Gasgoo.com (Shanghai May 29) - Guangqi Mitsubishi is aiming to increase its annual production capacity from the current 30,000 vehicles to 130,000 vehicles following the redesign of its painting and assembly facilities in the first quarter of next year, the National Business Daily reported today, citing a statement made by Executive Vice President Fu Shoujie.
Mr. Fu points out that Guangqi Mitsubishi's production site works on single eight-hour shifts currently, with production capacity estimated to be around 120 vehicles a day and 7,000 vehicles a quarter. The joint venture's sales this quarter totaled 6,351 vehicles, nearly on par with its maximum production capacity.
However, with new models in the works, including the domestically manufactured Pajero Sport due at the end of this year and a new SUV model in 2014, Guangqi Mitsubishi has no choice but to tackle its issue with limited production capacity. According to Mr. Fu, the JV will begin implementing double work shifts daily, which will help its monthly production capacity reach 5,000 vehicles and annual capacity reach 60,000 vehicles within this year. Annual capacity will increase even further following redesign of the JV's automobile factory, topping 130,000 vehicles, Mr. Fu reveals.
In addition to increasing its production capacity, Guangqi Mitsubishi also has plans to expand its Chinese sales network from the 60 dealerships active at the end of last year to 130 dealerships. The JV is aiming to strengthen its presence in second-tier, third-tier and even fourth-tier cities.
