Beiqi Foton puts Guangdong plant in production

FOSHAN, Guangdong – Beiqi Foton Motor Co. officially puts its Foshan plant into operation on September 28, according to the company’s media conference. The plant is focusing on production of new energy buses and will reach an annual capacity of 20,000 units.

The company said its Beijing base will remain the center for decision-making, management, R&D and marketing. The Beijing plant mainly produces high- and medium-end trucks, coaches and passenger vehicles.

Insiders in the company said the joint venture of Foton and Daimler got an approval from the Ministry of Commerce of China on September 20. Business license for the JV is expected to arrive in late October.

In 2010, Foton produced 683,000 motor vehicles, a year-on-year growth of 13.4 percent. According to company’s senior official Zhao Jingguang, Foton expects to become the world’s leading automobile producer in a decade with an annual output of 4 million units.