Jeep Renegade production starts in China

(ANSA) - Turin, April 18 - The first made-in-China Jeep Renegade came off the assembly line of the Guangzhou Automobile Group (GAC) and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) factory on Monday in Guangzhou. Advance sales will begin in late April at the Beijing Car Show. Numerous government authorities and company managers attended the ceremony, including joint venture CEO Sergio Marchionne. The FCA called the launch "a significant milestone" for the company after the announcement and the starting of local production of the Jeep Cherokee at the GAC-FCA factory in Changsha on October 19. Local production of the Jeep Renegade is expected to spur further growth for the joint venture and increase the Jeep brand's competitiveness in the off-road vehicle segment in China. The Guangzhou plant, built jointly by GAC and FCA, is located in the Panyu and Guangzhou district inside the GAC car production hub. It is able to produce 160,000 vehicles per year.
    The GAC FCA Changsha plant is the first in China to adopt the exacting World Class Manufacturing (WCM) standards. WCM is a methodology that focuses on reducing waste, increasing productivity and improving quality and safety in a systematic and organized way.
    The advanced facilities are divided into four sections, along with a quality control unit. "GAC-FCA," Zhang Fangyou, Guangzhou Automobile Industry Group Co Ltd chief, said, "is an excellent example of collaboration between China, the US and Italy."