Car production to increase 1.5-fold in 2014 in Kazakhstan

53-55 thousand cars will be assembled in Kazakhstan in 2014, Tengrinews reports citing Interfax-Kazakhstan. According to the forecasts of Kazakhstan's Auto Business Association, a little over 53 thousand cars will be produced in Kazakhstan in 2014. This is 25% of all the cars that are expected to be sold in Kazakhstan that year. "It was initially planed that local production this year would make 29,176 vehicles, but after 11 months of the year the forecast amount was exceeded and brought to 31 814 unites. 50% of the cars are sedans and 42% are off-road vehicles. The production target for 2013 has been set to 35 thousand vehicles," the head of Association Andrey Lavrentyev said. President of Asia Auto car-assembling plant Yerik Sagymbayev is expecting car production to reach 53-55 thousand vehicles in 2014. "If the market continues growing at the current pace, we will consider increasing the output by 35-38% against this year and bringing the number to 42 thousand vehicles," Sagymbayev said. Asia Auto is planning to produce around 30.9 thousand vehicles in 2013. "The plan made in the beginning of the year set the target to 33 thousand cars. But the plant has actually produced only around 30.9 thousand cars. Shortage of car assembly kits for KIA and Chevrolet is the main reason why the target was not met. Meanwhile the plan for Skoda and Lada production line was over-fulfilled. We increased the output by 87% against last year," Sagymbetov said. There are two car-assembling plants in Kazakhstan: Asia Auto plant in Ust-Kamenogorsk city in eastern Kazakhstan and AgromashHolding plant in Kostanay city in northern Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan car-assembling plant Asia Auto was established in 2002. The factory’s partners include the world’s leading concerns: Volkswagen Group, General Motors, Renault-Nissan-AvtoVAZ and KIA Motors. Asia Auto produces Skoda (Fabia, Octavia, Rapid, Superb, Yeti), Chevrolet (Aveo, Captiva, Cruze, Orlando), Lada 4x4, KIA (Ceed, Sorento, Mohave, Cerato, Sportage, Soul, Cadenza, Optima, Picanto, Quoris) and Cadillac cars. AgromashHolding plant was established in 2003, it produces agricultural machinery (harvesters, seeding-machines, etc). It also produces SsangYong (Kyron, Rexton, New Actyon, Chairman, ActyonSports), ZAZ (Chance sedan, hatchback, van), IVECO PowerDaily (chassis, panel van, microbus), Peugeot (301, 308, 508, 3008, Partner) cars. The plant is going to produce Toyota Fortuner starting from 2014.