Eithiopia to get Chinese cars

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This must be among one of the first car companies to ever assemble in Eithiopia:

Addis Ababa, July 20, 2009 — Belayab Enterprise, a local company is to begin the assembly of Chinese vehicles and the manufacture of conduits and electrical cables in Adama in four months, the company’s management disclosed.

Established with a capital of 136 million Br, the company expects to complete the construction of its car assembly and conduits manufacturing plant over the next four months on an 80,000hct plot six kilometers from Adama, on the road to Wenji, near the Canvass and Garment Factory, according to Wondwossen Engida, project manager of the company. The construction started four months ago.

The founders of the company, Aschalew Belay and Zenebe Belay, have deals with Foton, the Chinese vehicle manufacturer, to assemble vehicles at the plant which will be erected on 50,000hct of the 80,000hct plot, Wondwossen said. Among the first to be assembled will be pick-ups, mini buses, dump trucks, cargo trucks, with automobiles to follow in due time. The plant will also assemble small motorized agricultural equipments.

Belayab is not new to the business. At its existing facility near Kera in Addis Abeba, it has been importing and assembling heavy duty vehicles such as low-beds, loaders, back loaders, and excavators.

The conduit and insulated cable manufacturing plant will rest on the 30,000hct next to the assembly plant. Wondwossen says that the two plants could employ up to 800 people.

The construction is expected to take a total of eight months with 150 people employed on the job. Construction was interrupted recently for four days because of the shortage of cement, according to the manager. Part of the plant’s construction beyond the foundation will be done by prefabricated building parts.