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Volkswagen expands operations in Kenya

By: Irma Venter 1st April 2020 Just more than three years after German car manufacturer Volkswagen ventured into sub-Saharan Africa, the brand’s assembly facility in Kenya has added another model to its line-up. The assembly facility, which was opened in December, 2016, in Thika, Kenya, was the first semi-knockdown operation... →

WesBank announces payment relief as Covid-19 bites

By: Irma Venter 30th March 2020 In response to the Covid-19 outbreak, WesBank has announced payment relief plans to assist its customers and partners who have been impacted by the pandemic. WesBank provides a range of financial products to the retail and corporate market in South Africa, including vehicle and asset finance,... →

WesBank CEO Chris de Kock

An essential service? Need to service your vehicle? NADA has the answers

By: Irma Venter 30th March 2020 Not all vehicles will be parked in residential garages during the 21-day shutdown, scheduled to end on April 17. Some, such as taxis, will carry essential workers to their places of employment and some will be delivering goods to supermarkets and service stations. Engineering News & Mining Weekly... →

NADA national director Gary McGraw

New-vehicle sales could recover by up to 7% in 2021

By: Irma Venter 27th March 2020 S&P Global Ratings believes global new light-vehicle sales could recover by between 10% and 12% in the US in 2021, following a 15% to 20% decline in 2020 as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. Sales in China could grow by between 2% and 4% next year, after seeing an 8% to 10% decline this year. →

Oil, Covid-19 to take heavy toll on Africa’s new-vehicle market

By: Irma Venter 27th March 2020 Some of West Africa’s major economies are going to face “significant headwinds” in the time ahead, says Deloitte emerging markets and Africa MD Dr Martyn Davies. “There is some real economic pain coming.” →

S&P Global Ratings sees 15% drop in global light-vehicle sales

By: Irma Venter 25th March 2020 S&P Global Ratings says it projects that global light-vehicle sales will fall by almost 15% in 2020, owing to the Covid-19 pandemic and sharply lower global growth. “In our updated scenario, global light-vehicle sales will likely decline to less than 80-million units in 2020, versus 90.3-million... →

Covid-19 ‘disastrous’ for component sector; part makers gear up for ventilator manufacture

By: Irma Venter 23rd March 2020 The temporary closure of the BMW and Ford vehicle assembly plants in South Africa, with a third vehicle manufacturer advising that it is expecting significant volume cuts in the future, has had an “immediate and disastrous impact” on the component supplier base, National Association of Automotive... →

Ford suspends production in South Africa as Covid-19 takes its toll

By: Irma Venter 23rd March 2020 Ford Motor Company (FMC) is temporarily suspending vehicle and engine production at its international markets group (IMG) manufacturing sites, including South Africa, in response to the growing impact of Covid-19. IMG production suspensions began Saturday, March 21, and will continue for several... →

Renault suspends production in Casablanca and Tangier

By: African News Agency 20th March 2020 French car manufacturer Renault on Thursday temporarily suspended its manufacturing operations in Casablanca and Tangier amid global concern over the Covid-19 outbreak. The plants employ over 11 000 people, according to online publication Morocco World News. →

BMW HQ shutters Rosslyn plant as Covid-19 cools demand

By: Irma Venter 18th March 2020 The BMW Group will shut down its European plants, as well as its Rosslyn plant, in Tshwane, South Africa, by the end of the week, owing to shrinking demand as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Rosslyn plant produces the X3 sports-activity vehicle for the local and global markets. →

Metair investing R650m in auto components business

By: Irma Venter 18th March 2020 International manufacturer, distributor and retailer of energy storage solutions and automotive components, Metair, is investing R650-million in a range of automotive component businesses, says MD Theo Loock. This comes as each of the businesses in the Automotive Components Vertical “successfully... →

Theo Loock

Local car plants to continue operating as many European operations shut down

By: Irma Venter 17th March 2020 Despite automotive plants closing down in Europe owing to the Covid-19 outbreak, South African vehicle production sites are still operational. The National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (Naamsa) on Tuesday said that there were no production disruptions in the pipeline at... →

VW shutters Europe plants as pandemic slams auto industry

By: Bloomberg 17th March 2020 Volkswagen will halt production at its plants in Europe, deepening the economic pain the rapidly spreading coronavirus is inflicting on the struggling car industry. The world’s largest automaker, joining European rivals and suppliers in suspending output, said the shutdown will last about two... →

Fiat to halt production at certain sites as Covid-19 slows market demand

By: Irma Venter 16th March 2020 Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) says its subsidiaries, FCA Italy and Maserati, will temporarily suspend production across the majority of their European manufacturing plants. “The temporary suspension, which will be in effect through March 27, continues the implementation of a comprehensive set... →

South African factory output contracts For eighth straight month

By: Bloomberg 12th March 2020 South Africa manufacturing output contracted for the eighth straight month in January as fewer wood products, paper and vehicles were made. Manufacturing output fell 2% from a year earlier, compared with a 5.9% decline in the December, Pretoria-based Statistics South Africa said Thursday on its... →

Japanese aid to South Africa focuses on the transfer of expertise

By: Rebecca Campbell 10th March 2020 Most Japanese assistance to South Africa takes the form of the provision of expertise and the secondment of technical experts, Japanese Ambassador Norio Maruyama tells Engineering News. "We [Japan] have a lot of assistance programmes, but each country must request assistance from us," he... →

Mahindra SA sees scope for growth in SUV market

By: Irma Venter 9th March 2020 Mahindra South Africa (SA) is keen to retain the momentum it has built over recent years, says CEO Rajesh Gupta. Having focused first on building capacity, the brand is now growing rapidly following the launch of its new-generation products, starting in 2015. →

The Mahindra KUV100

e-Movement outlines plans to host a Formula E race in Cape Town

By: Irma Venter 9th March 2020 e-Movement, the Formula E Bid company, has confirmed its intention and plans to host a Formula E race using a street circuit in the heart of Cape Town. e-Movement says it has secured the backing of Jaguar South Africa as founding partner for the initial stages of the project. →

Hyundai parts centre goes green

By: Irma Venter 6th March 2020 Hyundai Automotive South Africa (HASA) has cut the ribbon on a more than R3-million solar energy system at its parts distribution centre (PDC) in Ekurhuleni. PDC parts operations director Sam Matlhola says this was the first solar energy project within the HASA group, with other business units to... →

Sam Matlhola

New-vehicle sales drop by 0.7% in February

By: Irma Venter 3rd March 2020 Domestic new-vehicle sales dropped by 0.7% in February, to 43 485 units, compared with the same month last year – a much smaller margin of decline than expected from forecasts that have predicted up to a 4% drop in the market in 2020. New-vehicle sales numbers released on Monday showed that... →

Ford to build 700 000th Ranger in South Africa this year

By: Irma Venter 2nd March 2020 Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa (FMCSA) is on track to build its 700 000th Ranger in 2020, says FMCSA operations VP Ockert Berry. “This is a fantastic achievement for our local plants, our employees and the extensive network of suppliers that support our business.” →

BMW tests electric iNext in Southern Africa ahead of 2021 production start

By: Irma Venter 28th February 2020 Testing of the battery-electric BMW iNext sports-utility vehicle (SUV) has moved from the polar circle to the heat of Southern Africa. The all-weather tests are being conducted ahead of series production in 2021 at the Dingolfing plant in Germany. →

Position paper to chart way forward for electric vehicle market in South Africa

By: Irma Venter 28th February 2020 South Africa has a tiny electric vehicle (EV) market compared with the rest of the world. Just more than 400 – 407, to be precise – hybrids, plug-in hybrids and battery electric vehicles (BEVs) were sold in the domestic market last year, says Toyota South Africa Motors CEO and president Andrew... →

Competition Commission guidelines will have to change, says Motus

By: Irma Venter 26th February 2020 The Competition Commission’s draft Guidelines for Competition in the South African Automotive Aftermarket Industry, published for comment earlier this month, will “have to change”, says Osman Arbee, CEO of the JSE-listed Motus automotive group. The guidelines will mean, for example, that car... →

Osman Arbee

Amplats throws light on PGM substitution, electric vehicle prospects, community dividends

By: Martin Creamer 24th February 2020 The platinum industry could very easily experience an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) switching from palladium to platinum in the short term, platinum group metals (PGMs) were unlikely to be used in battery electric vehicles soon and communities are sharing considerably in the latest... →

Amplats CEO Chris Griffith responds to Mining Weekly’s Martin Creamer. Video Editing: Nicholas Boyd. Photographs: Donna Slater. Video: Kutlwano Matlala; Editing: Nicholas Boyd.

VWSA launches e-Golf project, with the aim to sell EVs from 2022

By: Irma Venter 19th February 2020 Volkswagen Group South Africa (VWSA) has taken the first step in the roll-out of its local electric mobility programme, through the launch of the e-Golf pilot project. The e-Golf pilot project will see six fully electric vehicles (EVs) being tested by motoring and lifestyle media, selected... →

Criticism, praise for Competition Commission’s aftermarket guidelines

By: Irma Venter 18th February 2020 The National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (Naamsa) has slammed the Competition Commission’s draft Guidelines for Competition in the South African Automotive Aftermarket Industry, published for comment last week. These guidelines will mean, for example, that car owners... →

Mike Mabasa

Substitution outlook intensifies with platinum at half palladium price – Amplats

By: Martin Creamer 17th February 2020 With the price of platinum at half of the palladium price, the concept of replacing palladium with platinum in some gasoline catalyst convertors is increasingly likely to occur – but not in the very short term, outgoing Anglo American Platinum (Amplats) CEO Chris Griffith said on Monday.... →

Mining Weekly’s Martin Creamer on Anglo American Platinum’s results. Video Editing: Nicholas Boyd. Photographs: Donna Slater. Video: Kutlwano Matlala.

BMW’s Selumane appointed as CEO of transformation fund

By: Irma Venter 17th February 2020 Jabulani Selumane has been appointed as CEO of the Automotive Industry Transformation Fund (AITF). Selumane, a mechanical engineer by training, has more than ten years’ experience in the automotive industry. Prior to that he worked at Barloworld. →

Demand surging for 100% waterless car cleaning product

By: Tracy Hancock 14th February 2020 Developed by automotive enthusiasts in response to Africa’s water crisis, demand for Premier Wash & Wax is growing monthly as more people become conscious of the need to conserve water and fall in love with the products’ results, says Premier Products owner Gerhard Veldsman. “Africa’s water... →

New-vehicle sales to decline by 3.5%, says WesBank

By: Irma Venter 13th February 2020 South Africa’s new-vehicle sales are set to decline 3.5% in 2020, predicts vehicle finance provider WesBank. Given the economic and political challenges facing the country, it is likely that business and consumer confidence will remain subdued. →

Germany's Volkswagen and Daimler push for more 'sustainable' Chile lithium

By: Reuters 12th February 2020 German automakers Volkswagen and Daimler have launched a study to push for more “sustainable” lithium mining in Chile, according to lobbyist filings reviewed by Reuters, a sign of growing supply chain concerns ahead of an expected electric vehicle boom. Chile’s Atacama salt flat is by far the... →

Green transport set to overtake cars in world's major cities by 2030

By: Reuters 10th February 2020 From public transport to cycling, sustainable transport is on course to overtake driving in the world's biggest cities within a decade, according to a study released on Monday. Private car trips will drop by 10% on average by 2030 to make up less than half of all city journeys, while public... →

Watchdog needed, not more standards

By: Tracy Hancock 7th February 2020 South Africa would be better served by an industry regulator rather than a standards body to ensure compliance with globally accepted lubricant standards, says industrial and automotive lubricants manufacturer Castrol strategy and projects manager Satha Govender. In the past, local manufacturers... →

MAGNATEC IN MOTION Castrol’s Magnatec Dual Lock will be available to the South African market in September

OneLogix’s Umlaas hub expansion to wrap up at year-end

By: Irma Venter 6th February 2020 Specialist logistics service provider OneLogix should complete the R300-million, phase 3 expansion of its vehicle distribution hub at Umlaas, in KwaZulu-Natal, by the end of the year, says CEO Ian Lourens. Speaking at the company’s results presentation for the six months to end November, 2019, in... →

Ian Lourens

Zero emissions transport future will require more copper, platinum

By: Creamer Media Reporter 6th February 2020 Canadian mining company Ivanhoe Mines co-chairperson Robert Friedland this week told delegates at the Investing in African Mining Indaba that the world was shifting towards zero emissions transportation and that this will likely result in shortages of 'green' metals, like platinum and copper. He... →

DRC to benefit from rise in global copper demand

By: Kim Cloete 5th February 2020 Canadian mining company Ivanhoe Mines chairperson Robert Friedland is capitalising on the rising need for more copper globally, with a mission to restore the Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC's) position as the number one producer of copper metal in the world. Friedland told the 2020 Investing... →

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