Great Wall Motor (GWM), the Chinese automaker, is set to inaugurate its Brazilian factory in May 2025. The company has made a strategic shift in its plans to opt for a piece-by-piece assembly process, aiming to accelerate nationalization and secure export permissions more quickly. The factory, located in Iracemápolis, was purchased from Mercedes-Benz in 2021.
GWM has started hiring its first employees, with 100 positions allocated for the initial phase. Ricardo Bastos, GWM Brazil’s director of institutional affairs, highlighted the recruitment of former Mercedes employees for leadership roles in production processes and training.
The decision to abandon the Complete Knock Down (CKD) assembly process was influenced by the factory’s existing paint booth and the Mover program, offering tax incentives based on nationalization levels and environmental initiatives.
The Brazilian factory will initially manufacture the Haval H6 SUV and later develop a hybrid version compatible with ethanol fuel. GWM’s focus on local production and leadership team formation reflects its commitment to establishing a strong presence in the Western Hemisphere.