ZX Auto

Hebei Zhongxing Automobile Co Ltd
Joint venture
Industry Automotive
Founded 1999
Headquarters Baoding, Hebei, China
Products Automobiles
Number of employees
 2,800
Website zxauto.com.cn
ZX Auto
Simplified Chinese 中兴汽车
Traditional Chinese 中興汽車
Tayo Auto Grandhiland operated by Libyan rebels during the 2011 civil war

Hebei Zhongxing Automobile Co Ltd, branded as ZX Auto, is a smaller Chinese producer of SUVs and pick-up trucks.[1] Co-owned by Tianye Automobile Group Co Ltd and Taiwan Unite Leading Co, it was established in 1999[2] and exports to the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Africa, and Central and South America. The company claims a per year production capacity of 110,000 units[3] – a figure that could conflate engines and whole vehicles.

History

In the latter half of the 2000s, the company sought access to the US market[4] with the help of US company Capital Corp,[5] and it participated in the 2007 National Automobile Dealers Association convention.[6] While US sales were touted as late as 2008,[1] the company has yet to sell its models in developed countries. Products are available in some EU member states, however.[7]

During the Libyan civil war, a lot of 6,000 ZX Auto Grand Tiger pick-up trucks[8] found their way into rebel hands[9] and were turned into technicals replete with mounted guns.[10] As the conflict progressed, pro-Qaddafi forces also began using pick-ups after NATO aerial bombing raids disabled their armoured vehicles.[8] Some of the ZX Auto Grand Tiger pickups used in this civil war may have been branded as Tayo Auto Grandhiland. When fighting commenced in 2011, there were at least 15,000 ZX Auto pick-ups already in the country.[11]

Some sales are to the Chinese State.[12]

C. 2014, the company removed a reference to co-ownership by Taiwan Unite Leading Co and Hebei Tianye Automobile Group Co Ltd from its website.[13] Website modifications also included changing the year of the company's formation from 1999 to 1949 although 1999 remained referenced as the year ZX Auto was "transformed into a joint venture company."[13]

Production bases and facilities

ZX Auto Grand Tiger in New Zealand
ZX Landmark
ZX C3 Urban Ark

ZX Auto has two vehicle factories and a R&D center.[3] While one factory and the R&D center are likely located in Baoding, Hebei, where the company is based, the second factory may be in Changchun as ZX Auto has part-ownership of a production base in this city with Changling Group Co Ltd.[14] In late 2010, it started construction of a new plant in Yichang, Hubei, that will build SUVs and sedans.[15] As of late 2014, the company does reference a Baoding production base on its website claiming a production capacity of 50,000 units.[16]

Some of its products are assembled in small, overseas factories from knock-down kits, and ZX Auto states that the majority of its exports are in the form of these kits.[17] The companies that own these factories and do the final assembly are not necessarily affiliated with ZX Auto. Such assembly has commenced in Egypt, Iran, and Jordan, where a 5,000 unit/year factory was under construction as of 2008.[18] As of 2011, the company hopes new knock-down factories will spring up in Mexico and Malaysia.[19] In Poland, a pick-up, the Grand Tiger, is produced and sold by Polish company POL-MOT Warfama.[7] Probably assembled from knock-down kits, Polish models sport an engine that complies with EU regulations.[7]

Models

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Reed, J. (16 January 2008). ZXAuto to lead chinese assault on US car market. Financial Times.
  2. ↑ "Zxauto-Changling branch". ZX Auto. Archived from the original on 7 July 2011. Retrieved 31 January 2012.
  3. 1 2 "Introduction". About ZXAUTO. ZX Auto. Archived from the original on 29 May 2012. Retrieved 2 August 2012.
  4. ↑ "Proud Moments". About ZXAUTO. ZX Auto. Archived from the original on 6 Dec 2011. Retrieved 2 August 2012.
  5. ↑ Fairclough, G. (7 November 2006). "Bumper crop: As barriers fall in auto business, china jumps in" Wall Street Journal
  6. ↑ Bursa, M. (2007). China automotive market review: Management briefing: Exports to the US. Just-Auto News
  7. 1 2 3 "Poland sees China links as key to growth". Marketplace. American Public Media/National Public Radio. 28 December 2011. Retrieved 2 August 2012.
  8. 1 2 "China-made pickup being known for Libyan War". ZX Auto. n.d. Archived from the original on 4 Nov 2011. Retrieved 2 August 2012.
  9. ↑ "How I took my ZX Auto Grand Tiger To War Against Gaddafi". chinacartimes.com. 15 July 2012. Retrieved 2 August 2012.
  10. ↑ Montlake, Simon (23 September 2011). "Libyan War Offers Mixed Blessings for China's ZX Auto". Forbes. Retrieved 2 August 2012.
  11. ↑ For 2003 shipment of 4,000 pick-ups and c. 2008 shipment of 5,000, see "ZXAUTO exports 5,000 pickups to Libya". ZX Auto. n.d. Archived from the original on 4 Nov 2011. Retrieved 2 August 2012.
  12. ↑
  13. 1 2 See differences between archived ZX Auto websites.
    • 28 Dec 2013 archive "About ZX auto: Introduction". zxauto.com.cn. ZX Auto. Archived from the original on 28 Dec 2013. Retrieved 2 May 2015. Hebei Zhongxing Automobile Co., Ltd. is a joint venture of Taiwan Unite Leading Co. and Hebei Tianye Automobile Group Co., Ltd.
    • 1 Feb 2014 archive "About ZX auto: Introduction". zxauto.com.cn. ZX Auto. Archived from the original on 1 Feb 2014. Retrieved 2 May 2015. Hebei Zhongxing Automobile Co., Ltd.'s (ZXAUTO) predecessor was founded in 1949 and in Dec 1999 transformed into a joint venture company...
  14. ↑ "ZXAUTO and ChangLing joint sedan factory has been established successfully". ZX Auto. n.d. Archived from the original on 3 Jan 2012. Retrieved 2 August 2012.
  15. ↑ "Zhongxing Breaks Ground on SUV Plant in Yichang, Eyeing Sedan Market". ChinaAutoWeb.com. 29 November 2010.
  16. ↑ "About ZX Auto: Introduction". zxauto.com.cn. ZX Auto. Archived from the original on 7 Dec 2014. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
  17. ↑ "Grandtiger won dual champions in Iran in terms of product quality and customer satisfaction". ZX Auto. n.d. Archived from the original on 3 Jan 2012. Retrieved 2 August 2012.
  18. ↑ For Egypt assembly, see "The First Chinese SUV Brand in the Biggest Market in North Africa". ZX Auto. n.d. Archived from the original on 2 Sep 2011. Retrieved 2 August 2012.
  19. ↑ "2250 units of GRANDTIGER pickups rolled into Middle Eastern market in January 2011". ZX Auto. 2011. Archived from the original on 3 Jan 2012. Retrieved 2 August 2012.
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