Ford Motor Company’s R15.8-billion investment in its Silverton Assembly Plant in Pretoria is coming to fruition, with the new high-tech Stamping Plant now in operation.
This was one of its largest and most ambitious projects to date. The vast facility measures a staggering 10 320 m2, equivalent to almost 1.5-times the size of a standard soccer field (7 140 m2).
“Our new Stamping Plant is a first for Ford in South Africa,” says Rhys Davies, Site Transformation Manager at the Ford Silverton Assembly Plant. “Previously, we used external suppliers to stamp our metal body parts, but we decided to set up our own Stamping Plant for the Next-Gen Ranger, which will go into production later this year.
“With our focus on delivering the highest levels of quality and efficiency for the Next-Gen Ranger, it was essential that we brought the stamping operations in-house. This ensures that we are able to control the production quality throughout the stamping process, validate that all parts are within specification and then seamlessly deliver them directly to our new Body Shop located adjacent to the Stamping Plant.
The new Stamping facility also dramatically improves our plant capacity and efficiency with a higher level of automation, while eliminating the time, cost and potential damage incurred when transporting these parts by road.
The Silverton Assembly Plant now has an installed capacity for 200 000 vehicles a year. When running at full capacity, the Stamping Plant will be processing 272 tons of steel aper day over a three-shift system.
Charging time remains a worry for many South Africans considering an electric vehicle, who still see it as a disruption rather than a quick stop at a filling station. That view is starting to shift.
The winners of the 2026 Automotive Business Council | naamsa Accelerator Awards were announced at the recently held Auto Week 2026, which took place in eThekwini, KZN.
GWM has expanded its local SUV line-up with the introduction of the all-new Haval H7. Replacing the outgoing model, the newcomer blends boxy styling, advanced technology and a choice of petrol, hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains, giving buyers a versatile family SUV with genuine all-terrain credentials.
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Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?
George Carlin
The winners of the 2026 Automotive Business Council | naamsa Accelerator Awards were announced at the recently held Auto Week 2026, which took place in eThekwini, KZN.
With the steep rise in fuel prices since March this year leading to historic record highs following massive increases in October, the government intervention annouched this week, is widely welcomed.
Most motorists will go their entire driving lives without deliberately pushing their vehicle to the limits of adhesion. Yet a sudden downpour, a patch of gravel, standing water or simply carrying too much speed into a bend can quickly expose the limits of a vehicle's grip.
