ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — Chinese and UAE investors have broken ground at an industrial park near Abu Dhabi on a car and truck tire plant that's slated to start production by the fourth quarter of 2020.
The project, known as the Roadbot Tire Project KIZAD, is valued at $614 million and envisions a 3 million-sq.-ft. factory capable of producing up to 10 million passenger and 1 million truck/bus radials by 2022, according to information provided by Abu Dhabi Ports.
Passenger tire production initially will be 3 million units a year.
The Chinese partner is identified as "Roadbot," but Abu Dhabi Ports does not provide any background on the company other than to describe it as a Chinese tire manufacturer. The Roadbot project was launched last year during a visit of Chinese Premier Xi Jinping to the UAE.
The company's chairperson, Zhang Yingzi, attended the ground-breaking ceremony this week in Abu Dhabi's KIZAD China-UAE Industrial Capacity Cooperation Demonstration Zone.