Korean co to manufacture cars in Bangladesh

Korean co to manufacture cars in Bangladesh

Jasim Uddin Haroon

A South Korean automobile company unveiled a US$ 2.0 billion plan Monday to manufacture cars in Bangladesh aiming to grab the country’s fastest growing market and explore export abroad.

Tagaz Korea, established in 2006, has already purchased 350 acres of land at Bhairab in Kishoreganj to set up its second largest plant in Bangladesh, company officials said Monday.

“We want to start construction work at our site by the next six months and it will be completed within 24 months. We will then go for manufacturing cars,” Abdul Mannan Nasir, managing director of Cimillae Development Co, a concern of the Tagaz in Bangladesh, told the FE.

Officials at the Tagaz Korea, a Korea and Russia joint venture automaker, wants to manufacture cars in Bangladesh mainly because of its low labour cost and strategic location for export market.

Bangladesh is enjoying a special facility to European market under EBA (everything but arms) and labour is comparatively cheaper. Automobile industry is a semi-labour intensive industry.

Mr Nasir said Bangladeshi auto technicians, who are quick learners, have average wages between US$300-$400 a month, which is more than double in other developing nations.

He said: “A sedan costs US$ 10,000 in South Korea. But we can reduce the cost here by around $3000 due to cheap labour and other facilities existing in the country.”

He hinted that local buyers would get a sedan with 1500 cc engine capacity at Tk 700,000-Tk 800,000.

State-owned Pragati Industries Ltd has also taken a move to assemble Mitsubishi sedan by 2011.

Company officials said CCGI, a Korea-based leading funding agency, will invest in the Bangladesh plant.

Company officials said Bangladeshi partners will have 20 per cent stake in the joint venture.

Tagaz Korea, a comparatively new automobile maker, said around 30 South Korean companies will also set up their plants in Bangladesh to provide major raw materials for the plant.

Company sources said around 400 local companies will also be developed to supply different kinds of accessories for the plant.

Tagaz is currently rolling out over 500,000 cars from its Korea plant a year and it is mostly exported to European market. They are planning to manufacture at least 50,000 cars in Bangladesh’s plant a year.

Bangladesh’s car market has been growing steadily over the past few years mainly because of the credit facility. The average import of re-conditioned cars is around 30,000 a year.

source:http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/2009/10/14/81579.html