Ford recently celebrated its 10th anniversary of Ranger production in South Africa. The Ford Silverton assembly plant in Pretoria began producing these popular pickup trucks in 2011. This milestone was also marked by the completion of its 500 000th Ranger for export – a mammoth achievement for Ford Motor Company of South Africa (FMCSA).
Ford has invested more than R11-billion in local manufacturing capacity between the years of 2009 and 2018. It further announced a capital investment of over R15-billion in February 2021. These cash injections have resulted in over 732 000 current generation Rangers being manufactured in South Africa – 500 000 of which have been exported.
Ford contributing to the local economy
The Ford Ranger has played a massive role in the growth and success of the domestic automotive industry and the economy. It is consistently one of South Africa’s best selling vehicles, both in the new and used markets. Ford’s loyalty and commitment to South Africa has generated over 4300 direct jobs at the assembly plant and around 50 000 indirect jobs in the total value chain.
FMCSA managing director, Neale Hill, states that “the launch of the new Ford Ranger in 2011 was a watershed moment for Ford South Africa, for the domestic market and the broader pickup segment internationally.”
The company’s local operations saw production capacity expand from 110 000 to 168 000 vehicles per year by 2018, enabling the launch of the Ford Ranger Raptor as well as increasing production volumes across the Ranger line-up.
Ford Ranger continues to be a hit
FMCSA produces around 160 000 Rangers annually and has created a third transfer which is being introduced into its Silverton assembly plant. The brand experienced its highest export volume in April 2021, with 13 079 Rangers that were shipped to overseas markets, on top of the 2416 Rangers that were sold that month in South Africa.
Altogether, Ford achieved an all-time record of 15 495 Rangers in a single month for both domestic and international customers; a clear sign that the South African operations are booming. Further investment is in the works and the plant aims to bramp up volumes to 200 000 units per annum.
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