Representatives of car maker Brilliance China Automobile Holding Company (HKSE: 1114; NYSE::CBA) recently visited Israel in order to study the local market ahead of possible exports. The representatives were guests of Auto Chen Ltd. which apparently has an exclusive franchise to import the cars to Israel.
The Brilliance representatives met several car importers who might collaborate in marketing the cars in Israel. They also met car leasing executives who might become important initial customers. The representatives met executives of BMW importer Kamor Ltd. (TASE: KMOR), which has the Bulgarian franchise for China’s Chery cars, as well as executives of other companies.
Brilliance manufactures 120,000 sedans and hundreds of thousands of minibuses a year, and is a top exporter to the West. Early this year, the company began marketing its cars in several European countries, after complying with European standards for a limited number of cars.
Israeli car industry sources believe that Brilliance will not begin exports to Israel for at least another year because of standards compliance issues. Imports will only begin after the company launches its next-generation cars with greater safety standards that comply with Israeli regulations.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes.co.il - on June 25, 2007
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