South Africa: Ford invests 144 mln euros in Pretoria plant

(AGI) - Cape Town, 6 Apr - The Ford Motor Company is investing about 144 million euros to expand operations in South Africa at its Silverton factory in Pretoria to produce the all-new Ford Everest and the new Ford Ranger models. This investment will create approximately 1 200 new jobs at Ford South Africa and within the South African supplier network. South African-produced models will be sold locally and exported to markets across sub-Saharan Africa. Jim Farley, Ford executive vice-president and president of Europe, Middle East and Africa said: "Our customers love the capability and utility offered by the all-new Ford Everest. The R2.5-billion (about 144 million Euro) investment reaffirms the importance of these markets as part of our growth strategy across the Middle East and Africa." Farley added: "It further reinforces South Africa's position as a strategic export base for Ford Motor Company." The Silverton facility joins Auto Alliance 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. Part of this investment has been directed towards the production of the new Ranger which is already running at maximum capacity at the Silverton Assembly Plant - with domestic sales and export demand at an all-time high, said Farley. The Silverton Assembly is equipped to produce 10 000 Everest's per annum, reports Ford Jeff Nemeth, president and CEO of Ford Motor Company sub-Saharan Africa Region, said: "The all-new Everest has been extremely well received since it was launched in September last year, with demand far outstripping supply. "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."(AGI) .