Volkswagen Factory Recently Inaugurated in Kuliyapitiya? Find out the facts…
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On September 17, 2024, President Ranil Wickremesinghe inaugurated the Western Automobile Vehicle Assembly factory in Kuliyapitiya, marking the beginning of vehicle production in this new facility. However, social media posts are being circulated with misleading information about this factory.
Social Media Posts
Social media posts imply that the factory is part of the German automobile giant Volkswagen.
Below is another post which claimed that the Volkswagen factor had opened in Kuliyapitiya.
We decided to do a fact-check on this.
Fact Check
Origins of the Confusion
In 2017, the construction of this vehicle assembly plant was launched with a foundation-laying ceremony. The then-President Maithripala Sirisena and the current President Ranil Wickremesinghe (then Prime Minister) were involved in this event. After the day of the foundation-laying ceremony, the Ministry of Media erroneously announced that this was a Volkswagen factory, which led to widespread reports by media outlets, fueling the misconception. Media Ministry statement can be read here | Archived.
Later, Ranil Wickremesinghe clarified via a statement that the factory had no connection to Volkswagen. More about that time PM Ranil’s clarification can be read here |Archived
Sri Lankan media also quoted representatives from Volkswagen, who confirmed that the company was not involved in the project. This clarification came too late for many, as the initial reports had already misled the public. More details about it can be read here | Archived
Current Status of the Factory
The Western Automobile Vehicle Assembly factory officially began operations in September 2024, and its production is focused on assembling Chinese automobile brands, not Volkswagen.
Two brands, Foton and Great Wall Motor (GWM), have signed agreements to assemble their vehicles at this plant. The factory currently produces 15-seater passenger vans under the Foton brand and sports utility vehicles (SUVs) under the GWM brand. More details can be read here | Archived
The factory comparison of spans 11 hectares and represents an investment of $27 million, approved by the Board of Investment (BOI).
According to a company representative, it currently uses one assembly line, producing up to 25 vehicles daily.
The factory spokesperson also confirmed that discussions are ongoing to introduce some European brands, though no agreements have been finalized.
Several other posts also questioned the nature of the production lines at the Western Automobile Vehicle Assembly factory, which displayed multiple types and colours of vehicles in a single assembly line.
In response to these concerns, the company representative clarified that Western Automobiles uses Mixed-Model Assembly, which produces several distinct products, including different colours or models, without decreasing productivity, efficiency, and quality. More on this here.
He added that three more assembly lines will be activated depending on market demand to boost production capacity to 100 vehicles daily.
Also Read: Misleading Images Go Viral Again, Falsely Attributing to A Volkswagen Factory in Kuliyapitiya
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Conclusion
The Western Automobile Vehicle Assembly factory in Kuliyapitiya is not a Volkswagen factory. This misconception stems from a miscommunication in 2017. The factory is currently focused on assembling Chinese brands and has no connection to the German automobile manufacturer. Therefore, the recently inaugurated vehicle assembly factory is not a Volkswagen factory.