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Volkswagen plans to double output from Kenya plant

Volkswagen plans to double output from Kenya plant

Kenya

German automaker Volkswagen (VW) plans to double output at its Kenyan assembly plant and could build a second model there, Kenya’s presidential office said without giving a timeline.

VW set up the vehicle assembly plant in 2016, resuming production in Kenya after a four decade break. The plant has started by assembling VW’s Vivo model.

President Uhuru Kenyatta was told by VW’s South Africa chief Thomas Schaefer “the firm was exploring producing a second model in Kenya, possibly a hatchback – small SUV – while doubling production of the VW Polo Vivo to at least 300 vehicles,” the presidential office said in a statement late on Friday.

VW has long experience operating in emerging markets. But Kenya’s car market is dominated by low-priced, second-hand imports from countries, such as Japan.

Other brands assembling vehicles in Kenya include Isuzu, Toyota, Nissan, Mitsubishi and Peugeot.

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