Ford invests RM4.25 billion in upgrading Silverton, South Africa plant; annual capacity up to 200k vehicles
3 February 2021 2:49 pm / 0 comments
Ford is injecting US$1.05 billion (RM4.25 billion) into the upgrading of the Silverton Assembly Plant in South Africa in order to accommodate manufacturing of the all-new Ranger pick-up truck that will commence production in 2022.
The automaker will employ an additional 1,200 staff to bring its workforce to a total of 5,500 staff, while the billion-dollar investment will also create around 10,000 new jobs across Ford’s local supplier network for a total of 60,000 jobs, it said in a statement.
This includes a US$686 million investment in technology, upgrades and new facilities at the Silverton Assembly Plant, where annual installed capacity will grow to a volume of 200,000 vehicles from the present volume of 168,000 vehicles, said the automaker, adding that the facility will produce vehicles for export to more than 100 markets.
Ford Ranger Raptor Assembly line
Manufacturing electric vehicles (EV) at Ford s Silverton plant in Tshwane is absolutely part of the automobile manufacturer s future strategy, said Andrea Cavallaro, operations director of the Ford International Markets Group.
Cavallaro and other officials from the motor company spoke to Fin24 on Tuesday, following an announcement that Ford would invest R15.8 billion in its operations in South Africa. This is its most significant investment in the 97 years it has been in the country.
The bulk of the investment or R10.3 billion will go towards upgrades to the Silverton assembly plant in Tshwane. The plant is one of Ford s largest production hubs in the world, for the Ranger model. Ford will direct R5.5 billion of the investment towards vendor tooling, to support suppliers with the latest equipment and technologies.
Automobile manufacturer Ford will invest R15.8 billion in South Africa.
The bulk of the investment will go towards upgrading the Silverton assembly plant in Tshwane.
The investment is also set to create new jobs and upskill workers.
Automobile manufacturer Ford will invest R15.8 billion in South Africa - the most significant investment in its 97-year history in the country, said Andrea Cavallaro, operations director of Ford International Markets Group.
The international motor company made the announcement on Tuesday at the Tshwane Automotive Special Economic Zone – following President Cyril Ramaphosa s visit to the site.
Ford has a Silverton plant in Tshwane, which is one of five facilities throughout the world that assembles the Ranger model – the others being Argentina, the US and two plants in Thailand, said Cavallaro.
Ford Motors to invest almost R16bn in its SA manufacturing operations The company said this investment was expected to create 11,000 new jobs. President Cyril Ramaphosa visited the Tshwane Automotive special economic zone on 2 February 2021, where it was announced that Ford will invest R15.8 billion into South Africa. Picture: Twitter/@PresidencyZA
48 days ago
JOHANNESBURG - Ford Motors has announced an investment of almost R16 billion in its manufacturing operations in South Africa.
The company on Tuesday said this investment was expected to create 11,000 new jobs.
Operations director Andrea Cavallaro said the aim of the investment was to increase Ford s installed capacity in South Africa from 168,000 to 200,000 vehicles.
American automaker Ford has announced that it will be injecting R15.8bn into its South African arm, to expand production for the new Ranger bakkie due in 2022. The investment is the largest in Ford’s 97-year history in South Africa and one of the ‘largest-ever investments in the South African automotive industry’.
The modernisation of the Silverton Assembly Plant will bring with it a raft of upgrades, which will allow the plant to increase to ‘200,000 vehicles from 168,000’.
‘Ranger is one of our highest volume, most successful global vehicles. This investment will equip our team with the tools and facilities to deliver the best Ford Ranger ever, in higher numbers and with superior quality’, said president of Ford’s International Markets Group, Dianne Craig.