Great Wall Motor, Hansteel sign auto steel plate deal

Shanghai, December 1 (Gasgoo.com) Great Wall Motor and Hansteel signed an agreement last week for cooperation in trial production of auto steel plates, Xinhua News reported.

Under the deal, Handan Iron & Steel Co. (Hansteel), a subsidiary of Hebei Iron & Steel Group, will make automobile steel products for Great Wall Motor, which is also situated in the northern Chinese province of Hebei.

The steelmaker will be responsible for improving quality of the auto steel products, such as compressing and welding properties, surface texture, and coating / painting quality.

Hansteel has targeted high-quality steel production as early as it set up its new factory. It is able to make 80% of the steel parts for a complete vehicle, and its wheels have been shipped to overseas markets.

Great Wall Motor, a large private automaker in China, has auto product line-ups of sedans, SUVs, and pickups. The automaker is capable of producing 400,000 vehicles a year, and it also makes core auto parts like engines and gear boxes.