Isuzu one step closer to setting up new plant

Isuzu Motors India Private Limited, the Indian subsidiary of Japanese automaker, Isuzu Motors Ltd. held the ground breaking ceremony for its new manufacturing facility at Hyderabad.

Isuzu, which entered India in 2013, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Government of Andhra Pradesh, for the acquisition of 107 acres of land, which it plans to use for the setting up its new plant. The facility is expected to be operational by 2016 and will have an initial capacity of 50,000 units a year. However, the company expects to increase this number to 120,000 after an accumulated investment of Rs. 3,000 crore. The plant is also expected to create between 2,000 and 3,000 employment opportunities. Isuzu says the facility will be at par with its global operating standards.

Isuzu current sells the MU-7 SUV in India, which it initially imported as CBUs. In December 2013, it started assembling vehicles from CKD kits brought from Thailand at Hindustan Motors’ facility in Thiruvallur, near Chennai. The company is expected to roll out the D-Max pickup truck in the near future as well.

By the end of March 2014, Isuzu plans to open exclusive dealerships in nine cities in India – Chennai, Hyderabad, Coimbatore, Cochin, Bangalore, Tirupati, Vishakapatnam, Madurai and Delhi.