 in the expansion of its Silverton Assembly Plant in Pretoria, South Africa. The investment will support production of both the all-new Ford Everest and Ranger, which will also create approximately 1,200 new jobs between Ford South Africa and its South African […] "'Pin It")
Ford Sets Aside $170 Million USD for South African Everest, Ranger Production
2016 Ford Everest
Ford announced on Tuesday that it will be investing $170 million USD (or R2.5-billion) in the expansion of its Silverton Assembly Plant in Pretoria, South Africa. The investment will support production of both the all-new Ford Everest and Ranger, which will also create approximately 1,200 new jobs between Ford South Africa and its South African supplier network.
“Our customers love the capability and utility offered by the all-new Ford Everest,” said Jim Farley, Ford executive vice president and president of Europe, Middle East and Africa. “By producing the Everest in South Africa, we will be able to make it more readily available, and in a greater variety of models, for customers throughout Sub-Saharan Africa.
“The R2.5-billion investment reaffirms the importance of these markets as part of our growth strategy across the Middle East and Africa,” Farley added. “It further reinforces South Africa’s position as a strategic export base for Ford Motor Company.”
2016 Ford Ranger Wildtrak
The Ranger is currently being produced at max capacity at Silverton, and a portion of the investment will allow Ford to keep up with record domestic and international demand.
Production of the Everest at Silverton is being set at 10,000 units annually, and it is expected to get underway in Q3 2016. The Everest is also being built at the AutoAlliance Thailand plant in Rayong; Ford Chennai plant in India; and JMC Xiaolan Plant in Nanchang, China.
Currently, the Everest is being imported to South Africa from Thailand and is only available with the locally-built 3.2-liter five-cylinder Duratorq TDCi engine. Local production will enable Ford to option the Everest with a 2.2-liter Duratorq TDCi four-cylinder diesel. Both engines are built locally at the Ford Struandale Engine Plant in Port Elizabeth.
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