Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa (FMCSA) has opened a production simulator facility at its assembly plant in Silverton, Pretoria that aims to improve the assembly process capabilities of Ford employees, in preparation for the production of the all-new Ranger bakkie. The facility will enable the company to train employees through simulating production processes off the line – long before they start building new vehicles.
Ford recently announced that it will produce the new Ranger in Silverton following an investment of approximately R3,4 billion. According to an economic impact report, Ford’s investment will contribute R79 billion to the Gauteng economy over the next 15 years and create about 700 000 direct and indirect employment opportunities. The provincial government also allocated an amount of R32 million for training and development programmes at the future assembly plant – further contributing to skills development in this sector.
Once all FMCSA employees have been trained, the new facility will be used to provide practical training for mechanical and industrial engineering students from various tertiary institutions. “While the facility will allow us to develop the assembly sequence and processes for our new product without disrupting the production of current models, it will allow us to improve the skills of our employees dramatically,” said Jeff Nemeth, president and CEO of FMCSA. “We’re excited about the opportunities this training facility will afford students in the engineering field. We see this facility as an enabler to grow and develop more engineering candidates not only for Ford, but for the industry,” concluded Nemeth.
