Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr Rob Davies, has welcomed Ford’s commitment to spend an additional R2.5 billion at its Silverton, Pretoria assembly plant as “an important sign of confidence in South Africa and proof of the two-way benefits of the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa)”.
Davies said that Ford South Africa had been a beneficiary of a R699-million incentive through the Automotive Production and Development Programme (APDP).
Ford executive vice president Jim Farley said: “The R2.5-billion investment reaffirms the importance of these markets as part of our growth strategy across the Middle East and Africa. It further reinforces South Africa’s position as a strategic export base for Ford Motor Company.”
Farley said the investment was earmarked for local production of the new Ford Everest seven-seater Sport Utility Vehicle and expansion of the new Ranger pickup programme..
The Silverton facility joins AutoAlliance Thailand in Rayong; Ford’s Chennai plant in India (where it is sold as the Endeavor); and the JMC Xiaolan Plant in Nanchang, China, as production hubs for the Everest. Initial production at Silverton of the Everest will commence in the third quarter of 2016, with the first units expected to come to market in the fourth quarter. South African-produced models will be sold locally and exported to markets across sub-Saharan Africa.
