Special coverage: Auto China 2006
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Dongfeng Automobile Co Ltd recently announced that the company, which controls Zhengzhou Nissan, aims to produce and sell 150,000 Dongfeng light commercial vehicles in 2007, 200,000 units by 2009, the 10th anniversary for its listing, and 300,000 by 2011.

Dongfeng Auto's ambitious plans come after it had achieved excellent performance over the past several years. Dongfeng Auto's annual production capacity has risen to 150,000 units to 50,000 in 2001 and can be upgraded to 200,000 to 300,000 units, said Dongfeng Auto general manager Zhu Futao.

According to Zhu, the company's annual sales jumped from 19,000 units in 1999 to nearly 130,000 units in 2006, with an annual average growth of twice the industry average in China. Dongfeng product platforms have also expanded from two, the Duolika and Xiaobawang, to eight, covering all series of light commercial vehicles, including light buses, sport utility vehicles, multi-purpose vehicles, pickup trucks and engineering vehicles.

Zhu said Dongfeng has formed a complete industrial chain involving research and development, purchase, production, sale and services, banking on its 13 branches and subsidiaries. Zhengzhou Nissan, which Dongfeng Auto acquired in 2004, posted blistering sales of 30,000 units in 2006.

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The full text is available in the February Issue of AutoChina.

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