LAHORE, Jan 28: A Nigeria-based joint venture of German and Chinese auto giants, National Motors intends to invest $25 million in Pakistan to establish an assembling plant for small trucks and large-sized prime movers.
"The production of this joint venture company is expected to start within a year, which will cater to the domestic as well as emerging regional markets," said Inaamul Haq, a local representative of the company while speaking to newsmen.
He said that the company is currently manufacturing prime movers and small trucks in Nigeria under the brand name of National Trucks with the technical support of Styer (Germany) and its Chinese partners.
The company is owned by an expatriate Pakistani, Tariq Ashraf, who settled down in Nigeria about two decades ago and currently wanted to invest back home. National Motors is the largest truck manufacturers of Western Africa, Inaam said and added that their company has taken this decision following Pakistan government’s intention of conditionally allowing Indian goods pass through Pakistani territory.
After starting from the prime mover, the company would move to small trucks of 2.5 to five tonnes assembling which would cater to the domestic market, he said and added that they have no intention of entering the booming car-assembling sector of Pakistan.
He said that a delegation of National Motors Nigeria has already landed in China to discuss the possibilities of Chinese support for this project. After making necessary arrangements, the delegation is expected to land in Pakistan next week, he added.
The company has initially finalised Hub (Balochistan) as a possible place for its assembling plant, however, Gadoon Amazai and Hattar (NWFP) may be the possible alternatives depending upon the facilities being offered by respective provincial governments, he added. He said that the company is also considering shifting its major vendor base to Pakistan, which would help domestic engineering industry to flourish on a par with international standards.