Photo by: Duane Daws
Ever heard of Guadeloupe? It is a group of Caribbean islands roughly 10 400 km from South Africa. It has a population of 400 000 inhabitants and is an overseas region of France.
Suriname is a country in South America. It is bordered by French Guiana to the east, Guyana to the west and Brazil to the south. The official language is Dutch. Suriname is more than 9 000 km from South Africa.
Last year, the local automotive industry exported vehicles and parts to the value of R40.5-million to Guadeloupe – this according to the South Africa Export Manual 2014, compiled by the Automotive Industry Export Council. It was the country’s eighty-third biggest export market.
Suriname was number 102, at R20.1-million.
The list of 152 countries that the local automotive industry exported more than R1-million in parts and vehicles to last year is topped by Germany, at R19.1-billion.
Bottom of the pile is Sri Lanka, at a nice, round R1-million.
Interesting countries make their appearance in the manual, such as economically struggling Zimbabwe, at number 13, receiving R1.85-billion in automotive exports.
Afghanistan is at 51, receiving R178.4-million in exports, Gibraltar is at number 58, and Estonia at number 61. Honduras takes sixty-seventh spot, Haiti is at number 82, and Martinique at number 98.
Antigua comes in at 110, receiving R14.2-million in automotive exports from South Africa.
Mayotte is number 133, Grenada 138 and Iran number 147.
With all these lesser known countries in the mix, spread across the globe, it is probably safe to assume South African automotive supply chain experts know their stuff.
The export manual also shows that the number of export destinations receiving more than R1-million in parts and vehicles has increased from 62 in 1995, to 152 in 2013.
South Africa’s automotive industry exported goods to the total value of R102.7-billion in 2013.
The export council’s manual also reveals why Gauteng’s inhabitants are faced with so many traffic jams.
Almost a quarter of the country’s population resides in Gauteng, the smallest province, driving 38.81% of the country’s vehicle parc of more than 11-million vehicles.
The report also shows that white/white pearl continue to dominate the global automotive car colour popularity ranks, with this more than true for South Africa.
Overall, white/white pearl represented 23% of the global market in 2012. It was the most popular car colour in North America, Japan, South Korea, Russia, South Africa and Mexico.
Black/black effect led in China, but took second place in the global ranks, at 21% of the global market.
Silver rounded off the top three global colour choices, topping the ranks in South America, Brazil and India, with a global market share of 18%.
South Africa, however, had the world’s highest market share of white/white pearl of any region or country analysed, with this colour representing more than 38% of local market share.
Silver was in second place, and black/black effect and grey tied for third spot.
Around 5% of the cars sold in South Africa in 2013 were blue, and another 5% red.