Sokon automobile inaugurates its plant in Indonesia’s Banten province

APD NEWS

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By APD writer Maverick

**JAKARTA, Nov. 29 (APD) ** — China’s prominent auto producer Sokon inaugurated on Tuesday its production facility in Indonesia’s Banten province, applying industrial principle of Industry 4.0 that assures high quality and accuracy with flexible manufacturing system.

The car manufacturing facility, located in an industrial zone around 78 kilometers west of capital Jakarta, is jointly operated by Sokon Group Hong Kong Co. Ltd. and Indonesian partner Kaisar Motorindo Industri.

Development of the facility was completed in mid this year since the construction process began in 2015.

“This production facility uses state of the art technology with robotic system, assuring consistent high quality, accuracy of the product,” Sokonindo CEO Alexander Barus said in his remarks in the plant inaugural event.

Dignitaries presented in the session were Indonesia Industry Minister Airlangga Hartarto, Sokon Industry Group Deputy Chairman of of the Board Zhang Xingmin and Counselor of Economic and Commercial at Chinese Embassy’s Counselor Office Wang Liping.

Some 150 million U.S. Dollars of investment has been put in the plant that sits on 20 hectares of area, Alexander said, adding that the investments would be increased to 300 million U.S. Dollar to finance the development of its engine plant section.

The facility is designed to have production capacity of 50,000 units per year by 2019, now serves stamping, welding, painting and assembly activities.

Sokonindo planned to employ 2,000 workers of which 95 percent were locals with the remaining 5 percent were foreign ones by 2019, Alexander said in his remarks.

According to Alexander, besides serving domestic market, the Sokon facility in Indonesia would serve as production basis for its exports in 70 countries and regions Southeast Asia, Africa, Europe and the Middle East.

As of now the facility produces Sokon cars from various types consisted of pick-up, SUV and MPV with all of their variants.

Alexander said that Sokonindo also planned to produce electric cars in the facility as Research and Development process is now being carried out by its experts, embracing prominent car producer of its kind, Tesla.

“When the time comes, Indonesia will have electric car industry,” he said.

Praising Sokonindo’s intention to produce electric cars in the facility, Indonesia Industry Minister Airlangga Hartarto said the plan was fit with government’s to domestically develop electric cars for public use.

“In the meantime government would review and amend its regulations related to electric cars so as to support the industry and make the car more affordable for the people,” the minister said in the event.

He expected that electric car production in Indonesia can be initiated within the next three years.

Indonesia expects electric car would take 20 percent of national car market in the future, he added.

The Indonesian minister said that opening of Sokon Automobile factory in Indonesia has proved the significantly growing bilateral ties between the two countries, particularly in investment sector.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)