28 December 2008
Minister of Industries and Mines Ali Akbar Mehrabian inaugurated the first phase of Iran Khodro Wagon Factory in Abhar, Zanjan Province.
According to IRIB, the new factory will manufacture 200 rail bus, urban subway, urban light train and monorail wagons, saving $300 million each year on imports.
Iran Khodro Company (IKCO) is the largest carmaker in the Middle East, Central Asia and North Africa, with an annual production of more than one million vehicles of various models, including cars, trucks, minibuses and buses.
The automaker opened a plant in Syria in April and is also readying a new plant in Turkey for 2009. IKCO is also ramping up exports as it builds a global presence.
The company builds more than half a million passenger vehicles a year, and officials have said they want to boost annual production to more than a million vehicles to hike exports to more than 600,000 by 2016. Iran Khodro Company has exported SamandÕs sedan model to Russia, Afghanistan, Belarus, Senegal, Armenia and Azerbaijan.
The vehicle of choice for most of these local assembly operations is Samand, a compact sedan based heavily on Peugeot 405 platform and with a price tag starting from $9,000. Market observers believe that Samand could challenge future Chinese and Indian imports at the low end of the market.
Samand trade name is now registered at the World Intellectual Property Organization.
Many countries, including Turkey, Bangladesh and Pakistan are considered as importers of petrol and gas-powered Samand models with left and right-hand steering-wheels.
Marketing research has shown that given the financial capability of European and South Asian markets and the competitive advantage that Iran enjoys, Iran Khodro Company could gain a foothold in global markets in a relatively short period of time.
Samand Suren, IranÕs first passenger car achieving Euro III emission standard, rolled off the assembly line several months ago.
Aside from reducing its exhaust gas pollutants, the fuel consumption of sedan has also been cut, and as a result of the modifications made to the new models, particularly its Engine Management System, engine performance has been significantly enhanced.
According to IRIB, the new factory will manufacture 200 rail bus, urban subway, urban light train and monorail wagons, saving $300 million each year on imports.
Iran Khodro Company (IKCO) is the largest carmaker in the Middle East, Central Asia and North Africa, with an annual production of more than one million vehicles of various models, including cars, trucks, minibuses and buses.
The automaker opened a plant in Syria in April and is also readying a new plant in Turkey for 2009. IKCO is also ramping up exports as it builds a global presence.
The company builds more than half a million passenger vehicles a year, and officials have said they want to boost annual production to more than a million vehicles to hike exports to more than 600,000 by 2016. Iran Khodro Company has exported SamandÕs sedan model to Russia, Afghanistan, Belarus, Senegal, Armenia and Azerbaijan.
The vehicle of choice for most of these local assembly operations is Samand, a compact sedan based heavily on Peugeot 405 platform and with a price tag starting from $9,000. Market observers believe that Samand could challenge future Chinese and Indian imports at the low end of the market.
Samand trade name is now registered at the World Intellectual Property Organization.
Many countries, including Turkey, Bangladesh and Pakistan are considered as importers of petrol and gas-powered Samand models with left and right-hand steering-wheels.
Marketing research has shown that given the financial capability of European and South Asian markets and the competitive advantage that Iran enjoys, Iran Khodro Company could gain a foothold in global markets in a relatively short period of time.
Samand Suren, IranÕs first passenger car achieving Euro III emission standard, rolled off the assembly line several months ago.
Aside from reducing its exhaust gas pollutants, the fuel consumption of sedan has also been cut, and as a result of the modifications made to the new models, particularly its Engine Management System, engine performance has been significantly enhanced.
© Iran Daily 2008
