The Truong Hai Automobile company (Thaco) sold 28,284 vehicles last year, earning a revenue of VND13.3 trillion (US$633 million) with a 14 per cent growth.— Photo dantri

QUANG NAM (Biz Hub) — The Truong Hai Automobile company (Thaco) sold 28,284 vehicles last year, earning a revenue of VND13.3 trillion (US$633 million) with a 14 per cent growth.

Thaco ranks second in vehicles sales in Viet Nam with these sales figures, of which 15,000 were trucks and buses, and give it 29.2 per cent of the market share, according to Thaco's executive chairman Tran Ba Duong.

The company also contributed VND3.6 trillion ($171 million) to the State budget last year.

Thaco has so far produced and distributed three brands: Kia of South Korea, Mazda of Japan and France's Peugeot. Kia posted the best sales figure of 8,870 cars last year.

According to the company's chairman, Thaco plans to sell 33,000 vehicles this year and earn an estimated revenue of VND14.8 trillion ($705 million).

As scheduled, Thaco will begin producing diesel engines for trucks and buses that meet the Euro 2 and Euro 3 Emission Standards between 2017 and 2018.

Last year, the company launched the first locally made Peugeot 408 model, in partnership with French automaker Peugeot.

Thaco will also begin manufacturing and assembling the Peugeot 3008 model at Truong Hai-Chu Lai Auto Complex in central Quang Nam Province this year.

The company expects to export 3,000 cars to Laos this year as part of its market expansion programme in the Laos, Cambodian and Myanmar markets. — VNS