German carmaker Volkswagen Group along with its joint venture FAW-Volkswagen has opened its new vehicle production plant in Foshan, Southern China.
The company has commenced the production of its seventh-generation Volkswagen Golf at this plant, which has an initial production capacity of 300,000 vehicles annually.
The company will also produce its Audi A3 car in Foshan plant starting from the end of 2013.
Established to produce Volkswagen and Audi models simultaneously, the plant is equipped with modular transverse toolkit (MQB). The company also plans to double the production capacity at the plant in the medium term.
Volkswagen AG board of management member and Volkswagen Group China president and CEO Jochem Heizmann said that their new plant in Foshan combines technology with particularly efficient resource management.
"This new plant creates 6,500 skilled jobs and will systematically foster new talent. We are thus laying the foundations for an innovative and sustainable automotive industry in Southern China," Heizmann added.
In addition, the company will establish four new plants in China in 2013 and over the next few years.
It also plans to expand its current workforce from 75,000 to 100,000 and annual production capacity from 2.6 million to more than four million by 2018.
The company currently operates two vehicle production plants in China including, Changchun and Chengdu.