China?deal to help Hummer go?fuel efficient

China deal to help Hummer go fuel efficient
By Liu Yiyu (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2009-10-11 10:08
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Yang Yi (L), CEO of Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery Co, and Jim Taylor Hummer CEO are pictured at Detroit Hummer in Southfield, Michigan October 8, 2009. [Agencies]
 
Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery Co, the buyer of General Motors' Hummer brand, will hopefully clear government approval of the deal as early as the end of this year, the company's CEO said Saturday.
The company will try to parry the unfavorable oil-guzzling image of Hummer and cultivate markets outside the United States, according to Tengzhong CEO Yang Yi.
"If everything goes smoothly, we will be able to get approval from Ministry of Commerce (MofCom) in the fourth quarter (of this year) or at some point in the beginning of next year," Tengzhong CEO Yang Yi, who was in Detroit for the signing of the acquisition deal, told China Daily in a telephone interview.
MofCom said Saturday that it has not yet received application about Tengzhong's bid for Hummer.
"Currently, the Sichuan province commerce office is preparing to report the situation to the MofCom, and because the specifics of the purchase agreement are unknown yet, for now (the ministry) will not give any comment," the State radio cited an unnamed MofCom official as saying.
General Motors Co signed a deal Friday to sell its iconic but tarnished Hummer brand to an investment partnership headed by Tengzhong, a privately owned machinery manufacture in southwest China's Sichuan province.
The deal still needs approval from the Chinese government, including the MofCom, which holds the ultimate authority over such acquisitions.
Hummer's daunting oil tanks are an apparent challenge to Beijing's efforts to foster energy-efficient consumption behavior. The Chinese government halved the purchase tax on cars with 1.6 liter or smaller engines earlier this year to encourage sales of small vehicles.
Yang said his company will try to make Hummer adapt to the new trend.
"Tengzhong has been aware of the importance of energy-efficient vehicles."
"A series of fuel-efficient vehicles, including electric models have already been under development. Environment-friendly products will be introduced to the market soon," he said, without elaborating.
Tengzhong will devote marketing efforts to areas outside the United States, where sales of Hummer plunged by 64 percent by far this year from a year earlier.
Tengzhong's track record shows little experience in passenger vehicle manufacturing. It's is a manufacturer of heavy machinery equipment, including special-use vehicles, road and bridge components and constructions as well as energy industry equipment, according to the company's website.
But Yang said this would be no problem. The company has already had several automobile-related acquisitions prior to the Hummer deal, and plans to focus more on high-end sport-utility vehicles in future development, he noted.
The funds for Hummer acquisition mostly come from Tengzhong's own assets while the rest will be financed through an investment firm，according to Yang.
The CEO refused to disclose any financial details. Sources familiar with the deal said the sale is worth $150 million.