Ford Motor Company has announced plans to expand operations at its Silverton Assembly Plant in Pretoria, South Africa.
Following an investment of $170m, the production facility will be used to manufacture the all-new Ford Everest, and the latest iteration of the Ford Ranger.
The investment is expected to create 1,200 jobs across Ford South Africa and its South African supplier network.
Commenting on the move, Jim Farley, executive vice president of Ford and president of the US automaker’s Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) region, said: “By producing the Everest in South Africa, we will be able to make it more readily available, and in a greater variety of models, for customers throughout Sub-Saharan Africa.
“The ZAR2.5bn [$170m] 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,” he added.
The Silverton facility joins the AutoAlliance facility in Rayong, Thailand; the JMC Xiaolan Plant in Nanchang, China; and Ford’s factory in Chennai, India as production hubs for the Everest. Initial production at the Pretoria plant will commence in Q3 2016, with the first units expected to come to the market before the end of the year.
Jeff Nemeth, president and CEO of Ford Motor Company’s Sub-Saharan Africa region, commented: “This crucial investment will enable us to increase volumes and expand the Everest range to eight derivatives across a broader price range.
“It will allow customers across Sub-Saharan Africa to choose from two powerful engines mated to robust six-speed automatic or manual transmissions for exceptional capability,” he concluded.
