Toyota South Africa has revealed full details of the Japanese manufacturer’s IMV (internationally manufactured vehicle) programme. This will see the South African Prospecton factory churning out 10 000 Hilux bakkies every month by the end of 2007.
The plant will be one of five making the vehicles for worldwide distribution, and Toyota reckons the project — the biggest of its type undertaken to date by a South African automotive company — will result in a turnover far in excess of the R120-billion during the model lifecycle.
Initial investment is R2-billion, with a further R400-million being spent on supplier tooling.
The implications for the region are enormous. There are more than 300 local companies involved in the project, which has set a local content target of 70%.
More than 1 600 components are sourced from 78 South African suppliers, with 58% of them being located within a 30km radius of the Prospecton plant.
Eight hundred new line workers have been employed to produce the bakkies, and Toyota claims that these new employees will pump an additional R4-million into the local economy each month. An additional 100 employees have also been taken on to work in the supply and logistics areas supporting the new two-shift operation.
Toyota SA has already sent 100 managers, team leaders and staff to Toyota in Thailand to gain experience in the main IMV plant in the world.
The new Hilux, which is due to be launched next week, will come in a range of 15 single- and double-cab versions powered by six all-new petrol and diesel engines. The vehicles will go on sale straight after the South African launch on May 10.