Mozambique aims for 500 000 vehicles a year by 2020

Mozambique is planning to accelerate its vehicle manufacturing sector from 0 to 500 000 by 2020. Matchedje Motor, Mozambique’s first automotive brand, is first off the grid with vehicles rolling off the production line in the town of Machava on the outskirts of the Mozambican capital, Maputo, since September. It is one of the first major investors in a new science and technology park around 76km north of Maputo. Work started three years ago on the 20 000-sqm plant, which is the result of a partnership between the Mozambican government and Singapore-based China Tong Jian Investment. The value of the investment is put at US$150m by the stateowned Chinese company. It says in a statement marking the start of production that in the first phase four to five vehicles will be assembled a day, from parts imported from China. There are plans to add a paint shop and component manufacturing as volumes ramp up. By the end of 2014 production is expected to reach 22-24 vehicles a day, building up to 30 000 vehicles a year. They will be built for the Mozambican market and exported into the rest of Africa. A car terminal in the port of Maputo is being expanded to handle additional capacity, and will be able to provide the necessary logistics support. The plant will produce 4x4 pickups, buses and electric motorcycles. In the next phase, between 2015 and 2016, production will be ramped up to 100 000 vehicles a year. The factory is producing a variety of vehicles, including electric scooters, buses and four wheel drive cars. According to the official Mozambican news agency AIM, there are plans to open further plants in the towns of Marracuene and Manhica in Maputo province, and to bring total production up to 500 000 vehicles a year in a third phase, running from 2017 to 2020. This will put Mozambique second only to South Africa in terms of vehicle production on the African continent. “Matchedje Motor will also establish a training plan in mechanical, chemical, electronics and automotive industry for Mozambicans,” said Carlo Nizia, director of sales at Matchedje Motor. He says annual production will be worth around US$150bn when it reaches scale. CAPTION Maputo Car Terminal... expansion under way to handle additional capacity. Photo: Port of Maputo