Ed Richardson
EXPORTS OF South African produced cars and commercial vehicles are projected to continue rising, increasing by about 55% during 2001 to over 110 000 units from the expected 70 000 export sales of 2000.
These are the predictions of the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (Naamsa).
The assemblers' organisation welcomed the June 2000 revisions to the
motor industry development programmes made by the Ministry of Trade and Industry and their extension through 2007.
The announcement has provided the South African automotive industry with the required certainty for purposes of future planning and will allow the industry to move forward positively with the implementation of domestic and export manufacturing and marketing strategies, says Naamsa in its look at the year ahead.
The motor industry development programme changes are seen as being consistent with the overall objective of creating a progressively more internationally competitive automotive industry in South Africa and are expected to result in significant additional investment and the further growth of the industry, particularly in the field of exports.
It will not be easy, Naamsa warns.
However, the realities of trade liberalisation and lower levels of protection, globalisation, rapid technological change and rising customer expectations will result in further fundamental restructuring of the South African automotive industry to improve its international competitiveness in terms of production costs, product quality and delivery standards.
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