Capital Equipment News February 2015

A first for FAW AS IT KICKS OFF 2015

F AW Vehicle Manufacturers SA (Pty) Ltd has started the New Year with an- other “First”. A mere six months af- ter opening its plant in Coega to assemble FAW trucks locally, the company has dis- patched its first five export units to the FAW dealership in Kenya. On 16 January the five FAW J5P truck trac- tor units headed off to Transafrica Motors Limited based in Mombasa, Kenya. Yusheng Zhang, CEO of FAW Vehicle Manu- facturers SA, said: “Once again FAW is set- ting a benchmark for Chinese truck manu- facturing locally. “Not only have we managed to produce the best quality levels, comparable – if not better - than our FAW parent company in China, but we’ve been able to do so in a very short run-in period for a plant that only came on stream six months ago.” The Africa dealers who traditionally placed their orders on FAW China are moving their shipments to originate out of South Africa owing to the shorter lead time for delivery, the high levels of quality which some have come to verify personally at Coega in South Africa, and the reduced cost of sourc- ing FAW vehicles on the same continent.

Says Zhang: “We are already working on a special order for the FAW Tanzania dealer- ship. What is significant is that the export destinations can more readily adjust some specifications to accommodate customers’ requirements specific to their markets. “In this way we anticipate providing FAW trucks to Africa customers which will de- light them with personalised modifications, as well as provide them with our renowned robust and durable FAW trucks, tipper and mixer ranges.” The 55-ton GCM vehicle can cope easily with the region’s dust and dirt challenges, as well as rough roads and slippery condi- tions. With its high payload capacity it will provide good return on investment for most any operation, such as mining, long haul, logging or the like. The quality built from the Coega-based plant ensure that the solid chassis and frame continue to give transport owners the ease of driveability they have come to expect from FAW trucks. The FAW J5P 6X4 380 HP truck tractor is a stalwart product for Africa road conditions.

firm believer in the FAW brand for over, 30 years indicated that they were delighted that the products were so easy to source. They continue to provide service and parts back up throughout the region.Another advantage of the running FAW trucks is that they are easy to maintain and service, with excellent accessibility to spare parts if needed. “The FAW Coega plant team have outdone themselves, proving that the ‘Made in South Africa’ badge can be worn with pride. The original decision to build the FAW plant in South Africa was very significant from a global perspective, as it is one of the most important and largest investments made by a Chinese entity in South Africa to date. The USD 60 million investment needed for the Coega plant was financed by the China FAW Group Corporation, the China-Africa Development Fund (CAD-Fund) together with FAW Africa Investment Company LTD. This collaboration speaks volumes to the growing interest from global Chinese In- dustry in unlocking the true Africa potential. “This export milestone, so soon after our inauguration, further cements our presence in South Africa,” says Zhang proudly. b

The Kenya-based dealer, who has been a

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