8 May 2008
Pretoria-based Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa (FMCSA) has secured an export contract to supply right- and left-hand-drive models of the popular Ford Ranger pickup truck to African markets.
In a statement this week FMCSA said that it began exporting the right-hand-drive variants from April and will follow with exports of left-hand-drive vehicles from July onwards.
The company expects to manufacture approximately 10 000 Rangers for export at its plant in Silverton, outside Pretoria, during the remainder of the year.
This number will increase to 24 000 Rangers for export in 2009, and to approximately 40 000 Rangers by 2010, raising the company’s total export volume to 60 000 vehicles per year.
“This is another important contract for Ford of Southern Africa, and clearly shows the confidence Ford Motor Company has in our world-class workforce and their ability to produce vehicles of international standards and quality,” said FMCSA chief executive Hal Feder.
“It also further highlights our ongoing commitment to expanding our operations and export component in South Africa.”
The contract would assist the company in preparing for the export programme of Ford’s next generation global compact pickup in 2011, by enhancing the plant’s manufacturing capabilities.
FMCSA recently announced it would invest more than R 1.5-billion to expand operations for the production of the next-generation pickup truck and Puma diesel engine.
Apart from the Silverton plant that assembles Ford, Mazda, Volvo and Land Rover vehicles, from passenger vehicles to commercial truck ranges, Ford also has an engine plant in Port Elizabeth, which is the company’s global producer of the 1.3-litre RoCam engine which it exports together with the 1.6-litre RoCam engine to Ford plants in India and Europe.
The company also uses its Port Elizabeth plant to manufacture catalytic converters for export, with Ford pointing out that South Africa had become a centre of excellence in the field, with the city acting as a hub for the catalytic coverter industry.
“This announcement further highlights South Africa’s capabilities in an increasingly competitive global market,” said Feder. “The automotive sector plays an important role in the South African economy and we will continue to develop our significance both locally and as a strategic export base for vehicles, engines and components for Ford Motor Company.”
SAinfo reporter
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