Kazakhstan to Launch Localized Production of Wiring Harnesses for Hyundai and Kia Vehicles

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On September 15, Astana Motors of Kazakhstan and THN Corporation of South Korea signed an automotive wiring harness production license agreement in Seoul, under which localized production of automotive wiring harnesses for Hyundai and Kia models will be carried out at the Astana Motors Technopark in the Almaty industrial zone. The project involves an investment of USD 4.6 million, with a designed annual capacity of 100,000 sets. Production is scheduled to start in December 2026, and the first batch of products will be supplied for the Kia Sportage model.

The project is being implemented by Kazakhstan Wire Systems, a joint venture established by the two parties in June 2026. This license agreement will further introduce THN's automotive wiring harness production technology and related engineering technology system on the basis of the joint venture, enabling the Kazakhstan plant to organize production in accordance with the electronic architecture of specific vehicle models and the quality standards of OEMs. Astana Motors previously announced that the total investment in the project is approximately USD 4.6 million, equivalent to about KZT 2.3 billion, with the production base located at the Astana Motors Technopark in Almaty.

According to the production launch schedule, Kazakhstan Wire Systems will first supply automotive wiring harnesses for the Kia Sportage model to the KIA Qazaqstan plant in Kostanay in December 2026; in 2027, it will further introduce wiring harness production for the Hyundai Tucson model. The project also plans to expand its supply scope in the future to support Kazakhstan-based vehicle manufacturers such as Hyundai Trans Kazakhstan and Astana Motors Manufacturing Kazakhstan.

The first phase of the project is expected to create about 200 jobs, and as capacity and vehicle models increase, the workforce is expected to grow to about 500 employees in 2027. THN Corporation is headquartered in Daegu, South Korea, and is one of the automotive wiring harness suppliers of the Hyundai Motor Group. It has established a production network in South Korea, China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Mexico, Paraguay, and Brazil, and conducts research and development of high-voltage wiring harnesses for new energy vehicles and automotive electronic systems.

This automotive wiring harness project is one of four automotive industry cooperation projects signed by Astana Motors in South Korea. The four projects involve a total planned investment of USD 78.3 million. In addition to wiring harness production, they also include localized CKD production of the fifth-generation Hyundai Tucson, production of automotive seat interiors and mufflers, and production of automotive floor coverings. Among them, the new-generation Tucson project involves an investment of approximately USD 67 million and is scheduled to start production in December 2027 at the Hyundai Trans Kazakhstan plant in Almaty.