Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- On 19 July, Asaka automobile plant in Andijan region of Uzbekistan marks 13 years of operation. The joint venture UzDaewoo Auto was set up on the initiative of the President Islam Karimov and is currently known as GM Uzbekistan. With launch of the car plant in 1996, a new industry was born in Uzbekistan, which is automobile building. In the first year of operation the company produced 25,000 cars, and in the second year it made 69,000 vehicles. In the first half of 2009, the production volume made up 90,320 cars. The plant’s first cars were Tico, Damas and Nexia models. In the following years, they were joined by Matiz, Lacetti, Tacuma, Epica and Captiva. A large number of new enterprises appeared in the country to increase the level of localization of the car production. Thus, AvtoOyna joint venture produces car windows, UzSozon makes steering wheels and UzExcide manufactures accumulators. In 2008, a new joint venture GM Powertrain Uzbekistan was set up, which will produce engines with a capacity of 360,00 per year. The new enterprise will create 1,200 new jobs. Uzbekistan currently exports automobiles to Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan. Armenia, Georgia and Moldova are on the list of new export destinations.