Daihatsu trucks in Vietnam

Daihatsu trucks in Vietnam

TOKYO (AFP): Japan's Daihatsu Motor Co. Ltd. said yesterday it
had started production of medium-sized pick-up trucks at a joint
venture in Vietnam with a local partner and Indonesia's Astra
group.

Daihatsu, an affiliate of Japan's top car maker Toyota Motor
Corp., said in a statement that it had targeted the output of
Vietindo Daihatsu Automotive Corp. at 500 "Hijet Jumbo" trucks in
the initial year.

Sales of the 1,300-cc trucks will begin in June for the
Vietnamese market and the annual output is expected to reach
4,800 units by 2000, Daihatsu said.

Daihatsu holds a 35 percent stake in the joint venture, with
33 percent owned by a company group under the Vietnamese
transport ministry.

The remaining 32 percent stake is held by two Astra group
firms -- 17 percent by PT Astra International and 15 percent by
PT Mitra Andasantika.