VWSA poised to ramp up production of new Polo at Uitenhage
Volkswagen Group South Africa (VWSA) will ramp up production of the new Polo at the Uitenhage plant by the third quarter of the year, says MD and chairperson Thomas Schäfer.
Production of the first confirmation models has already started.
Most of the major installations were completed over the Christmas shutdown, with the last work to take place over the Easter period.
The Uitenhage plant will also produce a second new model, and possibly a third.
A third model remains possible, notes Schäfer. “The platform [to be used at the plant] is good for variants from pick-ups to sports utility vehicles.”
He declines, however, to name the models to be assembled in addition to the new Polo.
The Uitenhage plant currently produces the existing Polo model, as well as the Polo Vivo. The Polo Vivo is a revised version of the previous generation Polo, offered at a lower price point.
Building the new-generation Polo is part of a R4.5-billion investment by VWSA’s German parent company into its South African facility, announced in 2015.
The investment will see the plant increase capacity from the current 120 000 vehicles a year to 180 000 vehicles a year.
The plant will move from a two-shift, five-day operation to a three-shift, 24-hour, five-day operation. The two assembly lines used currently will be merged into one.
Around 60% of the volume will be exported to markets outside Africa.
Employment at the plant may increase by between 300 and 500 people.
“We think we will reach the 180 000-unit capacity at the plant,” says Schäfer.
The Uitenhage plant produced 123 000 units last year, with the Polo and the Polo Vivo South Africa’s most popular passenger cars.
Article Enquiry
Email Article
Save Article
Feedback
To advertise email advertising@creamermedia.co.za or click here
Research Reports
Projects
Latest Multimedia
Latest News
Showroom
Established in 1933, EKATO is the world leader in agitation technology, supplying agitators for processes and applications such as chemicals and...
VISIT SHOWROOM
From batteries for boats and jet skis, to batteries for cars and quad bikes, SABAT Batteries has positioned itself as the lifestyle battery of...
VISIT SHOWROOM
Announcements
What's On
Subscribe to improve your user experience...
Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):
Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):
All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors
including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.
Already a subscriber?
Forgotten your password?
Receive weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine (print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
➕
Recieve daily email newsletters
➕
Access to full search results
➕
Access archive of magazine back copies
➕
Access to Projects in Progress
➕
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA
R4500 (equivalent of R375 a month)
SUBSCRIBEAll benefits from Option 1
➕
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports on various industrial and mining sectors, in PDF format, including on:
Electricity
➕
Water
➕
Energy Transition
➕
Hydrogen
➕
Roads, Rail and Ports
➕
Coal
➕
Gold
➕
Platinum
➕
Battery Metals
➕
etc.
Receive all benefits from Option 1 or Option 2 delivered to numerous people at your company
➕
Multiple User names and Passwords for simultaneous log-ins
➕
Intranet integration access to all in your organisation
