US-based automobile manufacturer Ford Motor along with its strategic partner Jiangling Motors (JMC) has opened a new commercial vehicle assembly plant in Nanchang, Jiangxi province in China.
The new JMC Xiaolan Plant was built with an investment of $300m form both the companies and is expected to increase JMC's annual vehicle production capacity by two times to 545,000 units from the previous 245,000 units.
The new facility will manufacture both Ford and JMC branded vehicles on a production line that uses Ford's global manufacturing knowledge.
Both the companies are also planning to construct a new engine plant in the Xiaolan manufacturing base that is said to have initial production capacity of 200,000 units per annum.
Additionally, Ford plans to introduce two new vehicles to JMC in order to expand their partnership that will include a new Ford commercial vehicle along with a new Ford sports utility vehicle (SUV).
Following the introduction, Ford is expected to offer a portfolio of vehicles including the heavy duty truck, light commercial, and SUV segments in China.
