Kazakhstan, a leading economy in Central Asia and a comprehensive partner of China, has long served as a key market for China National Machinery Import & Export Corporation (CMC), a subsidiary of China General Technology (Group) Holding Co Ltd (Genertec), in advancing its international business operations.
In 2013, China proposed the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), while Kazakhstan launched its new economic policy called Nurly Zhol (Bright Path) in 2014. The two visions share highly aligned development goals, laying a solid policy foundation for deepening bilateral cooperation. Against this backdrop, the investment in GC ALLUR JSC (ALLUR) has emerged as one of the 51 key projects under the China-Kazakhstan capacity cooperation framework — a flagship endeavor in the automotive sector.
As the first and only national “window company” for vehicle imports since the founding of the People’s Republic of China, CMC has accelerated its global footprint under the high-quality development of the BRI, actively seeking optimal pathways for going global. In 2018, CMC led China’s indigenous auto industry into deep integration with Kazakhstan’s industrial policy reform and manufacturing upgrade efforts.
The Chinese investment introduced advanced technologies and modern management concepts, propelling ALLUR into a phase of rapid development. Joint teams — including order processing, finance, and operations groups — were established with personnel from both sides, with clearly defined responsibilities and a refined corporate governance system. CMC also brought in state-of-the-art manufacturing processes, technologies, and equipment, introducing globally recognized brands such as Kia, Chevrolet, Peugeot, and IVECO into the Kazakh market.
After years of development, ALLUR’s annual production and sales volume jumped from 20,000 vehicles prior to CMC’s investment to over 90,000 units, securing the top spot in market share across Kazakhstan for three consecutive years. This transformation significantly enhanced local automotive quality and efficiency, while diversifying the market with multiple brands.
A view of the car assembly line at the ALLUR plant in Kazakhstan [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]
Today, ALLUR stands as the first automobile manufacturer in Kazakhstan capable of handling coating, welding, and final assembly processes. Its production capacity alone can meet over 50 percent of the national market demand. The company has supplied large quantities of commercial and special-purpose vehicles to various government departments in Kazakhstan.
Meanwhile, ALLUR has fully utilized the “green channel” export policies provided by the Eurasian Economic Union, expanding its market reach to neighboring countries, including Russia, Belarus, Armenia, and Kyrgyzstan. As a result, ALLUR has evolved into an internationalized automotive manufacturing and sales platform that both serves local needs and radiates across Eurasia.
Genertec is committed to enhancing the global competitiveness and influence of Chinese automotive brands, deepening China-Kazakhstan collaboration in the automotive industry, and contributing to the long-term, sustainable growth of the global auto sector.
(Executive editor: Cui Feng)
