Iran's SAIPA Expands Exports to West Africa

EghtesadOnline: The second largest automaker in Iran, SAIPA (Société Anonyme Iranienne de Production Automobile), has started exporting cars to Guinea in West Africa.

News ID: ۷۷۶۳۹۸

21 May 2017

According to the firm’s export manager, Mohsen Javan, 1,000 SAIPA vehicles are now on their way to Guinea, iribnews.ir reported.

The company is already exporting to Iraq, Syria, Venezuela, Azerbaijan Republic, Armenia, Ukraine, Afghanistan, Egypt, Algeria, Libya, Senegal, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Cameroon, Sudan, Djibouti, Ethiopia and Lebanon.

Its exports to Guinea include Pride, Tiba, Tiba2, Changan CS35, Brilliance models, Ario S300 and two unspecified models of pickup trucks, according to Financial Tribune.

Javan said the firm is aiming to increase its presence in West African countries by expanding sales and after sales services network in the region.

SAIPA is currently producing vehicles in Iraq, Syria and Venezuela and a production plant will be launched in Algeria in the near future, he said.

“Some of the vehicles made by SAIPA’s offshore production plants will be exported to West African countries.”

Offshore Production

Additionally, the automaker plans to increase output of its offshore production plants. In order to do so, the company will provide the offshore plants with Completely Knocked-Down (CKD) units manufactured by its domestic factories.

Furthermore, SAIPA aims to establish production plants in several  countries jointly with foreign firms (unnamed) from Italy, Spain, Turkey and Germany.

Javan added that SAIPA is set to open three new production plants in Iraq which would manufacture X100 series (different models of Pride) and Ario. The company’s existing factory in the neighboring Arab country produces the low-price Tiba sedan.

SAIPA says it also wants to export 34,000 vehicles approximately valued $200 million and auto parts worth $20 million, in the current fiscal (started in March). Last year, the firm exported auto parts worth $10 million.