Former Iveco JV cooperating with China's Hongyan, plans to produce 100 trucks per month

CHELYABINSK. Nov 7 (Interfax) - China's Hongyan has partnered with AMT H.B. LLC [former Iveco-AMT LLC, renamed after the withdrawal of Italy's Iveco], the Russian company said in a statement.

"New potential partners were chosen. Seeking to maintain continuity by the type of manufactured vehicles, we chose a truck manufacturer, Hongyan based in Chongqing, Northern Economic Zone, China, which makes a similar range of trucks. The AMT N.V. plant with a partner from China has resumed production of a new range of trucks with improved technical characteristics. The plant plans to produce 100 heavy-duty vehicles per month," the statement said.

The plant in Miass is planning to begin production of single-drive vehicles for long-haul transportation and urban services in the near future, the press service for the Industry, New Technologies and Natural Resources Ministry of the Chelyabinsk region said. The new product range will include single and four-wheel drive commercial vehicles with a gross weight from 12 to 90 tonnes, with different wheel designs and a basic range of efficient and economical engines of 480 to 550 horsepower.

The Miass plant assembled over 630 vehicles for work in harsh climatic conditions, including the Arctic, by the end of October, it said.

"As of now, two contracts with the Chinese manufacturer for the delivery of 108 heavy-duty truck kits have been implemented. The monthly production of up to 100 trucks is planned. The target for 2024 and 2025 is 1,200 and 1,800 trucks, respectively," the press service said.

According to the Chelyabinsk Region Minister of Industry, New Technologies and Mineral Resources Pavel Ryzhy, the plant will build a new workshop. The possible delivery of trucks for "the Vostok Oil project and gold deposits in Chukotka" is being discussed, he said.

The company said in March 2023 it would continue to make trucks together with the Chinese company JAC, and in particular, "would present a new range of trucks on the market." In contrast to the traditional single-drive vehicles, made by the company earlier, the new product range will include single and four-wheel drive commercial vehicles with a full mass of 12 to 90 tonnes, 4x2, 4x4, 6x2, 6x4, 6x6, 8x4, 8x8 and 10x10 axil arrangements, and a basic line of efficient and economical engines with between 480 and 550 horsepower.

Following Iveco's withdrawal from Russia, its 33.3% share in the joint venture in Miass was consolidated by the Russian co-owner, AMT LLC of Vladimir (80%) and Andrei (20%) Novikov by August 2022.

The AMT H.B. plant includes workshops for frame assembly and superstructure production, welding, cabin assembly and painting, and truck assembly and testing. The plant's rated capacity is 5,000 trucks a year, while its operating capacity is 3,500 trucks and 1,500 superstructures.