training to help the country with infrastructure construction.

Zhang Lei, a manager of the company, stated that they have launched a special program to cultivate talent in automobile creation for Algeria with Chang’an University, one of China’s top universities, by offering scholarships and education opportunities to Algerian teenagers.

Construction of the plant not only directly creates 1,200 jobs for local people, but also plays a significant role in introducing Chinese manufacturing technologies to Algeria, said Ahmed Mazouz, CEO of the Algerian group.

The CEO added that Chinese products have left a deep impression on him since he started business with China in the 1990s.