At Halfway Toyota in Howick, workshop foreman Devesh Saamcharan stole a march on his Japanese colleagues in the Toyota Motor Corporation when he assembled a few foot-operated, hand-sanitiser dispensers back in May 2020.
The dispenser proved to be a novelty in May, before it became commonplace in dealers across South Africa.
Toyota announced recently that its Kamigo Parts Centre in Japan will be making up to 2 500 sanitiser stands a month, which are to be sold or leased to dealers in Japan from December onwards.
Saamcharan told Dealerfloor he built his stands as strong but as cheaply as possible, using wood and old clutch housings that he salvaged at the dealership. To this he added only a few new bolts, making it a very cost-effective solution for the dealership.
The sturdy stands are in daily use at the busy Halfway dealership, but despite being stepped on many times a day, are still cleaning hands as fast as the bottles can squirt.
Mercedes-Benz has successfully fended off a high-profile patent infringement claim, after a US court dismissed allegations brought by The Phelan Group with prejudice, ending a dispute that had lingered for months.
As South Africa forges ahead in the automotive landscape, a notable divide has emerged in the growing realm of new-energy vehicles.
Volkswagen is accelerating its African ambitions, with Egypt emerging as the latest contender for a major manufacturing role.
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If you are not taking care of your customer, your competitor will.
Bob Hooey
The Chinese onslaught on the hearts and minds of South African customers continues with Dongfeng, which is making its presence felt with an array of fully electric vehicles (EVs) now available locally and more to come next year.
The Hyundai Pinetown dealership has once again raised the bar in South Africa’s automotive retail sector, setting a new all-time monthly sales record for Hyundai Automotive South Africa.
Stellantis South Africa has announced the opening of a new Platina Motor Group dealership in Rustenburg, reinforcing its Brand House Network and bringing six automotive brands, Opel, Citroën, Peugeot, Jeep, FIAT and the all-new Leapmotor closer to customers in Northwest Province.
