LR to open factory in China

(10-05-2012 01:27pm)Straydox Wrote:  Doing a JV would make a lot of sense:

1) Shared risk
2) Local market expertise
3) Established supply chain
3) Established dealer network and infrastructure

To name but 4...

Given I am a true MG fan I keep up as to what is going on there. China's largest car maker S.I.A.C own MG & have joint ventures with lots of well known manufacturers. In the case of MG virtually all of the research & design is done in the UK by most of all the technical guys who used to work for MGR so I guess the same or similar will be the case with LR.
I was told that another factory is due to be built to build the Defender probably in India but the Chinese have said they want 150,000 units but state they want them built in the UK.

The problem with Chinese manufacturing is the quality & built issue. They cost is much cheaper, but it does not mean that manufacturing for a market outside of China have to translate to sub standard products.
QA control can ensure adherence to certain levels as was the case with a company I worked at. They just returned all sub standard products.

The reason for their bad reputation is that they do lack nor care about standard and quality. Hence they also able to find a market in countries like India, middle east and africa for their own cheap and sub quality products.