David Powels, Managing Director, Volkswagen of South Africa, has announced significant developments regarding the company’s global export programme, new jobs and a new Parts & Accessories Distribution Centre in Centurion, Gauteng.
Volkswagen of South Africa commenced export of the all right-hand drive new Polo to their respective countries (United Kingdom, Ireland, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, Cyprus and Malta) in 2009. By year end, 19 000 New Polos had been exported to the aforementioned markets. At the same time, the company announced a 2010 export plan for the new Polo of 55 000 units to these key right-hand drive markets.
“We are pleased to announce that the Polo export business has been extended to include LHD deliveries to Europe. We now anticipate exporting approximately 71 500 New Polo’s to key RHD markets around the world as well as LHD units to Europe,” said Powels.
“This is a huge vote of confidence on the part of the Volkswagen Group on our manufacturing capability in our Uitenhage Plant”, he added.
Volkswagen of South Africa will also be the sole producer of the new CrossPolo, which broke cover at this year’s Geneva Motor Show. During the course of 2010, the Uitenhage plant will produce approximately 12 000 units of the CrossPolo for markets around the world.
Having won the European Car of the Year gong last year and gaining a top three spot in this year’s World Car of the Year awards, the new Polo has gone on to sell more than 3 300 units in its first month on the local market.
On the back of significant investments in new engine development technology within the Uitenhage plant, Powels has also announced important engine export contracts to India and China. The result is a programme which will involve the export of more than 8 500 EA11 engines to India and 30 000 to China. These export developments have, in turn, resulted in the creation of 860 new jobs on a six-month contract basis.
“Whilst these new jobs are for a six month fixed term contract, the people have been given significant skills enhancement opportunities, thereby creating genuine empowerment”, says Powels.
Volkswagen of South Africa also announced the introduction of its new entry level segment car the Polo Vivo this last week. The new Polo Vivo will form the second manufacturing platform at the SA Uitenhage Plant. With 70 percent of its components sourced locally, the Vivo has “resulted in the creation of hundreds of jobs and the mushrooming of a vast Supplier Logistics Park in the Uitenhage area,” said Powels.
To support the company’s Dealer Network and ensure optimum parts availability, a new R220 million state of the art Parts and Accessories (P&A) Distribution Centre located in Centurion, Gauteng will be completed in July 2010. This facility will utilise some of the most sophisticated P&A Distribution systems available globally and will form the backbone of the Vivo and new Polo ownership experience.
“2010 is promising to be an extremely exciting and challenging year for Volkswagen of South Africa. A year in which we will practically double the production output in our Plant in Uitenhage over 2009,” concluded Powels.
