Peugeot Motors SA has opened a R5-million training centre in Johannesburg and aims to increase its sales to 10 000 units per annum within the next three years, says Thierry Poirat, managing director of Peugeot SA.
Peugeot Motors SA has opened a R5-million training centre in Johannesburg and aims to increase its sales to 10 000 units per annum within the next three years, says Thierry Poirat, managing director of Peugeot SA.
The South African import and distribution subsidiary of the French manufacturer launched the facility to train technicians and mechanics who will work in its dealerships in the Southern African Customs Union.
Christian Peugeot, a fifth-generation member of the founding family and currently quality and marketing director for the French manufacturer, said emerging markets, of which South Africa was among the strongest, were important to Peugeot, not only for what they could do now but in the future.
Poirat said in the past year, sales “had grown by 74 per cent” to 4 000 units and that the company intended to increase its sales in South Africa to 10 000 units within the next three years.
He added that the value of company’s automotive component export programme was expected to rise from R744 million last year to at least R1,15 billion this year.
“We’re also still waiting for another project, which is not yet implemented,” Poirat said.
Components exported by Peugeot Motors SA currently include catalytic converters and wiring harnesses.
The company hoped to increase the size of its dealer network from 16 to 28 by the end of 2004, with between R6-million and R8-million invested in each dealership by dealer principals.
Peugeot Motors SA had 15 dealerships in South Africa and one in Namibia. The expansion would largely be in South Africa, with one dealership to be established in Botswana.