[Digital Today reporter Jinju Hong (홍진주)] BYD is hiring about 9,000 new workers at production bases around Shenzhen and Shantou in China. The move is seen as aimed at expanding capacity as overseas sales rise rapidly even as growth in China’s electric vehicle market slows.

Electric vehicle outlet CleanTechnica reported on July 27 that BYD is conducting large-scale recruitment at the Ebu parts plant and the Xiaomo finished-vehicle plant in the Sanshan special cooperation zone in Guangdong province.

The hiring plan contrasts somewhat with the recent mood in China’s auto market. Growth in auto sales in China has slowed this year, and BYD has also shown some easing in growth in the domestic market. The industry also sees the increase as linked to supply of some popular models failing to keep up with demand as BYD pushes new model launches and production line retooling.

A more direct reason is expanding overseas sales. The addition of production workers in the Shenzhen and Shantou area is known to be intended to meet overseas orders that have surged in recent years. The company is continuing a strategy of offsetting slower growth in China’s domestic market by expanding overseas.

The hiring spans the production bases. BYD’s 11th business division at the Xiaomo plant is recruiting about 4,800 people, including sheet-metal workers, interior technicians and warehouse operations staff. The plant’s 15th business division plans to hire 1,200 new workers, including assembly workers, welding technicians and foaming process staff. The 15th business division at the Ebu parts plant also plans to add about 2,000 workers, including production workers, equipment adjustment staff and welders.

The Sanshan auto industrial park is one of BYD’s core production hubs. It produces key models that serve both China’s domestic market and overseas exports, including the Tai 7 from premium brand Fangchengbao, as well as the Song Plus and Song Pro. The plant surpassed annual output of 300,000 vehicles last year, establishing itself as one of BYD’s flagship “super factories”.

A sharp rise in overseas sales underpins the production expansion. BYD’s overseas sales in June rose 94.7 percent from a year earlier to 175,349 vehicles. The company is rapidly expanding electric vehicle sales in global markets including South America, Africa and Southeast Asia. Demand for recently launched new models based on ultra-fast charging and for facelift vehicles is also cited as a factor driving the expansion.

Inside BYD, assessments have emerged that supply of some popular models is failing to keep up with demand, and the need to expand output of the new sport utility vehicle (SUV) “Great Tang” has also been raised, it is known.

The industry sees the hiring as a strategic investment to prepare not only for manpower reinforcement but also for rising overseas sales and expanded production of new models.

Even as growth in China’s electric vehicle market slows, BYD’s large-scale increase in production workers is seen as a signal that the center of growth is shifting to overseas markets. With the Sanshan production base making key models for both domestic sales and exports, attention is focusing on whether further overseas sales growth will lead to higher plant utilisation and expanded production capacity.