Durban, South Africa
Industryweek 11063 Durban South Africa 1
Industryweek 11063 Durban South Africa 1
Industryweek 11063 Durban South Africa 1
Industryweek 11063 Durban South Africa 1
Industryweek 11063 Durban South Africa 1

New Auto-Supply Park to Open in South Africa in 2018

May 24, 2016
The South African government’s auto-incentive program has attracted companies including Toyota, Ford Motor Co. and BMW AG to set up factories and invest in creating jobs in an economy with an unemployment rate of more than 26%.

As part of its effort to increase investment in local-parts production, South Africa plans to start developing a 11.5 billion rand (US$735 million) automotive-supply park south of Durban, its third-largest city.

The eastern Kwa-Zulu Natal province last week bought 1,000 hectares (2,470 acres) of farmland for the project and it will target suppliers including ones already working with vehicle manufacturers in the country, Mike Mabuyakhulu, the provincial head of economic development, said Tuesday at an event at Toyota Motor Corp.’s plant, also south of Durban.

The South African government’s auto-incentive program has attracted companies including Toyota, Ford Motor Co. and BMW AG to set up factories and invest in creating jobs in an economy with an unemployment rate of more than 26%.

Toyota spent 6.1 billion rand to facilitate production of its new Hilux and Fortuner vehicle models at the South African plant, Andrew Kirby, the chief executive officer of its local unit, said at the site on Tuesday. The facility is the second-largest producer of the models, after Toyota’s plant in Thailand, he said.

The government has started working toward extending support for the automotive industry beyond its current 2020 outlook and it aims to complete the new plan by March 2017, President Jacob Zuma said in a speech at the Toyota plant. 

Popular Sponsored Recommendations

Empowering the Modern Workforce: The Power of Connected Worker Technologies

March 1, 2024
Explore real-world strategies to boost worker safety, collaboration, training, and productivity in manufacturing. Emphasizing Industry 4.0, we'll discuss digitalization and automation...

3 Best Practices to Create a Product-Centric Competitive Advantage with PRO.FILE PLM

Jan. 25, 2024
Gain insight on best practices and strategies you need to accelerate engineering change management and reduce time to market. Register now for your opportunity to accelerate your...

Transformative Capabilities for XaaS Models in Manufacturing

Feb. 14, 2024
The manufacturing sector is undergoing a pivotal shift toward "servitization," or enhancing product offerings with services and embracing a subscription model. This transition...

Shifting Your Business from Products to Service-Based Business Models: Generating Predictable Revenues

Oct. 27, 2023
Executive summary on a recent IndustryWeek-hosted webinar sponsored by SAP

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of IndustryWeek, create an account today!