GM, Uzavtosanoat Mull Transmission Output in Uzbekistan

VIENNA – General Motors and Uzavtosanoat, the Uzbek state automotive company, are considering adding car transmissions to their existing joint-venture production operations in Uzbekistan.

Both partners already operate two JVs: the General Motors Uzbekistan car plant in Asaka and the General Motors Powertrain Uzbekistan engine facility in the capital city of Tashkent.

GM and Uzavtosanoat signed a memorandum of understanding last month, the RIA Novosti news agency reports, quoting sources in the Uzbek government. Both partners reportedly are doing feasibility studies.

Uzavtosanoat says in a presentation that the project envisions local production of the Y4M gearbox, with the possibility of adding a range of other transmissions.

The Y4M transmission is scheduled to be mated with Uzbek-built 1.2L and 1.5L gasoline engines in locally built Chevrolet Lacetti, Spark and Cobalt cars.

The transmissions will be built in Tashkent. However, it’s not clear whether the partners are planning to establish a third JV or integrate the gearbox production into the existing engine plant. The project’s realization period is expected to be 2014 to 2016.

Uzavtosanoat says in its presentation the partners are considering annual output of 150,000 to 160,000 transmissions. However, the RIA Novosti news agency mentions production of 250,000 gearboxes a year.

The transmission project investment has been put at  $120 million-$150 million.

Current planning sees three project stages. In the first phase, the transmissions would be assembled from parts sourced from South Korea. In the second stage, parts such as the body, actuator and shaft are to be machined in Uzbekistan. The third phase envisions local production of the actuators and shafts.