Mercedes-Benz South Africa (MBSA) has awarded an enterprise and supplier development contract for bodyshop loader services to Specialised Productivity Support Solutions (SPSS).
SPSS is a 100% black-owned enterprise, formed by two former employees from the MBSA Bodyshop Division.
SPSS was established as a response to a business development project within MBSA, which aims to streamline “existing operating processes to increase economic activity within the automotive supply chain, and to bring about transformation within the industry”.
SPSS will be responsible for loading single parts and sub-assemblies into bodyshop loading stations at MBSA’s East London plant, as well as at the East London Industrial Development Zone.
MBSA is gearing up to produce the new C-Class in South Africa, as part of a R10-billion investment.
“One of the ingredients of our transformation journey is economic empowerment,” says MBSA CEO and manufacturing director Andreas Engling.
“As a net exporter and a positive multiplier of the economy of East London, we remain committed to the social and economic development of the region.
“With their solid knowledge of bodyshop processes, we believe that SPSS will grow into a sustainable entity that will provide MBSA and the wider automotive industry with value-added services aimed at improving productivity.”
Mercedes-Benz says its announcement is in support of the automotive industry’s developmental objectives as detailed in the South African Automotive Masterplan, which prioritises the transformation of the local automotive industry through the inclusion of black South Africans in the supply chain.
The production of Mercedes-Benz passenger cars at the East London plant began in 1958, with the W121 model series.
Today, MBSA manufactures Mercedes-Benz C-Class cars in both left- and right-hand drive for the local and export markets.