Skoda India to export CKD kits for Kushaq, Slavia models to Vietnam

skoda autoThe Czech carmaker announced that it has produced over 8.88 lakh vehicles in 2023.

Of these, 52,000 were made in India. Additionally, 48,000 units were made locally at the Pune facility for the Kushaq and Slavia models, and 4,400 units were made at the Aurangabad plant for the Superb, Octavia and Kodiaq models.

According to Financial Express, this means that the carmaker’s operations in India make up 5.85 per cent of its total production worldwide.

Earlier, in the context of the announcement of 2022 annual results, Skoda Auto CEO Klaus Zellmer had said that the company will use Vietnam as a springboard to enter the ASEAN region, with India as the brand’s export hub from there. Will Work. After which Skoda Auto started operations in Vietnam in September 2023.

Apart from expanding its presence in the global market, Skoda Auto also wants to attract more customers in India. According to Hindustan Times (HT) Auto, the company announced during a recent press conference that completely knocked down (CKD) kits are going to be shipped from Pune to Vietnam.

The company also said Skoda Auto strategically leads the brand group core in Vietnam with the intention of maximizing growth for Volkswagen Group, which is a part of the ASEAN region, the report said.

In October 2023, Skoda Auto opened a new Parts Expedition Center (PEC) in Pune. Starting from 2024, it will serve as a logistics hub for Kushaq and Slavia CKD kits manufactured in India.

Additionally, Indian Parts Expedition Center created history by becoming the first building in India to receive the Indian Green Building Council’s platinum certification for green building in December 2023. Certification recognizes the facility’s commitment to green building principles, including water conservation, energy efficiency, natural resource conservation, waste reduction and the creation of healthy workplace environments.

The Parts Expedition Centre, located in Pune and spread over 16,800 square metres, will be used to improve the company’s export activities across the ASEAN region. For final production, PEC will send kits manufactured in India to Vietnam.

In October 2023, Skoda Auto not only re-entered the Vietnamese market, but also recorded another milestone in its internationalization efforts by returning to Kazakhstan, furthering the company’s objective of expanding its reach around the world.

On the other hand, the company sold 48,755 units in 2023, after selling a record-breaking 53,721 cars in 2022.