Automobile industry and wood processing

The automobile industry in Uzbekistan is a young branch formed after independence. In 1992 a car plant began to be built at Asaka in the Andijan region with the Korean company Daewoo, and in 1996 the first passenger cars left its assembly line. The plant later worked as GM Uzbekistan and is now run by UzAuto Motors, making mainly Chevrolet-brand cars. Localization is important: at first only a small share of car parts was made in the country, and over time most came to be made by local enterprises. Hundreds of enterprises supply parts to the Asaka plant, which is an example of a high level of cooperation. Buses and trucks are made in Samarkand (SamAvto) with foreign partners, engines are made near Tashkent, and cars are also assembled in Khorezm and Jizzakh. In recent years assembly of electric vehicles has also begun. Cars assembled in Uzbekistan are sold at home and some are exported to neighbouring countries. The branch is high-tech: it raises demand for metal, plastics, electronics, tyres and glass and so helps other branches develop.