FAW Vehicle Manufacturers South Africa (SA) has started production of truck bodies at a new body shop facility located next to its Coega-based truck assembly plant, in the Eastern Cape, which opened its doors in 2014.
“Not only have we managed to produce our FAW trucks at the best quality levels, comparable – if not better – than our FAW parent company in China – but we have been able to do so in a very short run-in period for a plant that only came on stream six months ago. Now we are also building our first tipper bodies from semi-knockdown (SKD) packs imported from our parent plant in China,” says FAW Vehicle Manufacturers SA CEO Yusheng Zhang.
Once a SKD pack is offloaded, the bulk of the pack, namely the bin, is prepared for the assembly line.
If minor reworking, including welding and grinding, is required, this is done before the bin proceeds along the assembly line to the scalding and degreasing chamber, where it is cleaned, chemically treated and dried.
Following basic metal preparation, the bins are moved along gantries to the fitment stations.
Other components, such as hydraulics, lift arms and shafts, are moved to the in-sequence stations for fitment.
Once the tipper body is fitted to the truck, the vehicle goes to the paint shop, followed by drying and final inspection.
FAW estimates that it will build around 100 tipper bodies in the first quarter of 2015.
But why import the tipper bodies as SKD kits, and not produce them locally?
FAW Vehicle Manufacturers SA marketing manager Cheng Zhang tells Engineering News that importing SKD kits saves the company time in delivering the finished truck to the customer.
“We consider it as an advantage,” he says, adding:
“Our bodies’ cost performance is better than local ones – this is the key.”
The company says it may expand its truck body offering to include other configurations, depending on demand.
The production team is assessing the viability of producing drop-side bodies and customised trailers for FAW’s range of trucks, spanning the medium, heavy and extra-heavy commercial vehicle ranges.
Other bodies, such as mixer drums, may also be considered in the future.
“We have experienced a positive response from numerous of our long-standing customers who have indicated that they prefer, a complete vehicle direct from FAW SA. Besides the cost advantages, the warranty and maintenance of their FAW vehicle are also simplified,” says Zhang.
At the opening of its assembly plant last year, FAW indicated that it would offer other local truck assemblers the opportunity to make use of its truck body building facility.
“Our new body shop is well worth a visit,” says Zhang.
The first phase of the Coega plant encompasses 103 000 m2 of land and a 28 000 m2 plant.
The R600-million plant will eventually ramp up to produce 5 000 trucks a year, supplying vehicles to the region, in both right-hand- and left-hand-drive derivatives.
Estimates are that 40% of production will be destined for the local market, while 60% will be exported.