With the local launch of Fortuner assembly at a plant in Kazakhstan, Toyota says its vehicles are now being assembled in Central Asia* for the first time.
The model in question is the Fortuner SUV, CKD assembly of which now takes place at a Saryarka AvtoProm LLP (SAP) plant in Kostanay. The facility is majority held (51%) by Allur Auto – the main shareholder of SAP – with SPK Tobol holding the remainder. SAP has hired an additional 100 workers to assemble the Fortuner, and planned build is 3,000 units per annum.
Go deeper with GlobalData
Discover B2B Marketing That Performs
Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.
Preparations for CKD production, which at the Kostanay plant includes welding, painting and assembly processes, involved 20 Toyota engineers and production experts, who will provide long term technical and standards guidance to SAP.
The current Fortuner, also known in some markets as the Hilux SW4, was first manufactured in 2004, in Thailand. Since then, assembly has followed in South Africa, India, Egypt, Indonesia, Argentina and now Kazakhstan. Its replacement is expected from 2017.
*Toyota defines this region as Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan
